Mathias Gidsel equaled an EHF Champions League scoring record by netting 17 goals in Füchse Berlin’s 40-32 victory over FC Porto on Thursday. The performance propelled Berlin to second place in Group A, cementing their momentum following a challenging Club World Championships campaign.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Group A Dynamics: Berlin’s decisive win over primary group contenders FC Porto stabilizes their odds for direct advancement to the main round.
Breaking Records Against FC Porto
Thursday night’s fixture at the German capital showcased a vastly different Füchse Berlin side compared to their underwhelming outings at the Club World Championships. Gidsel set the tone early, converting seven of eight attempts to secure a crucial half-time lead. But the Danish star truly ignited after the break. His 14th strike of the evening broke his personal EHF Champions League single-game record, surpassing the two 13-goal matches he recorded during the 2025/26 campaign. By the final whistle, Gidsel’s tally reached 17, matching a milestone in European competition.
Porto proved a formidable adversary despite the final 40-32 scoreline. Boosted by a morale-boosting victory over Partizan, the Portuguese side relied heavily on João Gomes, who orchestrated the offense with pinpoint assists while finishing as their top goalscorer. Yet, Porto’s defensive schemes had zero answers for Gidsel’s off-ball cutting and efficiency in transition. The defeat marked Porto’s sixth loss against Berlin in as many matches, leaving them searching for answers in the race for Group A’s second qualification spot.
Chasing Historical Milestones
The record-tying night comes on the heels of a prolific European campaign for Gidsel. The Danish standout finished the previous season as the Königsklasse’s most successful scorer with a staggering 161 goals across 17 matches. That historic run included surpassing the 141-goal single-season record set by fellow Dane Mikkel Hansen during the 2015/16 season.
| Player | Season | Goals | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathias Gidsel | 2025/26 | 161 | 17 |
| Mikkel Hansen | 2015/16 | 141 | – |
| Mathias Gidsel | 2024/25 | 135 | – |
Despite his individual brilliance, Gidsel’s scoring milestones have occasionally been overshadowed by team heartbreak. Following the 2025/26 final defeat to FC Barcelona (34-37), the star admitted to feeling physically and mentally empty after falling just short of the ultimate trophy, telling handball-world.news, “Das ist echt hart. Ich fühle mich momentan ein bisschen leer. Körperlich, mental.” With Thursday’s victory, however, Berlin and their talisman have firmly redirected their focus toward continental redemption.
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