Brûleurs de Loups Fall Short in Champions League Despite Victory Over Frölunda Göteborg
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Despite a hard-fought 1-2 victory on Tuesday, November 18th, the Brûleurs de Loups de Grenoble were eliminated from the Champions League (CHL) in the round of 16, falling to Frölunda Göteborg by an aggregate score of 4-3. The Swedish team had secured a 1-3 win in the first leg played in Grenoble the previous week, on November 11th.
A Bitterly Won Battle
The match in Gothenburg proved to be a spirited contest, described as a “bitter tasting victory” by observers. After a closely contested first period, Frölunda Göteborg took the lead with a power-play goal. However, the Isère team responded quickly, equalizing less than two minutes later and heading into the third period tied.
The Brûleurs de Loups’ goalkeeper, Matija Pintaric, proved crucial throughout the game, making several key saves to keep his team in contention. Ultimately, Grenoble managed to take the lead with a goal on the power play fifteen minutes from the end, igniting hopes of a comeback. Despite a determined push for an equalizer and the possibility of overtime, the French team was unable to overcome the first-leg deficit.
Reflecting on a Historic Run
While the elimination is undoubtedly disappointing, the Brûleurs de Loups achieved their best-ever result in the CHL, reaching the round of 16 for the first time in club history. The club’s president, Jacques Reboh, expressed a mix of frustration and pride, stating, “This is the scenario that I would have liked to avoid. With this victory and this very good performance, we obviously think back to the 3-1 goal that we conceded at home because of a lack of concentration, against the flow of play.”
Reboh also lauded the team’s effort, noting, “So there is frustration, but also pride. All the players showed that they were involved, with rigor, dynamism and our goalkeeper was exceptional.” He acknowledged the significant challenge posed by Frölunda Göteborg, comparing them to European football giants like Real Madrid.
Building for the Future
Coach Per Hanberg highlighted the team’s progress throughout the campaign, recalling a significant comeback victory in Berlin during the group stage, where they won in overtime despite trailing 3-0. “We progressed collectively and the players learned to play together,” Hanberg said. He believes the experience will pave the way for future success for French hockey, inspiring young players to pursue their dreams.
The team’s focus now shifts to the Magnus League, where Reboh believes they will be “the team to beat.” He expressed optimism about returning to the Champions League next season with increased ambition and experience, stating, “I hope we will come back with more ambition, more experience, next season.”
The Brûleurs de Loups shared a message of gratitude on X/Twitter: 𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐈 🫶𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐈 guys for this historic journey in the CHL𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐈 for having made an entire city vibrate and made the people of Grenoble proud𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐈 for having carried the colors of French hockey high on the European scene𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐈 for those moments engraved forever,… https://twitter.com/bruleursdeloups/status/1725889999999999999.
Despite the setback, the 2025 Champions League campaign represents a significant step forward for the Brûleurs de Loups and French hockey as a whole, offering valuable lessons and a foundation for future success.
