PSG in search of winning run in 2017 final rematch

Round 6 of the EHF Champions League Men sees three games on the menu in group A. Leaders Kielce and Flensburg will be on the road, the Polish side trying to add a fifth win to their series in Porto while the German club visit Szeged, the only team remaining without point in the group.

Paris, at home, have an opportunity to leapfrog Vardar into fifth place, should they beat their visitors from Skopje.

In group B, Kiel host Veszprém in the Match of the Week and hope to give them a taste of defeat for the first time this season. Celje are on the hunt for a second win in succession against Motor, while Barça aim to get the goal machine running again after a short break and Zagreb and Nantes face in a bid to kick-start their season.

GROUP A

Paris Saint-Germain HB (FRA) vs HC Vardar 1961 (MKD)
Wednesday 28 October, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV

• the last two times these teams met was in Cologne, at the EHF FINAL4. Vardar beat Paris in 2017 on their way to their first title while Paris won the 3/4 place game one year later
• this game will be the first opportunity for Paris right back Dainis Kristopans to play against his former team
• Paris have lost three of their first four games, their worst start in the competition. Vardar took their third point last week against Port
• Paris did not play last weekend in the French league, their game against Tremblay was postponed

MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN) vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER)
Thursday 29 October, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV

• only once did Flensburg ever lose to Szeged, back in 2018. Overall, the German side won four of the six contests between the two sides
• Flensburg are currently first in the group with eight points, while Szeged are the only team to remain without a point
• Flensburg took the two points last weekend in the Bundesliga against Coburg (32:22) while Szeged’s game in the Hungarian league was postponed
• Joan Canellas, Szeged’s best scorer with 27 goals, netted six more than Flensburg’s Magnus Röd and Goran Johannessen despite playing two fewer games

FC Porto (POR) vs Lomza Vive Kielce (POL)
Thursday 29 October, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV

• Kielce have won their last four games and are leaders of the group while Porto have not lost a game since round 3
• last season, Porto beat Kielce at home 33:30, their only win in history against the Polish side. Overall, Kielce won four of the five confrontations between the two teams
• Alex Dujshebaev, Kielce’s best scorer, have netted 21 times, once more than Porto’s Victor Iturriza
• both teams won their domestic league games this weekend

GROUP B

THW Kiel (GER) vs. Telekom Veszprém HC (HUN)
Wednesday 28 October, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV

• each side have won ten direct duels in so far 20 matches, not a single game ended in a draw
• Kiel have six points on their account after four matches, Veszprém have 8 points after the same number of games
• Kiel have won their last domestic match against Nordhorn 35:29 but lost Steffen Weinhold to a head injury
• Veszprém are on top of the Hungarian league, after eight wins from eight matches, but have not played since 17 October
• Veszprém’s players Rogerio Moraes and Rasmus Lauge are former Kiel players

RK Celje Pivovarna Laško (SLO) vs. HC Motor (UKR)
Wednesday 28 October, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV

• Celje had taken their first points of the season in Round 5, winning clearly at Zagreb
• Motor still wait for their first points but their last two matches had been postponed due to COVID-19
• Celje had won three of four previous duels against Motor, including both on home court
• Since the 24:22 in November 2019, Celje had not won any home match in the EHF Champions League
• Motor took only two away points in the previous Champions League season, two draws at Porto and Kiel, their last away victory was at Nantes in  November 2018

Barça (ESP) vs. Aalborg Håndbold (DEN)
Thursday 29 October, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV

• the hosts have won all their four group matches so far and can count on the best attack of all 16 participants
• Barça can take their 22nd home victory in a row in the EHF Champions League
• after their best ever Champions League start with four wins in a row, Aalborg suffered a home defeat against Kiel in Round 5
• Barça have won all six previous encounters against Aalborg, including their largest win of all time, 31:11 in the Last 16 in 2015
• Barça have two Danes in their squad, goalkeeper Kevin Möller and left wing Casper Mortensen

HBC Nantes (FRA) vs. HC PPD Zagreb (CRO)
Thursday 29 October, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV

• Nantes have won both previous Champions League home matches against Zagreb
• Nantes have lost three of their four group matches, Zagreb still have no point after five defeats.
• Nantes have lost both previous home matches against Barça and Veszprém
• coaches Alberto Entrerrios and Vlado Sola clashed as players in the 2005 World Championship final, won by Spain against Croatia
• Zagreb’s Senjamin Buric played for Nantes in the 2019/20 season