Teams with perfect records clash in next round of the group matches
The group matches of the EHF European League Men 2024/25 are about to reach their midway point with 16 round 3 matches scheduled on Tuesday. Eight teams still boast a perfect record, including all four German participants, and they will be looking to extend their winning runs. The sides with the 100 per cent record will clash in groups G and H, as SG Flensburg-Handewitt host MOL Tatabanya KC, while VfL Gummersbach take on FENIX Toulouse, so some of them are certain to drop their first points.
In the next round our opponent will be THW Kiel, the most trophy-winning German club and, along with Barcelona, probably the biggest handball club in the world. Of course, we are all looking forward to it, it will be a real spectacle in the hall. For many players who did not have the opportunity to play against Kiel, it will be a special match, and I am convinced that the stands will be too small to accommodate all the spectators. We must be optimistic, Kiel are of course the favorites, but if we believe in ourselves and in victory, then anything is possible.
I'm looking forward to the game. It's always something special for me to play in Croatia. I think I'll recognise some familiar faces not only on the pitch but also in the crowd.
We know how important the match with Porto is if we want to pass the group. In the first round we had a good performance in front of the home crowd, and then in Melsungen it was not as we wanted. That is already in the past, we are thinking about the match with Porto, we are analysing and training for the game. They are well covered in all positions with quality players. We are aware and mature how much this match means for Vardar. There is no saving or thinking, one and only option is victory.
Tatabanya are a stable team with a good defence. They are Spanish-inspired by their coach Cristian Ugalde and have a good back court and a strong squad. Tatabanya also won their first two games, so we need full pressure from the start.
We don’t care that the odds are in Flensburg’s favour. We’ll give it our best and see how far that takes us. We’ve just come through a tough league match, but there’s no time to dwell on it – we have to keep pushing forward. The good news is that our squad is complete. Everyone is determined and ready to play.
Toulouse are a very strong team that have made an outstanding start to the season both in the French league and in the EHF European League. They have only lost one game in the French league so far. They play with a compact, but also aggressive 6:0 defence, are known for their dangerous counter-attacks and have great attacking options. We are very much looking forward to their visit to the SCHWALBE arena.
It is a difficult challenge, but we have the ambition to qualify for the next phase. If we want to have a chance, we must win this game at home, so we can keep looking forward. We must work hard.
I believe it will be a fun match between two teams who are looking to get their first points, so it’ll be a tough match. A lot is at stake in these two upcoming matches against FH. We’ll make sure to be well-prepared ahead of our journey to Iceland, and hope to bring home two points.
