EHF Champions League
Tough home tests for group leaders
Three of the four teams with a perfect record after two rounds, have high hurdles to clear in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League this week, including SC Magdeburg in the MOTW against Paris Saint-Germain.
In group A, only two teams have taken maximum points after two rounds: Veszprém and Magdeburg. Both will play home this week, trying to add a third victory to their run. But this will not be an easy task as they host Dinamo Bucuresti and Paris Saint-Germain.
Zagreb and Porto will face in a clash between two sides that have yet to take a point while Plock will try to get things going again against GOG.
In group B, Kielce have another high hurdle ahead with their away match at Aalborg, while Kiel hope to get back on track against Szeged. Nantes (against Elverum) and Barça (against Celje) are the favourites in their respective matches.
We’re really focused on ourselves. We have a lot of respect for Zagreb, for their tradition. It’s going to be a really difficult game but we’re always looking forward to playing Champions League games and to make a good game we must play our best.
GROUP A
HC PPD Zagreb (CRO) vs FC Porto (POR)
Wednesday 28 September, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- these two teams are the only not to have earned a point in the group to date
- Zagreb lost to GOG and in Magdeburg while Porto were defeated by Plock and Veszprém
- Zagreb and Porto never faced each other in European competitions
- with 51 and 52 goals scored in two games, Porto and Zagreb are the two least prolific offences in the competition
- last weekend, both teams secured a win in their respective domestic leagues: Zagreb in Porec (32:19) and Porto against Gaia (43:26)
Telekom Veszprém HC (HUN) vs CS Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU)
Wednesday 28 September, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- Veszprém are joint-leaders of the group with four points, having defeated Paris and Porto
- on the other hand, Dinamo picked their first point last week in GOG, after losing in the first round against Magdeburg
- Bucharest and Veszprém played against each other in last season’s group phase and both won their home game
- overall, Veszprém have won three of the four confrontations the two teams played in European competitions since 2005
- both teams remain undefeated in their domestic league. Veszprem defeated Tatabanya (42:32) while Dinamo took the points against Focsani (41:34)
We will play against a team that is constantly being built. We met them twice last year and we played a terrible and a fantastic match against Dinamo Bucuresti. They have an excellent coach and are getting stronger year after year.
They signed very good players this year, so it will be a tough game.
SC Magdeburg (GER) vs Paris Saint-Germain HB (FRA)
Wednesday 28 September, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- while they lost their first game of the season in Veszprém, Paris pulled themselves together to beat Plock in the last round
- Magdeburg lead the way with two wins from two, while the French club sit fourth in the group with two points
- you have to travel back in time to 2004 to find trace of competition between Magdeburg and Paris in European competitions. Back then, the German side won both the confrontations in the EHF Cup
- Magdeburg goalkeeper Mike Jensen: "For me a dream comes true. To be able to play against such greats of handball is fantastic. I am really looking forward to this game."
- this game will be the first opportunity for Jannick Green, the new PSG goalkeeper, to travel back to Magdeburg with his new team, having played for SCM for the last eight seasons
- last weekend, Magdeburg easily took the points against Minden (39:25), their fifth win in as many games. Paris suffered their first lost of the season in the French league in Toulouse (35:27)
Orlen Wisla Plock (POL) vs GOG (DEN)
Thursday 29 September, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- GOG are currently ranked third in group A, after winning in Zagreb and drawing with Dinamo last week
- Plock are just two places below, with two points after their defeat last week in Paris
- the two sides met four times in European competitions, and both won twice. The last time was two seasons ago in the European League quarter-finals and Plock progressed to the EHF Finals
- Plock coach Xavier Sabate: "In recent years we played against each other several times, so we know each other well. A really tough game is waiting for us and we will need the help of our supporters, for sure."
- across all European competitions, Plock have not lost any of their last six home games
- last weekend, Plock won their fourth straight game in the Polish league against Lubin (31:16) while GOG beat Fredericia (34:28)
GROUP B
Aalborg Håndbold (DEN) vs Lomza Industria Kielce (POL)
Wednesday 28 September 20:45 CEST, live on EHFTV
- alongside Barça, Aalborg top the table with four points, while Kielce lost Match of the Week in round 2 against Barça 32:28
- Kielce have a clear record of four victories in four matches against Aalborg, but the last duel was five years ago
- In his first two Champions League matches for Aalborg, new arrival Mikkel Hansen has already scored 16 goals
- in the Danish league, Aalborg dropped their first point, drawing 29:29 in round 5 against Bjerringbro/Silkeborg, Kielce won their fourth straight match, 35:30, at Kwidzyn in the Polish league
Aalborg have a very strong team. They recently signed big stars such as Mikkel Hansen and Aron Palmarsson, but
they already had a very good line-up. They have individuals of the highest level, especially Hansen who is one of the best players in the history of handball. We know it will be very difficult, so we need to be well-prepared.
THW Kiel (GER) vs Pick Szeged (HUN)
Thursday 29 September 18:45 CEST, live on EHFTV
- both sides lost their matches of round 2: Kiel were defeated 38:36 at Celje, Szeged lost 35:30 at Nantes and still await their first point
- Kiel have beaten Szeged seven times, lost four times and tied once - in the 2021/22 season, Szeged were unbeaten against THW by a draw and a home victory
- Kiel coach Filip Jicha: "Last year we were not able to win against Szeged; we want to change that on Thursday. But it will be very difficult against this world-class team. I hope that I will have all my players available except for the three long-term injured Sven Ehrig, Sander Sagosen and Hendrik Pekeler, and that many fans will support us."
- Kiel eliminated Szeged four times in the knockout rounds of the Champions League: 2015 in the quarter-finals, 2016 and 2018 in the Last 16 and 2021 in the playoffs
- three Szeged players have enjoyed spells with German clubs: Borut Mackovsek, Kent Robin Tønnesen and Bogdan Radivojevic
- with five victories from as many matches, including the 29:27 win against Hannover-Burgdorf on Sunday, Kiel top the German league, as do Szeged after four rounds in Hungary, they won 37:26 at Dabas
HBC Nantes (FRA) vs Elverum Handball (NOR)
Thursday 29 September 20:45 CEST, live on EHFTV
- while Nantes are on two points after their victory against Szeged, Elverum still wait for their first point of this season
- both clubs never faced in the competition before, their only duels were in the 2013/14 EHF Cup qualification, both won by HBC
- last season, Elverum were eliminated by another French team in the playoffs, PSG
- Valero Rivera scored ten goals for Nantes against Szeged and is the top scorer of his side so far by 13 strikes, Hungarian born new arrival Uros Borsas tops Elverum’s list with ten goals in two matches
- Nantes won their last match in the French league 33:28 against Ivry and top the table, while Elverum did not have a league match
Barça (ESP) vs RK Celje Pivovarna Laško (SLO)
Thursday 29 September 20:45 CEST, live on EHFTV
- Barça won both matches in the group, at Szeged and against Kielce, while Celje sensationally beat Kiel last week
- in their long history of CL duels, Celje won four times against Barça, the last victory coming in 2005
- Barça took a total of 12 wins against the Slovenian record champions and scored more than 40 goals in their last three home matches 42:28, 45:21 and 44:33
- two players from Celje’s famous talent factory are part of the Barça squad: Domen Makuc and Blaz Janc
- a 43:31 win at Puente Gentil was Barça’s fifth straight victory in the Spanish league, Celje won the top duel of the Slovenian league, 33:28 at Gorenje Velenje
