Fredrikstad Ballklubb (NOR) vs GC Amicitia Zürich (SUI)
Saturday 5 October, 17:00 CEST
GC Amicitia Zürich (SUI) vs Fredrikstad Ballklubb (NOR)
Sunday 6 October, 15:00 CEST
- this is the Norwegian club's debut in the EHF European League, as Fredrikstad have only featured in the EHF Cup in the past
- the hosts are on an unwanted losing run in the Norwegian League at the start of the season, with five consecutive defeats leaving them at the bottom of the standings
- it is the first-ever meeting between the sides and the winner of the tie will secure a direct place in the EHF European League's group phase
- a double-header with both legs being played in Norway
- the Swiss club is back in the club competitions after a long 18-year absence; they last featured in the Cup Winners' Cup back in 2005/06
- Amicitia Zürich are the reigning Swiss runners-up and they have an extremely young squad with only one player over the age of 30
HSG Blomberg-Lippe (GER) vs SU ZRK Crvena Zvezda (SRB)
Saturday 5 October, 18:00 CEST
- the ambitious hosts are back in the EHF European League after a three-year absence, but they have never reached the group stage of the competition
- Blomberg-Lippe didn't start the season well, as the German club has already noted a couple of defeats and secured only one win in the Bundesliga
- it is the first-ever meeting between the clubs
- Crvena Zvezda are the reigning Serbian champions
- the Serbian club's debut in the EHF European League, as they have only featured in the Challenge Cup in the past
Ankara Yenimahalle BSK (TUR) vs DHK Banik Most (CZE)
Saturday 5 October, 18:00 CEST
DHK Banik Most (CZE) vs Ankara Yenimahalle BSK (TUR)
Sunday 6 October, 16:00 CEST
- the Turkish club featured in the EHF European Cup last season, where they were eliminated by their country rivals — Armada Praxis Yalikavaspor — in the Last 16
- Yenimahalle are the reigning Turkish runners-up and they have never played in the EHF European League
- it is the first-ever meeting between the sides
- a double-header with both of the legs being played in Czechia
- Banik Most featured in the EHF's second-tier club competition last season, where they were eliminated in qualification round 3 and have never reached the group phase of the competition
- the Czech club boasts a far more experienced squad, as Yenimahalle's oldest player is 27 years old
Cabooter Fortes Venlo (NED) vs Vác (HUN)
Saturday 5 October, 19:00 CEST
- the Dutch club's debut in the EHF's second-tier club competition
- Venlo featured in the past three editions of the EHF European Cup and they were eliminated by MSK IUVENTA Michalovce in the quarter-finals last season
- it is the first-ever meeting between the clubs
- Vác played in each of the past four seasons in EHF European League's group stage, but have never reached the quarter-finals
- the Hungarian club boasts a squad full of Hungarian players and they have started the season in poor fashion by noting a couple of defeats in the opening three rounds of the Hungarian League