MOTW: Vipers host Esbjerg in Scandinavian derby
A bunch of interesting matches is on the schedule when the group phase of the DELO EHF Champions League 2020/21 enters round 10 this weekend.
The Match of the Week is certainly one of them, as Vipers Kristiansand will host Team Esbjerg for a tasty Scandinavian derby.
The match in Norway takes place on Saturday 9 January at 18:00 CET (live on EHFTV).
The MOTW coverage sees the game day begin with the Breakfast for Champions series on the EHF Champions League Instagram page. During the day, fans will be able to enjoy exclusive coverage across all EHF Champions League social media channels as well as the live blog on eurohandball.com.
Vipers and Esbjerg drew earlier this season, 27:27
Vipers had their finest hour in the EHF Champions League two years ago, when they made it all the way to the DELO EHF FINAL4 and finished third.
The Norwegian side are ready for more big achievements this season, as the team with top stars like Katrine Lunde, Nora Mørk and Heidi Løke have dropped just a single point in their four matches in group A so far.
However, that draw came in the match against their upcoming opponents, Team Esbjerg.
Coming off an impressive 2019/20 campaign, which was cut short amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Danish side have failed to consistently replicate similar strong results this season.
Missing several key players, most notably Dutch left back Estavana Polman, Esbjerg have gathered three points from eight matches and will be eager to get 2021 off to a good start.
The head-to-head stats should give head coach Jesper Jensen’s team some confidence: they defeated Vipers twice last season (35:31 away, 35:30 at home) and held the Norwegian side to a 27:27 draw when the teams last met in round 5 in October.
While Esbjerg need the points in this MOTW to boost their chances for a play-off spot, Vipers could strengthen their position in the battle for a top-two finish and direct access to the quarter-final.
