VELUX EHF Champions League Round 1 preview

VELUX EHF Champions League season starts with four matches on Thursday – with the top duel of Madrid vs Kiel a re-match of last season’s final

The first 12 of the (in total 120) Group Matches of the VELUX EHF Champions League are being played this week – with four games on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Some of those encounters will be significant for the rest of the season – including the duel of top guns Madrid and Kiel, last season’s finalists of the VELUX EHF FINAL4.

Group A:

Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS) vs. RK Partizan (SRB)
Thursday, 20:30 hrs local time
The improved Russian champions are a powerhouse on their home court thus making Medvedi the supposed favourite in this duel. Partizan are aiming to win some points this season after finishing last season with zero points to their name. But the starting hurdle in Russia could to be too high for the Serbians.

SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) – vs. Montpellier MAHB (FRA)
Thursday, 19:00 hrs local time
Eight seasons ago this encounter was one of the most dramatic and thrilling matches ever in the EHF Champions League history. In the first leg of the quarter-final Montpellier seemed to be clearly through to the semi after a 36:22 victory, but one second before the end of the re-match Flensburg had made their dream become reality, leading 32:18. With this result the Germans would have been semi-finalists.

But Gregory Anquetil shattered all the hopes of Flensburg by scoring an incredible goal in a direct free-throw in the final second of the game.

Only two players of this quarter-final thriller who will play on Thursday are Montpellier’s Nikola Karabatic and Michael Guigou – and coach Patrice Canyer on the bench.

Another close match is expected for the start of the 2012/13 season – Flensburg can count on home support and Montpellier on their Olympic champions. This duel could play a huge role in deciding the top positions of the group.

Reale Ademar Leon (ESP) vs HSV Hamburg (GER)
Saturday, 19:00 hrs local time
In the 2006/07 season this encounter was the final of the EHF Cup Winners’ Cup with Hamburg setting their first mark on international ground. Thanks to more away goals at Leon the Germans took the title – a big number of HSV players lifted the EHF Cup Winners’ Cup are among those on the court on Saturday, the Leon squad, on the other hand, has changed completely.

But even without all the stars, Leon are still one of the strongest home teams in the VELUX EHF Champions League. So everything is possible against the Germans, who make their way to the Group Phase as winner of the wildcard tournament.

Group B:

IK Sävehof (SWE) vs HCM Constanta (ROU)
Thursday, 19:00 hrs local time
After a brilliant season, Sävehof are aiming high – so are Constanta with their reinforced squad. This duel is of high importance for the rest of the season, as below Kiel, Madrid and Veszprem they are fighting it out for the fourth position and the qualification for the Last 16 together with Celje.

MKB Veszprem (HUN) vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO)
Saturday, 17:00 hrs local time
For decades now both clubs have imprinted their name onto the VELUX EHF Champions League – and after a one year absence, Celje are back on track with a rejuvenated and hungry team. But as the Slovenian runners-up are “only” fighting for the qualification for the Last 16, MKB Veszprem are hungry for the VELUX EHF FINAL4 after their tremendous improvements before the start of this season, including the home-coming world star Laszlo Nagy.

The encounter with Celje will be the first international match for five times Champions League winner Antonio Carlos Ortega, the new Veszprem coach. His team are the clear favourite.

Atletico Madrid (ESP) vs THW Kiel (GER)
Sunday, 18:00 hrs local time
The last match of the previous VELUX EHF Champions League season, and the first match for both teams in the 2012/13 season: directly in the first round we will witness a re-match of the 2012 VELUX EHF FINAL4 final, won by THW Kiel 26:21. But Madrid won one over back at the IHF Super Globe in September, being the first team to defeat Kiel since October 2011 in the final in Doha.

Both squads have undergone some big changes: Kiel have had to integrate five new players, while top star Kim Andersson has made his way to Denmark. Madrid have lost several top stars like Abalo, Dinart or Sterbik, but signed big names like Ivano Balic.

At the end of the day – the defence will decide who wins and who loses. The duel - Madrid vs Kiel had been the final of three Champions League seasons. In 2008 and 2009 the Spaniards lifted the trophy; however, in 2012 the Germans took their place on top of the podium. The match will be an open one, with a slight advantage for Madrid thanks to the home advantage.

Group C:

Gorenje Velenje (SLO) vs St. Petersburg HC (RUS)
Saturday, 20:00 hrs local time
Most pundits expect Kielce to top this group and perceive all remaining teams on a similar level.

Slovenian champions Velenje are the favourites in their opener against the Russian runners-up who have only won one away match in their previous two seasons in the VELUX EHF Champions League. The “wasps” from Velenje are backed by their extremely motivating spectators.

Vive Targi Kielce (POL) vs Bjerringbro Silkeborg (DEN)
Sunday, 17:00 hrs local time
The Polish champions are aiming at least for the quarter-finals and due to home advantage, generally having more experience and due to the individual skills of their players, they are clear favourites.

Like Partizan in Group A, Bjerringbro would like to gain some points after nil on their account in the previous season – but this would be much easier to achieve on their home court than in the lion’s den of Kielce.

Chambery Savoie (FRA) vs HC Metalurg Skopje (MKD)
Sunday, 19:00 hrs local time
Metalurg had been one of the surprise teams in the previous season by reaching the Last 16 – in contrast to the French runners-up who missed the qualification for the knock-out stage.

Due to their home advantage and the return of the two Gille brothers, Chambery are seen as favourites, but if the Metalurg defence stands strong, it might be a higher hurdle than expected for the team from the Alps.

Group D:

Kadetten Schaffhausen (SIU) vs FC Barcelona Intersport (ESP)
Thursday, 20:00 hrs local time
It was the “opening gala” for the newly built BBC Arena in the previous season, now Kadetten and Barcelona go head-to-head again in the first home match for the Swiss champions.

And again the Spaniards are the favourite, but 11 months ago they had to struggle hard to take both points. The match will be special for Kadetten playmaker Christian Dissinger, as the young Germans hopes to return after being out off action since last season’s match against Barcelona, leaving the court early with a rupture of the crucial ligament.

RK Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb (CRO) vs Pick Szeged (HUN)
Saturday, 18:30 hrs local time
How strong is the new squad in Zagreb? The first answer to this question will be answered in the dual against Pick.

After losing several stars like Balic, Gojun, Kopljar, Sego and Strlek, RK coach Slavko Goluza is confident that his young team have the chance to proceed to the knock-out stage again in their 19th appearance in the VELUX EHF Champions League.

Pick’s hopes of reaching the Last 16 are on the shoulders of their newcomer Jonas Larholm. The opening match with slight advantages for the host can be expected.

Füchse Berlin (GER) vs Dinamo Minsk (BLR)
Sunday, 16:15 hrs local time
The outcome of this duel seems to be clear, but Berlin are aware of the reinforced Belarusian champions with a lot of international experience. Füchse are again flying high, after being the first German team in 15 months to take a point against THW Kiel in the domestic league.

Minsk did not have any problems in qualifying for the Group Phase by beating Istanbul in the qualification play-offs and can play without any pressure in the German capital.