Kolding and Barcelona striving to maintain top position

The third round starts early in Group B of the VELUX EHF Champions League. On Wednesday night SG Flensburg-Handewitt will receive Orlen Wisla Plock, and the following evening Alingsas take on KIF Kolding København who will be striving to maintain their position on top of the group.

So will FC Barcelona who may make way for a real top match away against Kolding on the 19. October in case of a home win against Besiktas MOGAZ HT Sunday.

GROUP B
SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) vs Orlen Wisla Plock (POL)
Wednesday 8 October at 19:30 local time, live on ehfTV

Flensburg and Wisla Plock last met in a European match in the 2001/02 season.

In the Last 16 of the Cup Winners' Cup, Flensburg won 33:27 at home and could live with a 25:23 defeat in the second leg in Poland.

This time it is not a tie but a match for crucial points in Group B of the VELUX EHF Champions League, where both teams are in need of a win in order to keep up with KIF Kolding København and FC Barcelona who have taken the lead of the group from the start.

Defending champions Flensburg got their first points in this season's tournament on Sunday, as Swedish champions Alingsas HK were defeated clearly 31:21 in the FLENS-ARENA.

However, the North German club is prepared for tougher resistance when receiving Wisla Plock who suffered their first defeat of the tournament on Sunday, as they had to leave the Palau Blaugrana with a 30:25 loss to FC Barcelona. The loser in FLENS-ARENA on Wednesday will be facing a tough job reaching the top of the group.

Alingsas HK (SWE) vs KIF Kolding København (DEN)
Thursday 9 October at 19.00 local time, live on ehfTV

The two teams who meet in the Scandinavian derby in the Estrad Alingsas Thursday night, have had as unlike a start to their campaign, as one can possibly imagine.

While KIF Kolding København have won their first two group matches, 35:21 at home against SG Flensburg-Handewitt and 33:24 away against Besiktas MOGAZ HT, Alingsas have started their group matches with two ten goal defeats – 38:28 at home against FC Barcelona and 31:21 away to Flensburg.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Alingsas see their Danish visitors as favourites Thursday.

“By meeting Barcelona, Flensburg and Kolding in our first three group matches, we have probably got the most difficult start to the group phase we could get," Alingsas coach Mikael Franzén said to ehfCL.com. 

"Kolding have surprised me very positively, and a great part of their success is probably due to the fact that Kim Andersson seems to be on his way back to full strength. It will be an extremely tough match for us, but I hope that the home advantage will enableus give them some kind of a match," he continued.

In Kolding København, right back and right wing Kasper Irming, who has scored 12 goals in the first two Champions League matches of his career, is understandably optimistic.

“I think it is fair to say that if we do our job and the things we are good at, this is a match we should win. We travel to Sweden wit big faith on our own skills after two big wins in the Champions League and only having lost one point in seven domestic league matches,” Irming told ehfCL.com.

FC Barcelona (ESP) vs Besiktas MOGAZ HT (TUR)
Sunday 12 October at 17:00 local time, live on ehfTV

On Sunday, Besiktas had a historic experience, as they played their first Champions League match on home ground in history.

They may not be happy to be reminded of the result, though, a 33:24 defeat against KIF Kolding København, but this Sunday the Turkish champions can look forward to another memorable experience, as they will be entering legendary Palau Blaugrana to meet none other than FC Barcelona for the first time.

That may not be the place or the match where Besiktas can hope for their first Champions League points in history, but it will be a fine opportunity for them to live up to their previous vow to “fight until even their socks are torn apart.”

Barcelona, for their part, will obviously want to continue their consistent opening to the season, where their first two matches have resulted in clear wins. The Spanish top team will need two further points in order to stay side by side with KIF Kolding København, before exactly those two teams meet in a direct encounter on the 19 October in Brøndbyhallen by Copenhagen.

Amendment: This article was updated on 8 October at 18:14 because the article incorrectly stated that Flensburg and Wisla Plock last met during the 2011/12 season, it was in fact the 2001/02 season.