MID-WEEK PREVIEW: Flensburg enter the second leg against Kristianstad as the favourites to book the first VELUX EHF Champions League Quarter-final ticket
All Swedes or four Swedes?
The first ticket to the VELUX EHF Champions League 2017/18 Quarter-finals will be decided between SG Flensburg-Handewitt and IFK Kristianstad on Wednesday. After a four-goal victory away in the first leg, 2014 title winners Flensburg are the favourites to clinch the berth.
LAST 16
SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) vs IFK Kristianstad (SWE)
Wednesday 28 March, 19:00 local time, live on ehfTV.com
Can Richard Kappelin steer Kristianstad to a huge sensation or will Mattias Andersson keep Flensburg on the road to Cologne? As they were in the first leg, the two Swedish goalkeepers are expected to be in focus in Flensburg, where the first quarter-final ticket will be decided on Wednesday.
Andersson is one of four Swedish players in the SG squad, along with defence boss Tobias Karlsson and the German side’s top scorers of the first leg, Hampus Wanne and Jim Gottfridsson.
Thanks to a strong defensive performance, Flensburg took a huge step towards the quarter-finals as they won the away leg 26:22, but coach Maik Machulla was not satisfied with his team’s attack in Kristianstad: “Like in many matches before, we missed too many chances. We have to work on this problem. Again, we did not reward ourselves for our strong defence in attack.”
Despite a hip bruise that occurred in Kristianstad, Flensburg’s right back Holger Glandorf will be back in the squad.
Kristianstad will be accompanied by hundreds of orange-dressed spectators for one of the closest away matches in the club’s Champions League history. “Of course, they will make a lot of noise, but our fans will produce even more. We all know that only 60 more minutes separate us from the quarter-final,” said Glandorf.
The aggregate victor of this Last 16 match-up will face the winner of the Barcelona versus Montpellier duel in the next round.
TEXT:
Bjorn Pazen / cg