Presov and BSV want to build on winning start

They both won their opening match of the VELUX EHF Champions League 2018/19 season. Now they face each other: TATRAN Presov and Bjerringbro-Silkeborg meet on Saturday, with the winners continuing their strong start to the season.

Also in Group C, Sporting CP are seeking a second straight win when visiting Chekhovski Medvedi, while HC Metalurg want to stop the rot against Besiktas Mogaz.

In Group D, Orlen Wisla Plock want to add another win when they travel to Elverum, and the same goes for Dinamo Bucuresti in their away match at Abanca Ademar Leon.

In the group’s midweek game, Thun and Cocks shared the points, 26:26 (match details).

GROUP C

Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS) vs Sporting CP (POR)
Saturday, 22 September, 16:00 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com

• Both sides also met last season, with each team winning its home match

• Sporting beat Metalurg in Round 1 but have not won two CL games in a row since 2001

• Sporting are 31 goals shy of the club’s 500-goal mark in the CL

• Medvedi bounced back from losing their first two domestic league games by winning the next two - against Astrakhan and Kaustik

TATRAN Presov (SVK) vs Bjerringbro-Silkeborg (DEN)
Saturday, 22 September, 18:00 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com

• If BSV win, they will match the club’s CL record of two straight victories

• Presov impressed with a 32:28 midweek win against Meshkov Brest in the SEHA league, while BSV defeated Mors 27:23 in the Danish league

• A win in Slovakia would be BSV’s 10th victory in the club’s 40 CL games so far

HC Metalurg (MKD) vs Besiktas Mogaz (TUR)
Sunday, 23 September, 18:00 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com

• Metalurg want to snap their six-match losing streak - only two short of the club’s worst series of eight defeats between 2006-08

• The two sides also met in the group phase last season, with Besiktas taking both wins

• Metalurg are the youngest CL team this season, and their average of 20.53 years is nearly seven years lower than their opponents’ average of 27.30

• Metalurg are still after their first win of the season, as they drew 27:27 with Izvidac in the SEHA league after four earlier defeats

GROUP D

Abanca Ademar Leon (ESP) vs Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU)
Saturday, 22 September, 19:30 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com

• Both sides also shared a group last season, with Leon winning away (28:24) and at home (32:29)

• Leon are after their first win of the season, being held to a draw at Cocks in Round 1

• In Round 1 Dinamo got their first ever win against Elverum, now they want their first ever win against Leon

Elverum Handball (NOR) vs Orlen Wisla Plock (POL)
Sunday, 23 September, 18:10 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com

• Their only previous meetings were in the EHF Cup six seasons ago, when Plock won both in Poland and in Norway

• After Thun’s midweek draw, Elverum are the only team in Group D with 0 points

• Plock want to further cement their status as one of the group favourites after a 10-goal win in Round 1