Montpellier teach lesson to Veszprem

After 120 Group matches all eyes look to Vienna on Monday evening, where the draw of the Last 16 will take place at 19:00 local time - the composition for the four pots is decided since Sunday, when Montpellier secured the victory in group B by beating Veszprem.

Pot 1 (group winners): THW Kiel, Montpellier Agglomeration HB, Chekhovskie Medvedi, Renovalia Ciudad Real

Pot 2 (teams ranked second): Rhein-Neckar Löwen, MKB Veszprem, Cuatro Rayas Valladolid, SG Flensburg-Handewitt

Pot 3 (teams ranked third): FC Barcelona-Borges, HSV Hamburg, Pick Szeged, RK Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb

Pot 4 (teams ranked fourth): Chambery Savoie, KIF Kolding, Kadetten Schaffhausen, Bosna Sarajevo.

The draw will be broadcast live on ehfTV.com.

The group winners will meet the fourth ranked teams and the second ranked teams will face the third ranked ones. The matches will stage from 23 March to 4 April in two legs. The teams ranked first and second after the Group Phase will have the home right in the second leg. If they reach the quarterfinals, the group winners will not meet another group winner.

Compared to last season eleven of the 16 participants of the knock-out stage are the same: All teams from pot 1, all teams from pot 2 except Flensburg, all teams from pot 3 except Szeged and KIF Kolding.

The 16 remaining teams of this season come from nine countries: Four German teams, three from Spain, each two from France and Hungary each one from Russia, Denmark, Bosnia, Croatia and Switzerland.

Some more facts and figures of the Group Phase:

Best defense: Ciudad Real only conceded 236 goals

Best attack: Barcelona scored 327 goals, followed by Kiel and Montpellier (each 326) and Veszprem (322)

Best goal difference: Ciudad Real and Montpellier each have +67 goals.

Highest number of victories: Montpellier, Veszprem, Ciudad Real and Flensburg each reached eight victories in ten matches.

Sunday’s Matches of Round 10:

Group A:

Vive Targi Kielce (POL) – THW Kiel (GER) 27:36 (11:18)

THW Kiel did not have any problems in taking their seventh victory in this VELUX EHF Men’s Champions League season. The reigning champion could save some powers of key players in Kielce – and coach Alfred Gislasson gave playing time to young goalkeeper Andreas Palicka who honoured this trust with in total 19 saves. Right at the break the winner was clear, as THW was clearly dominant. Palmarsson,m Zeitz and Illic scored 20 of the 36 THW goals.

Even as they knew that they will lose, Kielce fought hard but the individual class of THW was unbeatable. Until the score of 10:10 the match was close before THW increased the gap to 18:11 after 30 minutes. In minute 52 the distance was ten goals for the first time (30:20). Top scorer for Kielce was Mirza Dzomba with six goals from the penalty line.

Group B:

Tatran Presov (SLK) – IK Sävehof (SWE) 31:31 (15:15)

Even twelve goals of outstanding Rado Antl were not enough for Tatran Presov. The Slovaks remain the only of all 24 teams without a victory in the Group Phase. As Sävehof secured the fifth place Presov remain last with only two points on their bank. The Danes had won the first duel 33:32.

Presov was in lead most of the first half, but could not increase the distance to more than two goals. Thanks to a short but intense catch-up chase Sävehof equalized with the break. Nothing changed in the second half: Presov led, Sävehof equalized. And in the final minute the Swedes had taken the lead at 31:30 before Radchenko equalized for the host. Sävehof did not score in their last attack – so Tatran coach Rastislav Trtik received one point as a present for his 50^th birthday.

HSV Hamburg (GER) – KIF Kolding (DEN) 32:24 (18:12)

HSV secured the third place in the direct duel against Kolding. The Germans took revenge for the defeat in the first match in Denmark. Despite a great performance of goalkeeper Ole Erevik Kolding did not have a chance to beat the Germans – what would have meant the third and not the fourth rank for the Danes.

Kolding was equal until the 8:8, when Hamburg led 12:9 KIF took their time-out but could not manage to stop HSV. Hamburg stood well in defense and scored from all positions – so the 18:12 distance at the break was well-deserved and could have been even bigger if Erevik would not have saved so brilliant.

In the starting period of the second half Kolding could reduce the gap to 19:15, before six straight HSV goals decided the game at the score of 25:15 in minute 42. Even as Kolding came closer again to 24:30 the HSV victory was never endangered. Top scorers were Michael Kraus (HSV) and Bo Spellerberg (KIF) with each six goals.

Montpellier Agglomeration HB (FRA) – MKB Veszprem (HUN) 30:24 (13:11)

The Arena Montpellier is a real fortress – after losing the opener against Hamburg Montpellier took all points from their home matches – and continued this series against Veszprem. The Hungarians led the ranking from the first until the ninth round of the VELUX EHF Men’s Champions – but lost it in the final ranking. Thanks to the better goal difference Montpellier won the direct encounter after the defeat in Veszprem and won this group being equal in points with their opponent. For Veszprem it was the second defeat after losing in Hamburg.

Montpellier had the better start, as Veszprem seemed to sleep in the starting period. After the 3:0 the French champion increased the lead to 6:2 and 8:5 before Veszprem improved and equalized for the first time at the 9:9. The game then remained equal until the break – and then Veszprem fell asleep again. Montpellier scored a 7:2 series and increased the gap pre-decisively to 20:13. But the Hungarians fought back and reduced again to 25:20 – but could not turn the match as Montpellier goalkeeper Stochl saved brilliant. Latest it was decided at the 27:22.

Statements after the match:

Lajos Mocsai, coach Veszprem: The better team has won the match. Unfortunately we failed in our defense strategy, as Montpellier played with an unexpected attack formation. Aside we had problems in scoring, so the score is the logical result of our style. Another fact are the health problems which occurred last week and especially hit our defense. On the other hand Montpellier played brilliant – but I hope we meet again in Cologne at the VELUX EHF FINAL4.

Patrice Canayer, coach Montpellier: We did no start so well in this VELUX EHF Men’s Champions League season, as we first lost on home ground against Hamburg and then in Veszprem. That time Veszprem was better than us, today we managed a really good game. Since years Montpellier and Veszprem compete on highest level – and it is always a balance of victories and defeats. But winning this group does not mean the direct qualification for the FINAL4 in Cologne. All those who now want to buy tickets for Cologne should save their money and have to be patient. Even the slightest mistake can be fatal, like we saw last season in our quarterfinal matches against Chekhov. We watched the FINAL4 on TV, Chekhov played. We are ambitious and my players made a great progress, especially in defense.

Group C:

AaB Handball (DEN) – Pick Szeged (HUN) 34:30 (17:19)

Securing their second victory Aalborg could celebrate a happy ending of their VELUX EHF Men’s Champions League campaign – but remained on the sixth and last position. The defeat did not hurt Pick Szeged so much as they could not climb in the ranking after the Valladolid victory over Kadetten on Saturday. The Hungarians remained on third position.

Szeged dominated the game until minute 48 and was in lead constantly, intermediately with a four goal difference. But in the final stage the Danes improved and turned the game with a 7:1 series. At first Lennartsson equalized at the score of 27:27 than Aalborg decided the game at the 32:28 and kept the distance until the end. Szeged only scored three goals in the last 13 minutes.