Preview of Round 10 of the VELUX EHF Champions League

13 of 16 balls for the Last 16 draw of the VELUX EHF Champions League on Tuesday 26 February are already known, the three remaining ones will be decided from Wednesday to Sunday, when the final round of the Group Phase will be staged all over Europe.

Seven teams fight for the last three spots and additionally five teams fight for the top positions in Groups A and B, as Vive Targi Kielce (Group C) and FC Barcelona Intersport (Group D) are already confirmed winners.

Group A:
Chekhovski Medvedi (RUS) vs. SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER)
Thursday, 20:15 hrs local time
First leg: 26:36

After their disastrous result in the first leg, Chekhovski (13 points) have clearly improved and did not lose a single match since the defeat from 14 October in Flensburg. But the Russian team need to win this final duel to hope for the first position after they gave the victory from their hands last Sunday at Montpellier. Flensburg (14 points) also lost only one single match, and a draw would already mean that they would rank ahead of Medvedi. But still they do not know on Thursday, on which position they finish, as this depends on the Hamburg vs. Montpellier match on Saturday.

Reale Ademar León (ESP) vs. RK Partizan Beograd (SRB)
Saturday, 18:00 hrs local time
First leg: 31:33

The heat will be on in the lion’s den at León on Saturday. After winning the direct encounter against Montpellier the Spanish outfit have the big chance to qualify for the Last 16 by taking revenge against the Serbs – but the fate is not only in their hands. Even a victory would bring them one hour of shivering, as they depend on the result of HSV vs. Montpellier, starting one hour later. León will go for a victory, as then for Montpellier even a draw in Germany would not be enough to proceed. For Partizan the match is without meaning, as they are already out of the race for the Last 16 – as the home victory against León remained the only points up to now.

HSV Hamburg (GER) vs. Montpellier Agglomeration (FRA)
Saturday, 19:00 hrs. local time
First leg: 33:29

The final match of Group A will bring all final decisions: Hamburg know what result they need to finish first after the match of Medvedi vs. Flensburg on Thursday, and Montpellier will be up to date what happens in Leon. The situation is clear: If Flensburg win at Medvedi, Hamburg need to beat Montpellier to finish first. If Flensburg tie or lose, a draw is already enough. Regardless the result in León, Montpellier are through if they win at Hamburg, if León win, they also need to win. So pure tension will bring a brilliant decisive atmosphere to this encounter.

Group B:
HCM Constanta (ROU) vs. THW Kiel (GER)
Wednesday, 20:00 hrs. local time in Bucharest
First leg: 14:35

The first decisions in this group will be taken already on Wednesday: If Kiel do not win, Veszprém are already group winners, if Constanta do not win, the Romanians are out of the race for the Last 16, if the match ends in a draw, both missed their goals. In all other constellations, the final decisions will be taken on Thursday and Saturday. Kiel are below Veszprém by two points, Constanta are below Celje by two points and equal with Sävehof. The first leg of this duel was the by now clearest result in the whole Group Phase, as Kiel won by 21 goals.

IK Sävehof (SWE) vs. RK Celje Pivovarna Laško (SLO)
Thursday, 19:00 hrs. local time
First leg: 25:31

Both teams will sit in front of their computers on Wednesday to see the Constanta vs. Kiel match on ehfTV.com. Regardless the result, the decision which team proceeds to the knock-out stage will be taken in Gothenburg. Regardless all other results, Celje are qualified if they at least take one point. In all other constellations, Sävehof need a very clear victory with seven or more goals to be part of the knock-out stage.  The Swedes lost all their group matches since 17 October, while Celje clearly won the crucial duel against Constanta in Round 9.

MKB Veszprém (HUN) vs. Atlético Madrid (ESP)
Saturday, 17:15 hrs. local time
First leg: 27:26

In the previous season MKB Veszprém secured the second rank in their group by a highly close 28:27 victory against Atlético in the final Round of the Group Phase, this season a draw is already enough to finish first for the first time since the 2009/10 season. The relevance for Madrid is quite small, as they are already confirmed third ranked team and cannot overtake the teams ahead, but the Spaniards want to continue their improvement from the previous weeks. If Kiel do not win at Constanta, Veszprém are already number one before the throw-off.

Group C:
Gorenje Velenje (SLO) vs. Vive Targi Kielce (POL)
Saturday, 16:30 hrs. local time
First leg: 24:30

The ehfTV.com Match of the Week will bring at least one decision and will answer the question, whether Vive Targi Kielce are strong enough to finish the Group Phase as the only team with a 100 percent clear record and ten victories in ten matches. In this case, the second decision is also taken – as then Velenje will definitely finish third below Metalurg regardless the result of the Macedonians against Bjerringbro. If the rising Slovenians – who were unluckily defeated at Silkeborg last week – win this match, Metalurg needs a victory too to be ahead. Unfortunately Kielce wing player Ivan Čupić cannot play against his former team due to a shoulder injury. The match will be streamed live free of charge on ehfTV.com with live commentary of Tom o’Brannaghain.

HC Metalurg Skopje (MKD) vs. Bjerringbro Silkeborg (DEN)
Sunday, 17:00 hrs. local time
First leg: 26:23
By knowing the result from Velenje, Metalurg either can have an easy-going afternoon or a tough shift. Bjerringbro have nothing to lose as they have qualified for the Last 16 already – and the Danes proved their current strength by beating Velenje after an incredible catch-up chase. So Metalurg should be aware of their opponent though they won three of four home matches by now (except against Kielce).

Chambéry Savoie (FRA) vs. HC St. Petersburg (RUS)
Sunday, 19:00 hrs. local time
First leg: 27:31

It is a match of farewell and a match of honour only – as both teams already missed the qualification for the Last 16 having only two points each on their account. As St. Petersburg were supposed to have problems in this group, the downswing of Chambéry was unexpected – but now the French want to finish the international season by their second straight home victory. The only points St. Petersburg took were in the first leg.

Group D:
HC Dinamo Minsk (BLR) vs. FC Barcelona Intersport (ESP)
Thursday, 20:00 hrs. local time
First leg: 24:25

The significance of the brother duel of Dziannis and Siarhei Rutenka is not as high as in the first leg – but Dinamo Minsk want to show the world that they again can keep up with one of the world’s best teams. Due to those hopes, coach Sergey Bebeshko even saved the powers of some injured players in Szeged, where his team finally lost. In the first leg, Barcelona were in lead only once after minute seven – with the final whistle, when Juanin Garcia scored the winner’s goal. Both teams already know their final positions in this group – Barca as number one, Minsk as number three.

HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb (CRO) vs. Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI)
Saturday, 18:00 hrs. local time
First leg: 27:28

The last chance for Kadetten and – depending on the result of their appeal – the international farewell match for Zagreb in this season. After their close victory in the first leg, Schaffhausen need another win to still hope for the Last 16. In case they win and Szeged lose one day later at Berlin, the Swiss champions are through to the knock-out stage. But Zagreb are known to be highly strong on home ground and the young guns of Slavko Goluža showed some great matches though they won their last point in Round two on 4 October with the draw in Minsk.

Füchse Berlin (GER) vs. Pick Szeged (HUN)
Sunday, 19:00 hrs. local time
First leg: 29:22

The Germans have won both matches after the winter break and have already secured the second position, as Szeged are still struggling to go on in the competition. If Schaffhausen do not win at Zagreb, both teams will have something like a friendly match, if the Swiss champions win, Szeged at least need one point from the German capital.