Esch on the edge of sensation

Being the first team from Luxembourg to qualify for the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase would be a dream coming true for Handball Esch – and head coach Werner Klöckner believes in the chance, before going to Sweden to defend the four goal lead against HK DROTT Halmstad.

It came as a surprise to many people in the handball world, as Handball Esch managed to qualify for the Challenge Cup final last season, being the first team from Luxembourg ever to qualify for a European final at club level.

Probably even more people were surprised, as the champions of Luxembourg managed to win the first leg of the qualification tie for the Group Phase 30:26 at home against Sweden's title holders HK DROTT Halmstad.

If Handball Esch can take the last step in the return match in Halmstad on Saturday, they will have written handball history once again, as they will then be the first team from Luxembourg ever to the reach the European top flight`s Group Phase.

“It would be dream coming true for us, if we can accomplish that and qualify. Last season, we already created history by reaching the Challenge Cup final, and reaching the Champions League Group Phase would be adding yet another chapter to that history.

"Obviously, we would be in for a tough time in the best European competition, but simply getting that far would be great for the handball in the country as well as for our club,” Handball Esch´s head coach Werner Klöckner told ehfCL.com.

Realistic hope

Four goals may not seem like a big lead before a return match on away ground, but still Klöckner finds it realistic to believe in the overall win.

“Our win in the first match was mainly due to a great performance by our goalkeeper, together with a strong defence and fine individual performances by Max Kohl and Sacha Pulli in the attack. The fact that we managed to create a four goal distance towards the end was mainly due to our better physical condition, simply because we started training already at the beginning of July.

"However, we can still improve, when it comes to the handball play. In the first match only four of our attacking players had a scoring percentage of more than 50%, so there is definitely room for improvement. I do not think the Swedes played their best in the first match either, but I believe we have the advantage of having more international experience than them.

"Halmstad have a very talented young team, but we have the experience from our Challenge Cup matches last season, and they may be useful to us in these matches. Furthermore, our team forms a strong unit, so I do not see it as unrealistic for us to win the second match too, especially if we can keep the match equal until the last minutes,” the Esch coach found.

“Of course, Halmstad are still favorites, though. Sweden is an international power in handball, and the Swedish champions should definitely be able to defeat the champions from tiny Luxembourg. However, we go to Sweden to try and qualify for the Champions League, and if Halmstad give us the chance, we will take it,” Werner Klöckner reassured ehfCL.com.

The overall winner of the tie between Halmstad and Esch will join Group B of the Champions League group phase, for which Aalborg Håndbold, Gorenje Velenje, SG Flensburg-Handewitt, Naturhouse la Rioja and HSV Hamburg will be waiting.