Newcomers in need of success

European debutants Csurgói KK and TSV Hannover-Burgdorf are both in need of success and points when they meet in Hungary on Wednesday evening. Both teams lost their first matches in Group A and are in need of points in order to stay in the race for the quarter-finals.

This also applies to IFK Kristianstad who are not European debutants, but still newcomers in the EHF Cup Group Phase. After a seven-goal away defeat to Tatran Presov, the Swedish team is in for another difficult task at home against Pick Szeged.

Group A

Csurgói KK (HUN) vs TSV Hannover-Burgdorf (GER)

Wednesday, 12 February at 19.00, Sport Hall Csurgo

Csurgo and Hannover-Burgdorf have two things in common ahead of their internal clash in Hungary on Wednesday evening.

They are both debutants in Europe this season, and they are both in need of points after having opened their group phase campaign with defeats that hurt.

Csurgo may not exactly have been favourites away against Reale Ademar Leon, but still a 19:28 defeat was worse than expected.

To Hannover-Burgdorf, the 28:32 home defeat to Swedish Lugi HF was at least as painful, though.

“You cannot perform like that, especially not in your own hall and in front of your own fans,” TSV goalkeeper Martin Ziemer said.

On Wednesday, Ziemer and his teammates will not be in their own hall and not in front of their own fans – not many of them, at least – but the North German team will probably still have to improve in order to keep up a realistic hope of making it any further than the group phase in their first EHF Cup campaign.

Group C

IFK Kristianstad (SWE) vs Pick Szeged (HUN)

Wednesday, 12 February at 19.00, Kristianstad Arena

After their 30:37 defeat in Slovakia against TATRAN Presov this weekend, Kristianstad are in need of points at home against Pick Szeged, who got a far better start to the group phase than the Swedish club.

Although they had to struggle at the end, the Hungarian team won 28:27 at home against HBC Nantes, and Kristianstad coach Ola Lindgren is expecting a difficult task against the Hungarian top team on Wednesday evening.

“It will be very tough. We will be up against a team with a lot of European experience, and a team with physically strong players in all positions.

“Of course, we hope to benefit from the home advantage, and we hope for a lot of spectators supporting us. However, there is no doubt that Pick Szeged are clear favourites,” Ola Lindgren told eurohandball.com

Pick Szeged have had to leave Croatian left back Alen Blazevic at home where he is nursing an injury.