Fitness tests, fishing and some undesirable clothing choices
With only a matter of weeks to go until the 2017/18 EHF Champions League season throws off, we take a light-hearted look at what is going on in the pre-season lives of Europe’s elite players.
Whether it’s Luka Karabatic’s aquatic skills, Jesper Noddesbo’s newfound love for painting or Andrea Lekic’s summer spectacles, we have it covered. Here are some of the best bits of what Europe's biggest names were sharing over the past week on their social media channels.
Getting their sweat on…
With only nine weeks until the group phase of the VELUX EHF Champions League both northern German sides THW Kiel and SG Flensburg-Handewitt are already putting their players through their paces. Both Group B sides are taking the initial stages of the pre-season to test their squad’s cardio; THW’s looking particularly gruesome - poor Sebastian Firnhaber.
A fish out of water…
What better way to spend the height of summer than sitting by a lake side fishing – seems to be quite the popular off-season pastime for 2002 Champions League winner and commentator Stefan Kretzschmar, who had a successful outing netting a hefty catch.
Meshkov Brest’s own Ivan Pesic took a more, gentle, approach toward his aquatic counterparts…
And who knew it? PSG’s Luka Karabatic is the VELUX EHF Champions League’s very own flipper. Interesting aquatic skills pulled off by Luka during his holiday last week in Ibiza.
Summer fashion’s best and worst…
HC Vadar stalwart and finalist of last season’s Women’s EHF Champions League, Andrea Lekic, takes this week’s award for best dressed with some stylish specs.
The same might not be said for former Barcelona player Magnus Jernemyr’s present of summer shorts for Lalzo Nagy; let’s hope the Veszprem legend has kept a receipt.
However, all of this pales in comparison to PSG’s right back, Xavier Barachet, who went for the hair-metal look. I think no more needs to be said…
Les copains!☝☀️
A post shared by Barachet4xavier (@barachet4xavier) on
Time for some elbow grease…
It was time for a change for Jesper Noddesbo who decided after 10 years with handball giants FC Barcelona Lassa that it was time for a move home to his native Denmark.
Come September, the 36-year-old line player will be wearing the colours of Bjerringbro-Silkeborg, and it looks like he is beginning to set up his new life in Aarhus away – for this season at least - from Champions League handball.
What’s the best part of this photo? The knee-high socks, excellent touch.
It seems Champions League fame has not got to Bence Banhidi’s head, the MOL-Pick Szeged line player has no issue with rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty.
TEXT:
Brian Campion / cor