Rostov to face real test against Bucuresti, FTC look for first points

The two teams that won their first games in group A last week will be playing away from home this weekend, as Metz pay FTC a visit. The Hungarian club, one of the favourites in the DELO WOMEN’S EHF Champions League, are still looking for their first points.

A little bit later on Sunday, Kristiansand will travel to Koprivnica to try and snatch two more points and start to pave their way to the main round.

In Group B, the two heavyweights CSM Bucuresti and Rostov-Don will clash on Friday, while on Saturday, MKS Perla Lublin and Team Esbjerg will try to claim their first points in the competition.

GROUP A
FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (HUN) vs Metz Handball (FRA)
Sunday 13 October, 13:00hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com

• French side Metz is currently top of the group with two points while FTC are bottom without points
• the two teams played against each other in the main round in the last two seasons
• overall, since 1995, FTC have won eight contests, Metz three and one ended in a draw
• Metz will welcome back Laura Glauser, Laura Flippes and Orlane Kanor who were all sidelined last weekend due to injuries
• FTC’s Noemi Hafra is currently second in the Champions League top scorers ranking with 10 goals, just ahead of Metz’s Louise Burgaard (eight)

HC Podravka Vegeta (CRO) vs Vipers Kristiansand (NOR)
Sunday 13 October, 18:00hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com

• the two sides have met only once in the Champions League. In 2017, Vipers easily beat Podravka 42:14 in the qualification tournament
• if this victory had happened during a regular phase of the competition, that would have been a record win for Kristiansand in the competition
• Kristiansand have not lost an away game in the Champions League since February, when they had to concede defeat to Györ
• Podravka have not won a home game in the Champions League since 2013. Since then, the Croatian side suffered nine defeats and drew twice

GROUP B
CSM Bucuresti (ROU) vs Rostov-Don (RUS)
Friday 11 October, 20:30 local time, live on ehfTV.com

• the two rivals have met seven times in the DELO WOMEN'S EHF Champions League, and CSM have a clear advantage as they won five matches to Rostov’s one, while one game ended in a draw
• both sides started the current campaign with wins, as CSM claimed two points at Esbjerg (24:22), while Rostov beat Lublin at home (31:21)
• the game in Esbjerg was a successful debut for CSM's new head coach Adrian Vasile
• for Rostov's coach Ambros Martin, this match will mean a return to Romania where he worked with the national team between 2016 and 2019

MKS Perla Lublin (POL) vs Team Esbjerg (DEN)
Saturday 12 October, 16:50 local time, live on ehfTV.com

• the two teams have never played each other in any European club competitions
• both Lublin and Esbjerg are yet to claim their first points in the current competition after losing in Round 1
• on Wednesday, Lublin beat MKS Piotrkovia Piotrkow Trybunalski (26:21) in the Polish league, where they are in top position with four wins in as many games
• Esbjerg also have a 100 per cent record in the Danish league after celebrating their seventh straight victory, 27:21 against Horsens Handbold Elite, on Wednesday