Fenix Toulouse outlined their constant improvement, while TATRAN Presov again left the arena empty-handed. Winning 31:19 at the Slovak champions was the third victory in the last four group matches and propelled Fenix to six points. Even at home Tatran were chanceless and took their fifth straight defeat, remaining on two points. Like in the first leg last week - 34:20 - Toulouse took a clear victory in the end.

GROUP A 

TATRAN Presov (SVK) vs. Fenix Toulouse Handball (FRA) 19:31 (10:16) 

• after a 0:3 start, TATRAN turned the match around and were ahead 10:8. 
• Fenix took the upper hand again thanks to a 5:0 run including three goals by Serbian wing Nemanja Ilic and took a clear 16:10 advance to the dressing rooms. 
• Presov had the better start in the second half and reduced the gap to only two goals at 16:18 - but then Fenix took the full control again. 
• 28:18, seven minutes before the end thanks to the seventh strike of Ilic, was the first double-figured advantage for the visitors. 
• while four Presov players scored three goals each, Ilic (7) and Uros Borzas (6) scored even more often than this quartet.

Nemanja Ilic in the form of his life 

Since 2013, Serbian left wing Nemanja Ilic has played for Fenix Toulouse - except four months in 2019, when he was on loan at FC Barcelona. But never before has he had form like he does now in international competitions. Including 28 strikes in the four qualification matches, 31-year-old Ilic has scored 55 season goals already for Fenix - only two fewer than in the whole 2020/21 season. His group phase high score is eight goals against Wisla Plock, on Tuesday he added seven more to his tally.