08.11.2007, 12:44
Viborg’s men with problems in the defence

The Danish CL team will play an important game in the Ukraine this weekend, but their defence will not be complete after losing Grubanov.

Viborg’s men with problems in the defence

Danish Men’s Champions League debutants, Viborg HK, have lots of injury problems, in particular in defence. The Swedish playmaker, Lukas Karlsson, will be sidelined until April next year with a shoulder injury. In addition, Viborg will also play without their experienced defender and backcourt player, Milan Grubanov, this Sunday against ZTR Zaporozhye in the Ukraine. The 29-year old Serbian player joined Viborg from Danish Bjerringbro/Silkeborg before this season, but currently he is suffering from a knee injury.

“We expect him to be fit for our home match against Hamburg on 17 November, but it will of course be a big handicap to be without Milan Grubanov in the Zaporozhye match. He means a lot for our defence, but we will simply have to try and win with the players we have,” Viborg coach, Søren Hildebrand told Eurohandball.com.

Key match in the Ukraine

As Viborg have more or less given up the fight against HSV Hamburg and Chehovskie Medvedi in the struggle for qualification to the Main Round, the match in Zaporozhye will be a key match for the Danes. Currently Viborg are third in the group and their goal is the qualification for the Cup Winners’ Cup.

Søren Hildebrand and his players may seek consolation in the fact that Danish international, Mikkel Aagaard, is expected to be fit for the match after a muscle injury in a leg that he picked up on 12 October against Medvedi. His experience on the right wing will be useful but may not completely compensate for the absence of Karlsson and Grubanov.

“We do have a 6 goal advantage in our home match with Zaporoshye after a 29-23 win, but such a lead may vanish in a second in Ukraine. We may get under great pressure there,” Søren Hildebrand said.

TEXT: Peter Bruun