Preview of Round 8 of the VELUX EHF Champions League
Raise the curtain for the last three rounds of the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase. After the winter break that included the World Championship in Spain, Europe's top club competition resumes on Thursday, 7 February with the first three matches of Round 8, followed by nine on Saturday and Sunday.
After the final round of 2012 ten teams already clinched their berth in the Last 16: HSV Hamburg, SG Flensburg-Handewitt, and Chekhovski Medvedi from Group A, MKB Veszprém and THW Kiel from Group B, Vive Targi Kielce, Gorenje Velenje, and Metalurg Skopje from Group C, FC Barcelona Intersport and Füchse Berlin from Group D.
Each of the remaining 14 teams still can hope for qualification to the knock-out stage, there are six places available and although some team's chances are more realistic than others', no team is completely eliminated from the competition.
Alongside the fight for the remaining Last 16 spots, is the battle for the top positions and the prospect of facing weaker opponents on the road to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne.
Group A:
Chekhovski Medvedi (RUS) vs. HSV Hamburg (GER)
Thursday, 18.45 hrs local time
First leg: 27:27
The Russian champions have their fate in their own hands to remain on top of Group A, as Chekhovski will host Hamburg (level on 11 points) and Flensburg (10 points) in their upcoming home matches. The Russians cannot be overtaken by their German opponents if they secure victory in these two games.
Boosted by strong performances of their national team players at the recent World Championship, Medvedi are aiming to go one better than the draw they secured in Hamburg. The German team will not be phased by the prospect of facing Medvedi in Russia, as they have proven before that they are able to beat the hosts in Chekhov.
SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) vs. RK Partizan (SRB)
Thursday, 19:30 hrs local time
First leg: 37:31
With only two points in their account, Partizan need to win at Flensburg's fortress to keep the flame of hope burning.
However, the hosts are the favourites against the Serbian champions, who have not secured an away point up to now in their 2011/12 and 2012/13 VELUX EHF Champions League campaigns. If Flensburg, including World Championship top scorer with 55 goals Anders Eggert, wish to stay in contention for first place, they need these points.
Reale Ademar León (ESP) vs. Montpelier MAHB (FRA)
Sunday, 19:00 hrs local time
First leg: 29:27
The French champions currently sit in fourth place and are two points ahead of Ademar León, but things have changed at Montpellier, as top star Nikola Karabatić has ended his contract and now plays for another Frech league team Aix-en-Provence.
Karabatić's departure might make it more difficult for MAHB to make it to the Last 16, both teams will be level on points if Ademar win this weekend and if both teams are equal in the end, the Spaniards would qualify for the Last 16 thanks to the better head to head record. Backed by their frenetic fans, another victory is not out of reach for Ademar.
Group B:
IK Sävehof (SWE) vs. THW Kiel (GER)
Saturday, 16:00 hrs local time
First leg: 34:43
This Sunday in Gothenburg sees Daniel Narcisse, World Handball Player of the Year 2012, play his first intenational match after recieving his award.
Narcisse and his THW Kiel teammates, whom he will leave after this season for Paris, are well aware of their task ahead, knowing the home strength of Sävehof, as the Swedish champions had beaten Atlético Madrid on home court this season.
For both teams this encounter is highly important: Kiel need to win to remain in the race for the number one position, Sävehof (currently in joint fourth place on four points with Constanta and Celje) can make a huge step towards the Last 16.
Kiel's Marcus Ahlm, Niclas Ekberg and Andreas Palicka will be travelling home to Sweden for the away match, and the team will be travelling in an unconventional way for clubs at this level, by ferry. Fans in Germany will be able to watch the match live on ehfTV.com as it will not be geo-blocked for Germany.
MKB Veszprém (HUN) vs. HCM Constanta (ROU)
Saturday, 17:15 hrs local time
First leg: 37:27
If Kiel do not win at Sävehof and Veszprém beat their Romanian neighbours, the Hungarian title holders will be confirmed as group winner two match days before the end.
Although, even if THW win, the likelihood of the Germans overtaking Veszprém is very small. After seven straight wins, Veszprém are full of confidence going into the game, despite their opponent strengthening their squad ahead of this crucial stage of the competition.
Constanta are branded as the underdog for this game and their attention may be focused on the decisive match in Round 9 against Celje rather than a Veszprém who appear to be almost unbeatable at home.
Atlético Madrid (ESP) vs. RK Pivovarna Laško Celje (SLO)
Sunday, 18:00 hrs local time
First leg: 28:22
With just six points from seven matches, the Spanish runners-up have much less in their account than expected.
The 2012 VELUX EHF FINAL4 finalists are five points behind Barcelona in the Asobal league after a 30:31 loss to EHF Cup participants Naturhouse La Rioja 30:31. A further blow to the Spanish team is the injury of defence specialist Mariusz Jurkiewicz at the World Championship.
Despite these setbacks, Madrid are clear favourites against the young Slovenians, but need to be aware as Celje beat Kiel at home and were close to another sensation at Kiel. If Madrid win, they will be almost certainly in the Last 16, but a defeat will leave them struggling for a top four finish in Group B.
Group C:
Gorenje Velenje (SLO) vs. Metalurg Skopje (MKD)
Saturday, 16:30 hrs local time
First leg: 23:30
 Both teams are equal on ten points, both teams aim to finish second in this group, and after the clear result in the first leg, a much closer match is expected in Velenje, as the Slovenians have clearly improved throughout this competition.
After their direct duel, both teams face Bjerringbro, and as Velenje still have to play against the top ranked Kielce, Metalurg seem to have the easier task with their match at St. Petersburg in their final group match.
With this in mind, a draw would be like a victory for the Macedonians.
Vive Targi Kielce (POL) – St. Petersburg HC (RUS)
Saturday, 17:00 hrs local time
First leg: 31:21
Though they have to replace their superb Croatian wing duo Ivan Čupić and Manuel Štrlek after injuries, the Polish champions are the favourites against the Russian club.
If Velenje and Skopje draw their game and Kielce beat St. Petersburg, coach Bogdan Wenta's team will confirm themselves as group winners.
The Russians have gained just two points in the competition and need a miracle to proceed to the Last 16, as they are already four points below Bjerringbro Silkeborg who lie in fourth place.
Chambéry Savoie (FRA) vs. Bjerringbro Silkeborg (DEN)
Sunday, 17:00 hrs local time
First leg: 25:23
The Danish club have positive memories of the first leg against Chambéry, as it was their first ever victory in the VELUX EHF Champions League. In contrast, the French are the only team still on zero points in the entire competition.
In order to qualify for the Last 16, Chambéry need to win all of their remaining three matches and have to hope that neither St. Petersburg nor Bjerringbro take any points, but the chances of this happening are slim to none.
One point on Sunday could be enough for BSV to qualify for the knock-out stage of the competition for the first time in the club's history, depending on the result of St. Petersburg's game against Kielce.
Group D:
Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI) vs. Pick Szeged (HUN)
Thursday, 20:00 hrs local time
First leg: 29:30
This is the most crucial match in Group D on this match day; if Schaffhausen lose, they are nearly out of the race for the Last 16, if the Swiss champions take revenge for the close defeat at Szeged, everything is open again in the duel for the fourth position.
If Schaffhausen win by two or more goals, they win the head to head against the Hungarian runners-up, which might be decisive in the final ranking.
Kadetten need to replace their goalkeeper Vaškevičius, while Szeged’s goalkeeper Roland Mikler, was a key for the Hungarian success at the World Championship. In case of a victory and a Zagreb defeat against Minsk, Szeged only need one more point from their two final matches to qualify for the Last 16.
HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb (CRO) vs. HC Dinamo Minsk (BLR)
Saturday, 18:00 hrs local time
First leg: 27:27
A draw is enough for the Belarusians to clinch a berth in the Last 16, but after their clear improvement in the previous rounds which included the victory against Füchse Berlin, an away win in the lion’s den in Zagreb would not be a major surprise.
Zagreb urgently need points to remain in the race for the fourth spot in Group D, being one point below Szeged in fourth and one ahead of Schaffhausen in sixth.
The young guns of the Croatian champions have shown some strong performances at the World Championship, but Dinamo have proven that they belong to the top tier of European clubs by now.
Füchse Berlin (GER) vs. FC Barcelona Intersport (ESP)
Sunday, 17:15 hrs local time
First leg: 23:34
13.000 spectators, seven world champions on the court and Tom Ó Brannagáin live on air – the clash of the two top ranked teams of Group D will be an entertaining spectacle and is the ehfTV.com Match of the Week with live English commentary and additional features.
The hall is sold-out, Füchse additionally announced a huge music and entertainment programme for their match against the EHF Champions League record holder.
Barcelona have seven world champions in their squad and with seven victories in seven matches on their account, they will be full of confidence travelling to the German capital.
Berlin hope to take revenge for the clear defeat in the Palau Blaugrana and reduce the gap to the group leaders to only two points.
Spaniard Iker Romero and Russian Konstantin Igropoulo are particularly looking forward to this match, as they face their old Barca teammates.
TEXT: Björn Pazen / cor
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