Füchse keen to end champions’ reign
For the first time in the competition’s history, the defending champions of the EHF Champions League have not qualified directly for the next season – but EHF regulations granted HSV Hamburg a place in the wild card qualification to fight for a return to the big stage.
Hamburg finished fifth in the German Bundesliga last season – one place below their opponent in these wild card play-offs, which will be the first VELUX EHF Champions League matches of the season.
Only the winners will clinch a berth in the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase and will play in Group D against Aalborg, Velenje, Flensburg, La Rioja and the winner of Halmstadt vs Esch, while the loser will continue their European adventure in the third qualification round of the EHF Cup.
New look squads
Both German sides are in full transition: Füchse Berlin, who have the home right in the first leg, lost six players including their captain Torsten Laen and experienced stars like Mark Bult or Ivan Nincevic.
Füchse replied with the signature of mostly young players, but strengthened their back court axis with Czech international Pavel Horak, arriving from former EHF Cup winner Frisch Auf Göppingen.
However, coach Dagur Sigurdsson does not only have to cope with the integration the fresh blood, but also with the injury of top shooter Sven Sören Christophersson, meaning responsibility lies even more on the shoulders of their new captain Iker Romero.
“I am convinced that we have a chance to proceed to the Group Phase for the third straight time,” said Sigurdsson.
His team had managed to be part of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 2012 in their first season and on their way to Cologne, they had proved that they can eliminate HSV Hamburg, winning both Last 16 matches.
Hamburg have undergone an even bigger transformation, with nine newcomers arrived and six players leaving, among them were world and Olympic champion Igor Vori (Paris St. Germain) and Marcin Lijewski (Wisla Plock).
Two big names are among those newcomers – one former EHF Champions League winner, Croat Davor Dominikovic, and one current world champion, Joan Canellas.
Alongside those two are internationally experienced players like Danes Henrik Toft Hansen (Bjerringbro/DEN) and Marcus Cleverly (Lugi/SWE) and Montenegrin Zarko Markovic (Göppingen).
Just like Berlin, HSV will be without one important left back for the doubleheader, Croat Blazenko Lackovic.
“As the defending champions it is our great will to play in the Champions League for a seventh straight season.
“We have a huge squad, which should be able to reach the first goal, clinching a place in the Group Phase and hopefully this will not be the end of our way,” said coach Martin Schwalb.
Füchse Berlin (GER) vs. HSV Hamburg (GER) - VELUX EHF Champions League Wild Card Qualification
First leg: 21 August, 19:00 hrs. local time in Berlin
Second leg: 23 August, 19:00 hrs. local time in Hamburg and live on ehfTV.com with German commentary
TEXT: Björn Pazen / cor
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