24.09.2014, 06:20
All to play for in unpredictable and open Group D

ROUND PREVIEW: KS Vive Tauron Kielce appears to be favourites in Group B, but apart from the Polish champions, all teams seem to be more or less capable of defeating each other

All to play for in unpredictable and open Group D

Having reached the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in 2013, leaving the tournament after the Last 16 last year was a step down the ladder for KS Vive Tauron Kielce, and the team under legendary head coach Talant Duishebaev will obviously want more this season.

The chance should be there in Group B, where the Polish champions appear as favourites in competition with five teams who seem more or less equal at first sight.

Changes have been few in Kielce compared to last season, and this carries the advantage with it that it would not be necessary to integrate a lot of new players in the team.

Dunkerque HB Gran Littoral had a disappointing debut in the VELUX EHF Champions League last season, where the men from the north west of France failed to even go on from the group phase.

Having won the French championship in the meantime and having their first Champions League adventure behind them, Dunkerque should definitely be able to do better this time.

Looking at the Dunkerque squad, the French champions may not look stronger than last year, but you do not win the French league ahead of teams such as Paris Saint-German and Montpellier without having some extraordinary qualities, and the experiences they harvested in the Champions League last year should do them good now.

Kadetten Schaffhausen have often had an ability to just squeeze themselves in among the four teams who proceeded to the knock-out stages, and the Swiss champions may very well do so again this time in a group where Kielce seems to be only really frightening opponent.

The transfer account balances, as the club has signed just as many players as it has lost, but the return of left winger Manuel Liniger to his homeland should be a boost to Schaffhausen.

MOL-Pick Szeged surprised a good deal of the European handball community last season by winning the EHF Cup. This year the Hungarian runners-up can celebrate their comeback to the VELUX EHF Champions League.

And what may we expect from them here? Well, according to their Spanish coach Juan Carlos Pastor, they want to compete at the top of Europe, but having said goodbye to more players than they have brought in, they may face some difficulties here.

Their most interesting signing is probably Spanish goalkeeper José Manuel Sierra who has joined from PSG and who has replaced Roland Mikler, now with local rivals Veszprém.

Last season, Aalborg Handball made it to the knock-out stage for the first time, and the Danish runners-up have a very good chance to copy that achievement again this season.

When talking about Aalborg, we simply have to mention one of the most interesting and promising young newcomers in the international handball hemisphere. 19-year-old Norwegian centre back Sander Sagosen, who joined from Norwegian champions Haslum HK ahead of this season has already shown his enormous potential in attack as well as in defence.

HC Motor Zaporozhye made to the Last 16 last season, but still the Ukrainian champions had to go through the qualification tournament to reach the group phase this year.

The Zappers are aiming to repeat last season’s achievement, but they are handicapped in those efforts by the fact that the security situation in Ukraine forces them to play their home matches in Kiev instead of in their home town.

Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI) vs KS Vive Tauron Kielce (POL)
Thursday 25. September at 20:00 hrs. local time - live on ehfTV.com

Cheers will be roaring through the BBC Arena in Schaffhausen once again Thursday evening, when the Swiss champions welcome the Polish group favourites.

Despite playing away, Kielce are pretty obvious favourites, as they will be against probably any team in this group.

However, as everyone knows, an opening match is always something special, and on such occasions, being favourite can be an extra pressure.

Furthermore, Kadetten have nothing really to lose in this encounter, and the Swiss spirit and will to fight may put Talant Dujshebaev’s men to the test.

Kielce should still possess so much experience, though, that an away win, although not as big as some may expect, should be the most likely outcome.  

Dunkerque HB Grand Littoral (FRA) vs Aalborg Handball (DEN)
Sunday 28. September at 15:10 hrs. local time - live on ehfTV.com

What exactly are Dunkerque capable of doing this season? Sunday afternoon we may get the first indication if the French champions are going to improve on their disappointing debut performance last season.

Being ruling French title holders definitely puts some responsibility on the shoulders of the Dunkerque players.

They will be up against a promising Danish team, but also a team which has undergone several changes compared to the outfit which exited the competition last season after two clear defeats to FC Barcelona in the Last 16.

The new coach Jesper Jensen has had to integrate replacements for key players like Mads Mensah Larsen, Johan Jacobsson and Jacob Bagersted, and even with one of the greatest talents in international handball these days, Sander Sagosen in the team, getting a team to gel takes time.

“We aim to progress from the group and we are probably going to play close games against all the other teams in the group, maybe apart from Kielce,” Aalborg coach Jesper Jensen recently told ehfCL.com.

Sunday is likely to be the first of these close games.

MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN) vs HC Motor Zaporozhye (UKR)
Sunday 28. September at 19.15 local time - live on ehfTV.com

The Varosi Sportcsarnok of Szeged is no easy hall to visit for any away team. Motor Zaporozhye will also realise that fact beyond any doubt when they enter the court Sunday evening.

Pick Szeged usually feel safe and secure in their home arena, where the support from the crowd is always just as loud as it is enthusiastic.

After failing to qualify for the VELUX EHF Champions League last season, Szeged got over that disappointment by winning the EHF Cup, and this year they are back in the group phase, where they will obviously be keen on getting off to a good start.

It will be particularly interesting to see, how well integrated the two new Spaniards in the Hungarian team are already. Goalkeeper José Manuel Sierra and playmaker Antonio Garcia have both joined from Paris Saint-German Handball and will be interesting to follow.

Not being allowed to play their home matches on home court due to the security situation in Ukraine, Motor will probably have to get some points away in order to make their dream of reaching the knock-out stages come true.

However, the Ukrainian champions may have to wait for these away points, as Szeged go into this game as favourites.

TEXT: Peter Bruun / cor