13.03.2015, 08:50
Former Champions League finalist chases new glory

ROUND PREVIEW: Portuguese team, who were in the first ever EHF Champions League final, take on ambitious Finns in the Challenge Cup quarter-final.

Former Champions League finalist chases new glory

The first leg of three out of the four quarter-final ties in the Men's Challenge Cup are being played this weekend, while the last semi-final berth is being determined in a double-header next weekend.

In the very first season of the EHF Champions League – the 1993/94 season – ABC Braga were in the final. This season, under their current name Liberty Seguros ABC/UMinho, the club is seeking success in the Challenge Cup.

In the quarter-finals, the Portugues outfit is up against Käsipalloseura Riihimäen Cocks from Finland who were also in the quarter-final last season and who have a dream of making it into the VELUX EHF Champions League in a few years. The first leg is being played in Finland Saturday afternoon.

Just like Finnish Cocks, ZTR Zaporozhye as well as Handball club Odorhei both reached the quarter-finals of the tournament last season. This weekend, they meet in the first leg of their internal tie to decide which of them will make it to the semi-finals this season. On Sunday afternoon, the Ukrainian team take on their Romanian opponents in Uzhgorod for the first match.

A team, who made it a step further than the quarter-finals last year, are KS Azoty-Pulawy. On Sunday evening, the Polish team will be trying to reach the semi-final for the second year in succession, as they play the first leg against SL Benfica from Portugal.

The last tie is a double-header between Stord Handball and Ramat Hashron HC who meet for two matches in Norway next weekend.

Find all the matches of the Men's Challenge Cup Quarter-finals here

TEXT: Peter Bruun / br