Lazarov aims for his fourth trophy, Barcelona for the treble
It took an long time for Kiril Lazarov, but on 31 May 2015 his wait came to an end: For the first time the Macedonian raised the trophy of the VELUX EHF Champions League with his team mates of FC Barcelona by beating his former club MKB MVM Veszprem 28:23 in the final, after several unsuccessful attempts with his previous teams.
In contrast to the Champions League trophy, Lazarov is experienced in playing and winning the IHF Super Globe, the unofficial World Championship for club teams. When the event starts on Monday for the sixth consecutive time in Doha, it is the sixth straight participation for Kiril Lazarov.
And the world class right back and runner-up in the top scorer list of the VELUX EHF Champions League season 2014/15, aims for his fourth straight individual title at the desert tournament to become its record winner.
In 2012, he took the title for the first time at one of the saddest periods of his life, just two days after his father had died. But Lazarov, who was then contracted by Atletico Madrid, insisted on playing the final against THW Kiel - and even became top scorer for the victors. In 2010, he was part of the Al-Sadd squad; in 2011 he played for Ciudad Real, losing the final against THW Kiel.
Since the 2013 season, Kiril Lazarov has been wearing the colours of FC Barcelona - and became double winners of the IHF Super Globe in 2013 (final against Hamburg) and 2014 (final against host Al-Sadd). Now the defending VELUX EHF Champions League champions aim to become the first ever team to win the IHF Super Globe three straight times.
From Monday onwards, top handball will be back in Doha, seven months after France took the world crown in Qatar. The only French world champion, who is part of the 2015 edition of the IHF Super Globe is Barcelona line player Cedric Sorhaindo.
Some things have changed at the IHF Super Globe - the composition of the field of participants and the playing system. Up until 2014, each of the eight teams had three group matches before the knock-out stage started with semi-finals and placement matches.
Now the event is more compact with only three match days: On Monday (7 September), four quarter-finals are staged in the Qatar Handball Association Complex in Duhail, followed by the semi-finals and first placement matches on Tuesday (8 September).
After a rest day on Wednesday, Thursday 10 September the final, bronze medal match and the placement matches 5/6 and 7/8 will take place.
In the previous editions, regularly two European teams were part of the event - the Champions League winners and the defending Super Globe champions. This year, as Barcelona hold both trophies, the VELUX EHF FINAL4 finalist MKB MVM Veszprem are the first ever Hungarian squad to be part of the IHF Super Globe.
And one wild card was awarded to the defending EHF Cup winners Füchse Berlin, they are the fourth different German team in the past four years after the Champions League winners THW Kiel, HSV Hamburg and SG Flensburg-Handewitt. Like Veszprem, Füchse are Super Globe debutants.
Due to the match schedule, an all-European final is possible - and even the re-match of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 final of Barcelona vs Veszprem is in sight.
Barcelona face African runners-ups Al-Ahly (Egypt) in their quarter-final on Monday, while Veszprem duel with Pan American club champions Taubate (Brazil) and Berlin have their first match against African club champions Club Africain (Tunisia). Host Al-Sadd complete the quarter-finals with their encounter against Oceania club champions Sydney University (Australia).
The winners of Veszprem/Taubate and Al-Sadd/Sydney face off in one semi, while the winners of Barcelona/Al-Ahly and Füchse/Club Africain face off in the second.
The IHF Super Globe will see the international debut of two former Kiel Champions League winners for their new clubs: Filip Jicha in the FC Barcelona squad and Aron Palmarsson for Veszprem. And it will bring the duel of the two best Champions League scorers of the previous season: Runner-up Lazarov and Veszprem left back Momir Ilic, who took the golden ball as best scorer of 114 goals in 2014/15.
Live stream of the IHF Super Globe here.
Live ticker of the IHF Super Globe here.
Match schedule (all times are local):
Monday, 7 September - quarter-finals:
13:00: Veszprem (HUN) vs Taubate (BRA)
15:00: Berlin (GER) - Club Africain (TUN)
17:00: Barcelona (ESP) vs Al-Ahly (EGY)
20:00: Al-Sadd (QAT) vs Sydney (AUS)
Tuesday, 8 September:
14:00 and 16:00: Placement round 5/8
18:00: Semi-final 1 (winners Berlin/Club Africain vs Barcelona/Al-Ahly)
20:00: Semi- final2 (winners Veszprem/Taubate vs Al-Sadd/Sydney)
Thursday, 10 September:
14:00: Placement match 7/8
16:00: Placement match 5/6
18:00: Bronze medal match
20:00: Final
Previous winners of the IHF Super Globe:
1997 in Vienna: Cantabria Santander (ESP)
2002 in Doha: Al Sadd (QAT)
2007 in Cairo: BM Ciudad Real (ESP)
2010 in Doha: BM Ciudad Real (ESP)
2011 in Doha: THW Kiel (GER)
2012 in Doha: Atletico Madrid (ESP)
2013 in Doha: FC Barcelona (ESP)
2014 in Doha: FC Barcelona (ESP)
TEXT: Björn Pazen / bc
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