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03.05.2016, 02:51 NEWS REPORT: The VELUX EHF FINAL4 quartet have discovered their semi-final hurdles on the way to the most coveted trophy in club handball |
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<font face="">Kiel against Veszprem, Kielce welcome PSG to Cologne</font></h2>
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The three-time EHF Champions League winners THW Kiel will face last season's beaten finalists MVM Veszprem, while KS Vive Tauron Kielce have been pitted against newcomers Paris Saint-Germain Handball after the VELUX EHF FINAL4 draw in Cologne on Tuesday determined both pairings for the club season’s climax on 28/29 May in the LANXESS arena.</p>
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The draw at idyllic setting of The View location right on the Rhine’s bank was conducted by the EHF Secretary General Michael Wiederer.<br />
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<strong>VELUX EHF FINAL4 Schedule:</strong></p>
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<em>Saturday 28 May 2016:</em><br />
Semi-final 1: KS Vive Tauron Kielce vs Paris Saint-Germain Handball (15:15)<br />
Semi-final 2: THW Kiel vs MVM Veszprem (18:00)</p>
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<em>Sunday 29 May 2016:</em><br />
3rd place match: Loser Semi-final 1 vs Loser Semi-final 2 (15:15)<br />
Final: Winner Semi-final 1 vs Winner Semi-final 2 (18:00)</p>
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The defending champions FC Barcelona Lassa have been eliminated in the quarter-finals by Kiel, who have reached the final tournament in Cologne for the sixth time from seven occasions. No team in the FINAL4 history which started in 2010 has been able to defend the winners’ trophy next year.</p>
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Kiel's Niclas Ekberg confirmed “We know the team very well. It will be difficult, but everything is possible in handball."</p>
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Veszprem and Kiel already met this season in the Group A with both sides winning at home by no more than two goals.</p>
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Veszprem, qualified for the third straight FINAL4 at the expense of Vardar in the quarter-final.</p>
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“It will be very tough. We played against Kiel in the group phase and also last year in the semi-final. It is going to be very hard,” admitted Veszprem line player Andreas Nilsson.</p>
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Kielce, who are also going to make their third trip to Cologne after 2013 and 2015, survived the most thrilling quarter-final with SG Flensburg-Handewitt, which was decided only by one goal.</p>
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Ivan Cupic said: “I think that we need to play our best game this season if we want to win against Paris. It will be a tough match, but of course we hope and we dream to reach the final.”</p>
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French champions from Paris are not only newcomers to the top class event, but they also became the first French team ever to secure a ticket to Cologne. In the VELUX EHF FINAL4 premiere edition Montpellier missed the trip only by one goal against Chekhovskie Medvedi.</p>
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Their goalkeeper who has seen it all, Thierry Omeyer explained: “Now that we are qualified, we want to reach the final. All the players in the team have high expectations.</p>
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“We know that Kielce are a very strong team, but we want to succeed.”</p>
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<img alt="" height="465" src="https://img.ehf.eu/owi/v2020/http://cms.eurohandball.com/ResourceImage.aspx?raid=56557" title="" width="465" /><br />
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TEXT: EHF / br, cor |
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