Berlin Foxes seeking revenge for early exit
In 2015, Füchse Berlin won the Men’s EHF Cup.
Last season, they were sent out already in Qualification Round 3 after an aggregate defeat to Chambery Savoie Handball.
Now, the team from the German capital to get their chance for revenge.
This time, the two teams meet in Round 2 with the first leg late Sunday afternoon in Le Phare in Chambery, where the French team defeated their German adversaries 34:30 last year.
Füchse have a tough week behind them before going to France for the first part of what the German side hope will be a revenge for last early exit, though.
During this week, Füchse have played no less than two matches in the Bundesliga.
Monday afternoon, they won 30:29 away against Hannover-Burgdorf, but Wednesday night, they suffered their first defeat this season, as Kiel won as big as 26:18 in the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin.
Talent M.A.T. Plzen are running into Danish opposition for the second season in succession, and the Czech champions have no happy memories of their latest encounter with a team from a Scandinavian country.
In qualification last season, Plzen were defeat 31:28 and as big as 35:23 by Bjerringbro-Silkeborg, and they can only hope to do better when meeting KIF Kolding Kobenhavn in Round 2 this season.
KIF were in the VELUX EHF Champions League the previous three years, but will have to seek their success in the EHF Cup this season.
With remarkable signings like Spanish internationals Antonio Garcia and Niko Mindegia, who have both joined from MOL-Pick Szeged, there is no doubt that the Danish team mean business this season, and Plzen will be in for a tough challenge in the Sydbank Arena of Kolding, where the first match is taking place Sunday afternoon.
The first leg of an entirely Nordic tie is being played in Hauka in Iceland Saturday afternoon.
Despite playing both matches away, Haukar had no problems defeating A.C. Diomidis Argous from Greece in the first round, and now, the Icelandic team is ready for Swedish runners-up Alingsas HK who are entering the tournament in this round.
Alpla HC Hard, undefeated top team in the Austrian league are celebrating their 75th European match Saturday evening when they receive SKA Minsk in the first leg of their tie against the Belarusian team.
To celebrate the anniversary, Alpla HC are giving free access to all spectators who appear in October-Fest-type outfit in the Sporthalle am See.
Two of the ties are finding their winners in double headers already this weekend.
In the Palace of Sports in Ukrainian, ZTR Zaporozhye are taking on Wacker Thun from Switzerland who are playing their first matches in the tournament this season, just like their hosts.
The first match is to be played Saturday with the return match the following day.
The other double header this weekend is taking place in the Hala Sportowa Pogon in Zabrze, Poland.
Here, Górnik Zabrze are hosting A.C.C. Filippos Verias from Greece for the first match Saturday evening and the second leg Sunday afternoon.
TEXT: Peter Bruun / bc
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