17.02.2017, 09:40
Eight teams battle it out for four quarter-final spots

ROUND PREVIEW: Half of the quarter-finalists in the Men´s Challenge Cup will be known by the end of this weekend.

Eight teams battle it out for four quarter-final spots

Four of the eight teams to compete in the quarter-finals of the Men's Challenge Cup will be known by the end of the coming weekend.

The bumper weekend of action features three double-headers and a second leg tie, which means half of the quarter-final places will be filled.

AHC Potaissa Turda are already very close to the quarter-final after winning 31:27 away against Handball Esch in the only match of the round last weekend.

However, the Romanian side must still finish the job against their adversaries from Luxembourg, as they look to use home advantage on Sunday to book their place in the next round.

Three double-headers will also take place this weekend

Although Handball Esch seem to be in severe danger of being sent out of the tournament, Luxembourg still hope to have at least one team in the quarter-finals.

On Saturday and Sunday, HB Dudelange are receiving Ukrainian outfit HC ZNTU-ZAB Zaporozhye for two games in the Centre Sportif René Hartmann.

In Montenegro, RK Partizan 1949 will host Valur from Iceland and will be hoping to replicate their double-header victory at home in the previous round against A.S.S. Spes of Cyprus. Meanwhile in Round 3, Valur pulled off a surprise by defeating top Norwegian side Haslum HK .

The third tie that will be decided this weekend is taking place in Portugal, where Sporting CP are hosting HC Pelister Bitola from FYR Macedonia. The first leg in Almada is taking place Saturday evening, with the return match being played exactly 24 hours later.

Elsewhere European debutants HKM Sala play at home against TSV St. Otmar St. Gallen from Switzerland on Saturday evening. Compared to debutants Sala, St. Otmar St. Gallen have a proud tradition in Europe.

In one of their finest achievements they reached the semi-final of the EHF Cup in the 2008/09 season. The second leg will be played on Sunday 26 February.

The other Last 16 match this weekend sees MSK Povazska Bystrica take on JMS Hurry-Up in the first leg of the tie, with the second played on Sunday 26 February.

TEXT: Peter Bruun / ap