05.09.2017, 04:10
PSG's lethal attacking force tops the ranks

FIRST-HAND INSIGHT: EHF correspondent Andri Yrkill Valsson takes a closer look at the best attacking teams in the VELUX EHF Champions League 2017/18, and the forecast is goals, goals, goals.

PSG's lethal attacking force tops the ranks

No matter how good a group of players you have, if they can’t get you goals you will not achieve anything. Sometimes it’s about this one special player, while other times it’s the team effort that delivers when it’s needed.

No matter how the team does it – you must attack to suceed in the VELUX EHF Champions League. With that in mind, here are the top 10 attacking line-ups in this season's competition.

10. SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER)

No team in the German Bundesliga scored more goals than Flensburg last season, but it will be interesting to see how they will do this year. The experienced Dane Anders Eggert has gone back home to play for Skjern, where he will be re-united with Thomas Mogensen again next summer. Until then, the 34-year-old centre back Mogensen will give it all for Flensburg in his final year, and his hunger will surely drive his fellow Danes and other team-mates forward.

9. HBC Nantes (FRA)

Kiril Lazarov is all that needs to be said when discussing Nantes' attacking force. It seems that the 37-year-old experienced right back can get you goals on his own. He netted 85 times in the competition last year, and only five people scored more goals than him in the competition. He is exactly what Nantes needs to complete their attacking line-up.

8. Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER)

The German Champions have one of the most experienced teams in the competition, with Andre Schmid and Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson having seen it all before. Sigurdsson, the 38-year-old Icelandic left wing, is not getting any younger, but always seems to be in the form of his life. Being the fourth top scorer in the German Bundesliga last season is proof of this, and he will guarantee them goals this season.

7. MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN)

Although Pick Szeged have stood in the shadow of Veszprém in Hungary, their attack is lethal. Zsolt Balogh, Jonas Källman and Sergei Gorbok all ended up in the list of top 30 scorers in the competition last year, and with more experience arriving this summer, in the shape of Dimitry Zhitnikov and Stefan Sigurmannsson, the Hungarians shouldn’t have any trouble firing in goals.

6. THW Kiel (GER)

Many stars have come and gone for the German giants over the years, but no matter how many changes the team has made goals are never a problem. Last year it was the right side that was the driving force, with Marko Vujin and Niclas Ekberg, and they will surely continue to entertain this winter.

5. Telekom Veszprem HC (HUN)

Icelandic centre back Aron Palmarsson seems to be out-of-favour with Ljubomir Vranjes after an outburst this summer, but the Hungarian giants still have one of the best attacks in the competition. Serbian left back Momir Ilic was the third highest scorer last year and his partner László Nagy on the right is still one of a kind.

4. HC Vardar (MKD)

Having lost their top star Alex Dujshebaev to Kielce, there is a danger that Vardar's attack could be weakened but coach Raúl González always delivers. He brought in the tall Dainis Kristopans from Meshkov Brest instead, and the heroes from Macedonia have a strong wind in their sails. Attacking wins you matches, and being the current European Champions says it all for Vardar.

3. PGE Vive Kielce (POL)

Kielce secured the signing of Alex Dujshebaev from Vardar and he will get them the goals he wants. The all-star right back from last year's competition is joining up with his father Talant, who is head coach at Kielce, and their partnership will be interesting to follow. To mix that with experience from Karol Bielecki and Uros Zorman, to name a few, should be a recipe for goals.

2. FC Barcelona Lassa (ESP)

Although Kiril Lazarov has said goodbye to Barcelona for the upcoming season, Víctor Tomás and his team will not be shy in front of goal. Securing Jure Dolenec from Montpellier will be a huge boost, with only three other players scoring more than the Slovenian right back in the competition last year. The winning tradition is strong in Barcelona, and their attacking edge is on a different level.

1. Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)

The French giants scored the most goals of all teams in the Group stage of the VELUX EHF Champions League last year, netting 451 times in 14 games. Teammates Uwe Gensheimer and Mikkel Hansen were the two top scorers of the competition last year, when they had to settle for silver, and will do anything to go one step further. With Hansen, Nikola Karabatic and now Norwegian star Sander Sagosen in the line-up, goal scoring should not be a problem in Paris.

TEXT: Andri Yrkill Valsson / ap