Blockbusters in Presov and Bucharest mark halfway point in Groups C/D
Round 5 of the VELUX EHF Champions League 2018/19 is coming up. So after the weekend, all teams in Groups C/D will have played each other once.
The last round before that halfway mark features a full portion of six exciting matches over the two days.
Group C fans will eye on Presov vs Sporting, which can tell a lot about both teams’ chances of progression, while Group D fans will look forward to Dinamo Bucuresti hosting leaders Orlen Wisla Plock.
GROUP C
Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS) vs HC Metalurg (MKD)
Saturday, 13 October, 16:00 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com
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Metalurg travel to Russia to play for their first points in the campaign, while Medvedi surprisingly beat Presov last week
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Metalurg will be without their coach, Danilo Brestovac, who has been suspended for one match by the Court of Handball following his aggressive behaviour during last week's match against BSV
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In the all-time head-to-head stats, Medvedi lead 4:2; last season, both teams shared a group as well and they each won the away game
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Medvedi top their domestic league, while Metalurg have not won a competitive match since May 2018
Besiktas Mogaz (TUR) vs Bjerringro-Silkeborg (DEN)
Saturday, 13 October, 16:00 hrs local time, live on ehftv.com
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Bjerrinbro top the group with six points but Besiktas on four points can close the gap with a win
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Both teams have not met before in a European Cup tie
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Bjerringbro rely on right wing Johan Hansen again, who has 28 goals from four games so far
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Besiktas right back Ramazan Döne will be sitting out a one-match suspension after his expulsion from last week's game against Sporting CP
TATRAN Presov (SVK) vs Sporting CP (POR)
Saturday, 13 October, 18:00 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com
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Key match between two teams on six points each and with same goal difference of +12
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Carlos Ruesga and Martin Stranovsky have played together for Ademar Leon
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First European Cup meeting between the two meets, though Sporting played (and won) the qualification tournament in Presov last year
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Presov have lost only one game in their last 10 matches in all competitions, Sporting two as they surprisingly lost to Maia-Ismai 26:25 in a midweek match, their first domestic defeat of the season
GROUP D
Wacker Thun (SUI) vs Abanca Ademar Leon (ESP)
Saturday, 13 October, 17:30 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com
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First meeting between the teams since 2002, when Leon won both legs of a Cup Winners’ Cup tie
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Home side Thun are one of just six teams still in search of a victory this season
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The Swiss side lost 33:19 to Otmar St. Gallen on Wednesday, while Leon beat Puente Genil 24:20
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Leon’s win over Plock last week puts them back in the hunt for a play-off place, another win Saturday should see them entering the top two
Elverum Handball (NOR) vs Riihimäen Cocks (FIN)
Sunday, 14 October, 18:10 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com
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This Nordic derby is the first competitive meeting between the two sides
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Following two losses in their opening pair of matches, Elverum have bounced back with consecutive victories
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Cocks are still in search of their first win, having let a four-goal lead disappear for the third time this season in Round 4 against Dinamo
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Cocks have netted only 94 times this season, and just two players scored exactly half of their tally - Nico Rönnberg and Teemu Tamminen
Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU) vs Orlen Wisla Plock (POL)
Sunday 14 October, 21:00 local time, live on ehfTV.com
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Two teams tied at the top of the group on six points clash in Round 5’s final match
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The first competitive meeting of these sides could prove to be crucial as Dinamo aim to capitalise on Plock’s first defeat of the season last weekend
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Both sides have been equally efficient in attack, but Plock’s defence has been superior, conceding just 97 goals, the fewest in the entire competition
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Plock got back to winning ways with a midweek league victory away to Gdynia, while Dinamo beat Bacau 36:28 on Tuesday
TEXT: Tomas Cuncik, Chris O'Reilly / ew
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