Play-off race heats up in Round 8
Winter time is coming, but the fight for the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase Knockout will heat handball fans up to the maximum.
There is no room for slip-ups anymore in Groups C and D as a number of teams face do-or-die games this weekend in their battle for the coveted play-off spots and, ultimately, the chance to challenge Europe’s best teams in the Last 16.
The crunch match in Group C takes place in Silkeborg on Sunday, when Bjerringbro and Presov can solve the puzzle in their group. Some 600 kilometres up north, in Norway, an expected sell-out crowd will cheer for Elverum against Dinamo Bucuresti, in a must-win game for the hosts to stay in contention in Group D, where leaders Wisla Plock have already won their midweek match against Thun.
GROUP C
Besiktas Mogaz (TUR) vs HC Metalurg (MKD)
Saturday 17 November, 16:00 hrs local time, live on ehfTV
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With three games to go, both teams are out of the play-off contest
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Those are the two teams with the most goals conceded in Group C
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Hosts want to build on their improved second-half performance in Presov, while Metalurg are coming off an eight-day break
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Besiktas lead 3-0-0 in the head-to-head stats
Sporting CP (POR) vs Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS)
Saturday 17 November, 18:30 hrs local time, live on ehfTV
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For Sporting, every game is now a must win in the play-off race
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Sporting have lost two of their three homes games this season
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Carlos Ruesga, who scored the last-second goal against Medvedi in the first match, says “all the Champions League games are a final for us”
Bjerringbro/Silkeborg (DEN) vs TATRAN Presov (SVK)
Sunday 18 November, 13:30 hrs local time, live on ehfTV
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Bjerringbro can all but lock up a play-off spot if they beat Presov by at least three goals on Sunday
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Bjerringbro have won all three home games, and Presov all three away games so far in Group C
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Bjerringbro’s only defeat came in Presov, 26:24
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Both teams also met in the EHF Cup Group Phase last season, and each won their home game
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The best attack (BSV) faces the best defence (Presov)
GROUP D
Abanca Ademar Leon (ESP) vs Riihimäen Cocks (FIN)
Saturday 17 November, 19:30 hrs local time, live on ehfTV
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Leon need a victory to stay in contention for a play-off spot
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Cocks buoyed by their first win of the campaign against Thun last weekend
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The two sides could not be separated in Round 1, after Leon came from behind to snatch a 19:19 draw
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The hosts must contend with Cocks’ Nico Rönnberg, who is the competition’s top scorer with 48 goals
Elverum Handball (NOR) vs Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU)
Sunday 18 November, 18:10 hrs local time, live on ehfTV
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Elverum expecting a sold-out Terningen Arena for the first time, with 2,500 spectators
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A must-win match for the hosts, who sit two points behind second-placed Dinamo
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Dinamo won the reverse fixture 26:24 in Round 1
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Two prolific scorers come face-to-face – Elverum’s Sigvaldi Gudjonsson (40 goals) and Bucharest’s Amine Bannour (46)
Wacker Thun (SUI) vs Orlen Wisla Plock (POL) 23:25 (13:14)
Thursday 15 November, match review
TEXT: Tomas Cuncik, Chris O'Reilly / ew
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