23.09.2019, 11:40
Six talking points after an eventful round

TALKING POINTS: There was no shortage of drama or goals scored in the VELUX EHF Champions League last week so we take a closer look at what happened

Six talking points after an eventful round

The VELUX EHF Champions League season is still far away from its business end in Cologne, but teams are firing from all cylinders, with patterns beginning to emerge after the second round of group phase matches last week.

There have been a lot of goals, still many unbeaten teams, and wings scoring at a superb rate to keep their teams afloat.

Here are the main topics to talk about:

Still 11 unbeaten teams

28 games have passed since the beginning of the VELUX EHF Champions League and there are still 11 unbeaten teams this season. Eight sides have two consecutive wins – Aalborg, PSG, Flensburg, Vardar, Bidasoa Irun, Sporting CP, Sävehof and GOG – while other three drew one game – Dinamo, Kiel and Kielce. There is surely room for improvement for each and every side in the European premium competition and it is hard to imagine that a team will go undefeated for the rest of the group phase. Since the change of format in the 2015/16 season, no team has ever gone flawless in the group phase, irrespective of the group they played in. PSG (13 wins, 1 loss in 2018/19) and Barça (12 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss in 2015/16) have come closest in the past.

Goals galore

784 goals have been scored in the VELUX EHF Champions League last week, 15 less than in the previous round, but the bar has been set high this season, as the 28 teams combined for an average of exactly 56 goals per game this week. The highest number of goals was scored by Danish side GOG in their 38:31 win against Chekhovskie Medvedi, topping the 68 goals scored between Veszprém and Motor in the previous round. Attacks have been in full fledge this season, as Barça bounced back after a disappointing first round defeat against Szeged by handing Celje their worst loss ever, 45:21. It was the second best ever performance for Barça judged by number of goals scored, one goal shy from the 46:36 win against KIF Kolding in 2009. The Spanish champions also boast the best attack in the competition, with 73 goals scored, two more than Veszprém and GOG.

On the wings of scoring

Traditionally, backs are the most reliable scorers in the VELUX EHF Champions League, as the team relies on their sharpshooters in difficult moments. In the past 11 seasons, the top goal scorer ranking has been won by seven backs – Filip Jicha (twice), Mikkel Hansen (twice), Momir Ilic (twice) and Alex Dujshebaev – with wings Uwe Gensheimer (three times) and Hans Lindberg stopping the trend. This season, it looks like wings are back in business and more reliable than ever. After two rounds, the top goal scorer ranking is dominated by three left wings and a back, with Norwegian left wing Sebastian Barthold topping the ranking. GOG’s 28-year old left wing scored 19 goals in the first two games, including 12 in the second round against HC PPD Zagreb. Brest’s right wing Darko Djukic (16 goals) and Porto’s left wing Diogo Branquinho (14 goals) are hot on Barthold’s back, with Kiel’s back Nikola Bilyk tied with Branquinho for third place.

Maiden win for an unexperienced coach

Scoring 30 goals does not guarantee a win in this season’s VELUX EHF Champions League, as THW Kiel found out in the first round’s Match of the Week. The German side were tied by Kielce in the last second, denying Filip Jicha his first European win of his coaching career, after he replaced legendary Alfred Gislason in the summer of 2019. However difficult the game against the perennial contenders might have been, Kiel were back in business in another Match of the Week and duly delivered, handing Veszprém one of the toughest ever defeats in the competition. The Hungarian side were stunned by Kiel’s speed and creativity and were at the receiving end, as the German powerhouse scored 37 goals for one of Veszprém worst defeats ever in the competition. Things are looking good for Kiel and Jicha, despite an underwhelming start in the Bundesliga, as the ‘Zebras’ are eyeing a return to the VELUX EHF FINAL 4 for the first time since 2016.

Flawless start for the Danish sides

No Danish team has ever progressed to the VELUX EHF FINAL 4 since the 2011/12 season when AG Kobenhavn were beaten by Atletico Madrid in the final (25:23), but the ambition and hunger for winning is still there. The two Danish sides in the competition combined for four wins in the first two rounds, as both Aalborg and GOG impressed with their strong defence and scintillating fast breaks in the first part of the season. Only Bidasoa and Flensburg have a lowest number of received goals than Aalborg – 44 – but the Danish champions’ first real test will come in Round 4, when they host MOL-Pick Szeged. Another Scandinavian side, IK Sävehof, is also unbeaten, while IFK Kristianstad, Elverum Handball and Cocks lost their first two games.

Maths in Groups C/D

Groups C/D are always tough and the battle for a place between the top two sides will be a hard-fought one again, yet another pattern emerged this season. The gap is not insurmountable, but group C looks to be like a three-team affair between Bidasoa Irun, Sporting CP and IK Sävehof, as the trio steered clear of their rivals with a four-point advantage after only two rounds. The first real battle between them is set for Round 3, when Sävehof host Sporting, with the winner taking a big step towards the play-offs. Things are looking more balanced in group D, as leaders GOG and Dinamo will face out on Wednesday in a pivotal game, while Wisla Plock and Chekhovskie Medvedi loom for any misstep.

TEXT: Adrian Costeiu / ew
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