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This week’s round 7 matches in the EHF European League Men mark the beginning of the second part of the season for most of the clubs, while one catch-up match from round 1 will also be played.
In group A, Plock and Leon have the opportunity to increase their advantages over the rest of the pack – but the Spanish side have yet to win a game in 2021, while Plock face a tough trip to Austria to meet Vipers. Kristianstad and Füchse Berlin will battle for first spot in group B, while Nimes can join the frontrunners with a victory over TATRAN Presov, who still wait for their first win.
In group C, Nexe – with a new head coach – hope for another win over Alingsas, as Magdeburg aim to add a third straight victory. In group D, Tatabanya will play the double header at Bitola. Meanwhile, Löwen aim to continue their unbeaten record, while four GOG world champions are back on the international stage.
GROUP A
Fivers (AUT) vs Orlen Wisla Plock (POL)
Tuesday 9 February, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- Plock are currently one of the only three teams not to have lost a single point in the European League group phase
- the Polish side are on top of the group with eight points, while Fivers are fifth with four points
- Plock won the first leg at home by nine (32:23)
- Plock have won their two domestic games played in 2021, against Kalisz (29:25) and Azoty-Pulawy (34:25), while Fivers took the two points against Linz (31:27)
Abanca Ademar Leon (ESP) vs Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS)
Tuesday 9 February, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- while the Spanish side stand in second place in the group with seven points, Chekhov are three points behind in third
- Leon, just like Plock, have not lost one game in the group phase this season, but have drawn three times so far
- Ademar lost their first two Asobal league games in 2021, to Irun (27:33) and Benidorm (34:29)
- Chekhov are currently the undefeated leaders of the Russian League, with 14 wins in 16 games
GROUP B
IFK Kristianstad (SWE) vs Füchse Berlin (GER)
Tuesday 9 February, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- Füchse Berlin, winners of the EHF Cup in 2015 and 2018 and runners-up in 2019, have yet to lose a game in the EHF European League
- after reaching the group phase of the VELUX EHF Champions League last season, IFK Kristianstad currently top group B – but have played two games more than Berlin
- Füchse Berlin defeated Kristianstad (30:23) in Germany in October
- IFK Kristianstad are going through a tough time in the Swedish championship, currently ranked seventh
USAM Nimes Gard (FRA) vs TATRAN Presov (SVK)
Tuesday 9 February, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- USAM Nimes take the court versus Presov on the back of three consecutive wins in all competitions
- TATRAN Presov, the steady Slovakian champions since 2006/07, count five defeats in five group B games
- Presov have an incredible heterogeneity in their squad, with players from nine different nationalities
- USAM Nimes defeated Presov 28:22 in the reverse fixture in October
GROUP C
SC Magdeburg (GER) vs Besiktas Aygaz (TUR)
Tuesday 9 February, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- this EHF European League match will be the first for Magdeburg after the winter break
- the German team currently sit in second place in the group and fifth in the Bundesliga
- Magdeburg can count on Daniel Pettersson, who came back from the January World Championship with a silver medal won with Sweden
- Besiktas still wait for their first win in this competition and are currently second in their domestic championship
- in the first duel of the season, Magdeburg took a convincing win, 41:23
RK Nexe (CRO) vs Alingsas HK (SWE)
Tuesday 9 February, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- Alingsas are on a winning streak in their domestic League, with three consecutive victories, and currently sit in third place
- the Swedish side will try to avenge a home loss in round 1, when Nexe won 27:23
- Alingsas have recorded two wins so far, while Nexe only have the one against the Swedish side
- Nexe enter the second part of the season with a new head coach, Branko Tamse, and two reinforcements – Dorian Markusic and Alen Blazevic
- Nexe is still not playing the Croatian championship, but have played two SEHA League games against Vardar and some friendly matches in Croatia
GROUP D
GOG (DEN) vs Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI)
Tuesday 9 February, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- GOG can count on four newly crowned Danish world champions, including All-Star-Team right back Mathias Gidsel
- GOG won the last matches before the World Championship break to be on six points after five games
- GOG have taken all six points on home ground, while Kadetten have secured one away point only, at Eurofarm
- Kadetten took one point from the double header against Rhein-Neckar Löwen last week and have four points from four games
- Schaffhausen won the first leg thanks to a buzzer-beating penalty goal from Gabor Csaszar 29:28
- in their domestic leagues, GOG are on top, despite a 30:35 loss against Holstebro on Saturday, while Kadetten beat Zurich 32:29 in the the Swiss league
RK Trimo Trebnje (SLO) vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER)
Tuesday 9 February, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- after a draw and a victory at Schaffhausen last week, Löwen are unbeaten and top the table with nine points
- Trebnje have four points from three group matches in their first ever international season
- it is the first ever duel between the sides. The rematch in Germany is scheduled for next week
- Löwen coach Martin Schwalb, who steered Hamburg to the Champions League trophy in 2013, has announced that he will leave Löwen after this season
- right back Alexander Petersson just left Löwen to join Champions League participant SG Flensburg-Handewitt, with immediate effect
- in the Bundesliga, Löwen did not play last weekend, while Trebnje beat Ormoz to sit on 12 victories from 15 matches
HC Eurofarm Pelister (MKD) vs Grundfos Tatabanya KC (HUN)
Wednesday 10 February, 17:00 CET, live on EHFTV
Grundfos Tatabanya (HUN) KC vs HC Eurofarm Pelister (MKD)
Thursday 11 February, 17:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- the teams will meet for a double header in Bitola
- Tatabanya still wait for their first point after four defeats – they are three points below Eurofarm Pelister, who rank fifth in the group
- in the EHF Cup 2019/20 group phase, Tatabanya won both encounters against the newly formed Macedonian club
- Tatabanya were represented by six players in the successful Hungarian team that narrowly missed the semi-final at the World Championship 2021 in Egypt
TEXT: Kevin Domas / Tiago Nogueira / Danijela Lemaic / Björn Pazen / cg
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