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The EHF European League Men Group Phase enters the finishing straight with just two weeks remaining. A total of 14 matches will be played from Monday to Thursday, followed by more over the weekend as the race for the play-offs heats up.
In group A, Plock have the opportunity to take yet another victory, and to almost secure the first spot of the group already. But to do so, the Polish side will have to defeat Metalurg for the second time. Chekhov and Fivers will be battling in the other game, for what could be decisive for the play-off places.
In group B, Füchse Berlin can make a huge step towards the top position, hosting their nearest rivals from Nimes. The teams ranked third and fourth, Kristianstad and Sporting, are tested in away matches.
In group C, the former EHF Champions League winners Magdeburg and Montpellier will face each other first time this season in a battle for the first place. Nexe are at home for a double-header against Besiktas, which is crucial for the Croatian team.
Rhein-Neckar Löwen have another busy week with clashes against Trebenje and Tatabanya, where they can already book the top spot in group D this week. Eurofarm and GOG aim to keep their unbeaten record in 2021, while Kadetten have two crucial home matches ahead.
GROUP A
Orlen Wisla Plock (POL) vs HC Metalurg (MKD)
Tuesday 16 February, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- the two sides already met on Sunday and Plock took the points, winning 38:19
- Metalurg travelled to Plock with only eight court players and Velko Markoski is out with an injury from this match
- Plock are currently top of the group, with a maximum of twelve points after six games, while Metalurg are bottom with only one point
Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS) vs Fivers (AUT)
Tuesday 16 February, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- Chekhov have only played four games, the fewest in the group, but they currently have four points, sitting in third place
- Fivers are two spots behind, with the same number of points but three more games played
- in the first leg of the confrontation, Chekhov won in Austria 32:30
- Fivers won their domestic league game on Saturday against Bärnbach/Köflach, 34:28
GROUP B
Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU) vs IFK Kristianstad (SWE)
Tuesday 16 February, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- both teams have three defeats in the EHF European League
- Dinamo Bucuresti was the only team so far to score points against Füchse Berlin in group B
- Dinamo remained undefeated in the Romanian Championship (16 wins in 16 games)
- Kristianstad defeated Dinamo 31:22 in the reverse fixture in October
Füchse Berlin (GER) vs USAM Nimes (FRA)
Tuesday 16 February, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- Füchse Berlin are one of the top candidates to win the trophy and remained invincible in group B
- both teams come into the game on the back of victories in the EHF European League
- the German side are on top of the group with nine points, while Nimes are second with eight points
Tatran Presov (SVK) vs Sporting CP (POR)
Tuesday 16 February, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- last week, Sporting CP defeated Tatran Presov 27:21 in Lisbon in a postponed game of round 2
- Tatran Presov, Slovakian champions since 2006/07, still have not won any group match
- in contrast, the Portuguese team only lost three times this season in all competitions
- Pavel Caballero (Tatran Presov) will face a Cuban countryman in Sporting CP’s Pedro Valdés
GROUP C
RK Nexe (CRO) vs Besiktas Aygaz (TUR)
Monday 15 February, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV
Besiktas Aygaz (TUR) - RK Nexe (CRO)
Tuesday 16 February, 18:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- teams will play a double-header in Nasice, Croatia
- Besiktas still without points this season, while Nexe are on a good run after their second triumph over Alingsas
- Nexe’s new head coach Branko Tamse wants to continue his winning streak
- Besiktas seeking new experience after struggling in Europe, while in the Turkish league they are currently in fourth place
Alingsas HK (SWE) vs CSKA (RUS)
Tuesday 16 February, 17:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- this is a rescheduled game from round 2 and is played in Russia
- Alingsas will try to get back to winning ways after defeat in Nasice and a draw in their home league against Redbergslids IK
- Swedish team might travel without their best scorer Andreas Lang and William Andersson Moberg as they were missing in the match against Redbergslids
- this is first European match for Russian team after the winter break
- CSKA have two home league wins ahead of this duel and currently sit in second place of the table
Montpellier HB (FRA) vs SC Magdeburg (GER)
Tuesday 16 February, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- this is the first encounter this season between these two teams
- Magdeburg and Montpellier only met two times, each club winning once in EHF Champions League 2004/05 season
- Magdeburg sit on the top of group C, French powerhouse will try to take over first position
- both teams are coming from narrow wins in their domestic leagues, Magdeburg won 29:28 over Minden, while Montpellier won 30:29 over Saint-Raphael
GROUP D
Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) vs Grundfos Tatabanya KC (HUN)
Tuesday 16 February, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- after their two defeats in the double-header with Eurofarm Pelister, Tatabanya are with their backs against the wall, still waiting for their first point, four points below the fourth position
- Löwen are the only unbeaten team in this group with five victories and one draw
- Löwen had decided the first meeting (32:26) already at the break, when they were ahead 21:15
- former Löwen player Gabor Ancsin now plays for Tatabanya.
Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI) vs RK Trimo Trebnje (SLO)
Tuesday 16 February, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- both sides are equal on four points, Schaffhausen needed five matches for this outcome, Trebnje played four times so far
- the duel on Tuesday is the first match between the sides
- in their three matches after the winter break, Kadetten did not win (defeat against GOG, draw and defeat against Löwen)
- Trebnje had started with two victories but lost the last two encounters in 2021
HC Eurofarm Pelister (MKD) vs GOG (DEN)
Tuesday 16 January, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- it is the duel between sides hunting Löwen: GOG have eight points from six matches, while Pelister have seven points from the same number of matches on their account.
- both side have a clean record in 2021: GOG beat Schaffhausen in their only match, Pelister beat Tatabamya twice last week.
- GOG had won the first meeting 30:29 with a buzzer-beater from Simon Pytlick
- both sides count on two top scorers: GOG’s Danish woirld champion Emil Jacobsen has scored 63 goals so far, Pelister’s Croat Stipe Mandalinic scored 48 times
Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) vs RK Trimo Trebnje (SLO)
Thursday 18 February, 17:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- Trebnje have a short trip from Schaffhausen to Mannheim to play this rescheduled match
- last week, Löwen won the first meeting 35:29 in the first duel between the sides
- Trebnje coach Uros Zorman had faced Löwen as a player and assistant coach of Kielce
- if Löwen win both matches against Tatabanya and Trebnje they are confirmed as group winners
Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI) vs Grundfos Tatabanya KC (HUN)
Thursday 18 February, 20:45 CET, live on EHFTV
- it is the first time ever that both sides duel in a European Cup competition
- Schaffhausen’s playmaker Gabor Csaszar will face some familiar faces from the Hungarian national team
- Kadetten can open the gap between them and their rivals for fourth place if they win
- the return fixture will be played next week
TEXT: Danijela Lemaić, Kevin Domas, Tiago Noguiera, Björn Pazen / cor
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