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The group phase of the DELO EHF Champions League 2020/21 is approaching crunch time, with an exciting round 12 scheduled for this weekend.
In group A, the winner of the clash between Metz and FTC will move closer to leaders Rostov-Don.
In group B, Buducnost meet Odense in the Match of the Week, while elsewhere leaders Györ will host second-placed Brest, a week after both teams narrowly escaped defeats and came away with a draw.
Also, Valcea take on third-ranked CSKA after the Romanian team won their last two games following six straight defeats earlier.
GROUP A
Metz Handball (FRA) vs FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (HUN)
Sunday 24 January, 16:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- Metz lost to FTC 32:30 in Hungary on Wednesday in a match rescheduled from round 3
- both teams are now on 12 points, though Metz have a game in hand
- FTC improved their head-to-head comparison to nine wins while Metz won four times; two duels ended in a draw
- since January 2017, FTC have been the last team to win an away match against Metz in the Champions League
Team Esbjerg (DEN) vs RK Krim Mercator (SLO)
Sunday 24 January, 16:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- ahead of their crucial clash, Esbjerg are ranked sixth with six points from 10 games, Krim seventh with five points
- the reverse fixture in Slovenia was postponed in November and will be rescheduled
- the teams also shared a group in the 2016/17 season, when they both won their respective home game
- Esbjerg are second in the Danish league after they lost 32:28 against Nykøbing on Wednesday
- Krim have announced the return of key players Tjasa Stanko and Dragana Cvijic next season
GROUP B
MOTW: Buducnost (MNE) vs Odense Håndbold (DEN)
Saturday 23 January, 18:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- last week’s 32:32 against Györ was Odense’s first draw in this season, after six wins and four defeats
- Odense are ranked fourth with 13 points from 11 matches, Buducnost fifth with eight from 10
- in a rescheduled match at Valcea on Wednesday, Buducnost suffered their first defeat (25:23) under head coach Bojana Popovic
- Buducnost won both matches when the teams also met in the 2018/19 group phase, but Odense won the reverse fixture 30:21 in Denmark earlier this season
Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) vs Brest Bretagne Handball (FRA)
Saturday 23 January, 18:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- both teams are eying a top-two finish, as Györ lead with 17 points from 10 matches, followed by Brest with 15 from 11
- Györ struggled away at Odense last week but salvaged a 32:32 draw thanks to a late 3:0 run
- Györ’s 47-match unbeaten streak since January 2018 includes six draws, three of which were recorded in the current season
- one of Györ’s draws came in the away match against Brest in September, 25:25
- Brest also rescued a late point against Buducnost (28:28) last week, having trailed 18:11 at half-time
- Brest’s Ana Gros is the competition’s leading scorer with 77 goals, Estelle Nze Minko is Györ’s best shooter with 48 goals
BV Borussia Dortmund (GER) vs HC Podravka Vegeta (CRO)
Sunday 24 January, 14:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- this is a match between the two bottom-ranked teams in group B, both on two points
- Dortmund have lost their last six matches in the competition, Podravka have failed to gain points for seven consecutive matches
- Dortmund’s only win this seasony came in the reverse fixture in Koprivnica, 26:25
- last week, Dortmund lost at CSKA (38:25) and Podravka at home to Valcea (27:25)
- Podravka’s Dejana Miloslavljevic scored six goals last week and is now the third-best scorer in the competition with 56 goals
SCM Ramnicu Valcea (ROU) vs CSKA (RUS)
Sunday 24 January, 16:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- still on zero points until last week, Valcea claimed back-to-back wins against Podravka on Sunday and Buducnost on Wednesday
- the victories improved Valcea’s chances to advance to the play-offs, as they now have four points, two more than Dortmund and Podravka
- CSKA will play their first away match in 2021, after they beat both Brest and Dortmund on home court
- CSKA are third with 15 points from nine matches; second-ranked Brest have 15 from 11 but a better goal difference
- Elena Mikhaylichenko, who helped CSKA beat Valcea 30:20 with nine goals in the reverse fixture, is out for the season with a knee injury
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