04.02.2021, 11:05
Nantes’ nightmare continues against Celje

GROUP B REVIEW: Nantes still have no home points this season, while the Slovenian champions are now joint sixth in the rankings

HBC Nantes and RK Celje Pivovarna Laško are racing for the sixth and last play-off spot in this group. After Nantes had won the away match at Celje, the Slovenian side turned the tide in the re-match on Thursday night.

The teams are now level with four points each, but Celje have played one match more.

GROUP B
HBC Nantes (FRA) vs RK Celje Pivovarna Laško (SLO) 28:30 (13:14)

• Celje started furiously, taking a 7:3 lead, before Nantes took the upper hand and levelled the match in the middle of the first half
• Nantes led just twice in the whole 60 minutes – right after the break at 15:14 and 16:15. For the rest of the match, the momentum was on Celje’s side
• Matic Groselj scored the winner’s goal, but Celje’s match winners were goalkeeper Miljan Vujovic with 14 saves and Žiga Mlakar with eight goals
• it was Celje’s first ever victory against Nantes in their fourth encounter; both sides have taken all their points in away matches
• Nantes’s last home victory in the Champions League was a 30:27 win in the Last 16 against Rhein-Neckar Löwen on 30 March 2019

Nantes’ home troubles

In 2018, they were finalists at the VELUX EHF FINAL4, defeated by Montpellier; in the 2018/19 season, they made it to the quarter-finals of the VELUX EHF Champions League, beaten by Barcelona.

In the 2019/20 season, Nantes played in the EHF Cup, now they are back in the top-flight competition. But it is going anything but well: Nantes’ only highlight was the 35:27 win against Kiel in round 2, followed by only one more victory, 31:25 at Celje. Their weakness on home ground may prove crucial in the race for the play-offs. 

TEXT: EHF / Björn Pazen