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In the current DELO EHF Champions League, only two teams still boast a perfect record: Györi Audi ETO KC have won all four matches so far, and Metz Handball have claimed victories in all of their three games. But on Saturday, at least one of these sides will drop their first points, as the two will clash in the Match of the Week in France.
In group A, Rostov-Don will be looking to consolidate their table lead in the home game against BV Borussia 09 Dortmund, who conceded their first loss this season in last week’s game against CSM Bucuresti.
The Romanian side eye a third straight win, against Buducnost BEMAX, while FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria face Brest Bretagne Handball on a quest to secure their status as the only unbeaten side in the group.
GROUP A
Rostov-Don (RUS) vs BV Borussia 09 Dortmund (GER)
Saturday 23 October, 16:00 CEST, live on EHFTV
- the Russian side leapfrogged Dortmund to the top of the standings after their win against Buducnost last week and hold a one-point advantage over the German side, who dropped to the fourth place
- Dortmund still boast the top scorer in the DELO EHF Champions League, back Alina Grijseels, who is tied with Sävehof left back Jamina Roberts on 33 goals after four rounds
- Rostov boast the second most effective defence in the competition, having conceded only 22.5 goals per game, just behind Metz, who have leaked 22.3 goals per game
- historically, Rostov have the second-highest winning percentage in the DELO EHF Champions League, having secured 58 wins in 85 games, or a 68.2 per cent rate, just behind Györ, who are at 75 per cent
- this will be the first encounter between the sides in European competitions
FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (HUN) vs Brest Bretagne Handball (FRA)
Saturday 23 October, 16:00 CEST, live on EHFTV
- FTC are one of the three unbeaten teams in the competition, alongside Györ and Metz from group B
- the Hungarian side have had their best start in the DELO EHF Champions League since the 2015/16 season, when they won five games and drew another one in the group phase
- Brest’s away woes have been proven this season in defeats against Rostov (24:26) and Dortmund (27:30), with the French side still trying to win their first away game of 2021/22
- FTC are unbeaten in all competitions this season, having just taken a 28:23 win against Dunaujvaros in the Hungarian league. Brest also took a five-goal win, 29:24, against Toulon, in their domestic league
- despite playing 192 games in the top European competition, FTC have never faced Brest before
HC Podravka Vegeta (CRO) vs Team Esbjerg (DEN)
Saturday 23 October, 18:00 CEST, live on EHFTV
- after a winning start against Buducnost, Podravka have conceded three losses on the trot and dropped to seventh place in the standings
- Esbjerg can extend their unbeaten run to three games, after they jumped to third place with five points — only one behind leaders Rostov
- a win in Koprivnica would be Esbjerg’s 20th in the DELO EHF Champions League and they would be the 26th team to reach this milestone in the top European competition
- only Metz and Rostov-Don have a more effective defensive record than Esbjerg at this stage of the competition, with the Danish side conceding only 24.5 goals per game
- the MVP of last season’s DELO EHF FINAL4, Henny Reistad, has made an instant impact for Esbjerg since her transfer this summer, becoming the team’s top scorer with 25 goals in four games
CSM Bucuresti (ROU) vs Buducnost BEMAX (MNE)
Sunday 24 October, 14:00 CEST, live on EHFTV
- Buducnost have the least efficient attack in the competition, with 90 goals scored in four games — an average of 22.5 goals per match
- the guests are one of two teams that have not won a match up until this point in the season, with the other side being Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK
- the Montenegrin side are on a seven-game winless run; failing to win against CSM would set their worst-ever streak in the DELO EHF Champions League
- CSM’s star left back Cristina Neagu spent four seasons at Buducnost, between 2013 and 2017, winning the top European competition once with the Montenegrin side, in 2015
- the Romanian side rely heavily on their back line, with Cristina Neagu, Emilie Hegh Arntzen and Elizabeth Omoregie combining for 64 of their 109 goals in the first four rounds
 GROUP B
Vipers Kristiansand (NOR) vs CSKA (RUS)
Saturday 23 October, 18:00 CEST, live on EHFTV
- the only previous meeting between the teams in Europe’s top flight took place in last season’s semi-final stage, when Vipers won 33:30
- now both sides have four points, but Vipers have played four games and CSKA three. The Norwegian team claimed all their points at home in Kristiansand, while CSKA lost their so far only away match at Györ
- last week, Vipers claimed their biggest win in the competition and scored the highest number of goals ever when they beat Kastamonu 39:25
- with 27 and 23 goals respectively, Vipers’ Nora Mørk and Ragnhild Valle Dahl are among the 10 top scorers of the season
- Vipers’ veteran goalkeeper Kathrine Lunde had an offer from CSKA at the start of the season, but ultimately stayed at the Norwegian club
MOTW: Metz Handball (FRA) vs Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
Saturday 23 October, 18:00 CEST, live on EHFTV
- Györ are the only team in the competition to have won four games, while Metz also have a perfect record with three wins and a game in hand
- in round 4, both sides claimed away victories, with Györ beating Odense 31:26, and Metz narrowly defeating Krim, 29:28
- last time they faced each other was in the EHF Champions League 2016/17 quarter-final, when Metz won 32:31 at home before Györ took convincing revenge in Hungary, 28:22
- overall, the rivals have met seven times in European club competitions. The Hungarian team have a big advantage on the head-to-head record, as they won six encounters and Metz just one
- both teams have no players among the top 10 of the competition’s scoring chart. Summer signing Ryu Eun Hee is Györ’s top scorer, with 18 goals, while captain Meline Nocandy stands out for Metz with her 20 goals
Odense Håndbold (DEN) vs Krim Mercator Ljubljana (SLO)
Sunday 24 October, 16:00 CEST, live on EHFTV
- it will be the first ever meeting between these sides in European club competitions
- Odense are fourth-placed in group B with four points, while Krim take sixth position with two points
- the Danish side claimed all their points away, having lost both home encounters so far, against Metz and Györ
- in round 4, Odense’s Dione Housheer netted seven times against Györ and is third-placed in the competition’s scoring list, with 30 goals
- Krim’s Oceane Sercien Ugolin, who collapsed at the end of the match versus Metz, has been released from hospital and should join the team soon
IK Sävehof (SWE) vs Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK (TUR)
Sunday 24 October, 16:00 CEST, live on EHFTV
- the teams, who have never faced each other before, occupy the two bottom positions in group B
- after surprisingly beating Krim in the opening round, Sävehof went on to lose three straight matches
- last week, the Swedish team fought hard at CSKA but ultimately lost 29:28
- debutants Kastamonu, who are coming off a big 39:25 defeat at Vipers in the previous round, are yet to earn their maiden points in the continental top flight
- with 33 goals, Sävehof’s Jamina Roberts is the joint top scorer of the competition alongside Alina Grijseels from Dortmund
TEXT: Adrian Costeiu / Sergey Nikolaev
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