One big surprise and two clear victories: at the end Chekhov, Zagreb and Rhein Neckar Löwen book the last three tickets in the CL quarterfinals.Despite losing to Montpellier, Veszprém remain on top of Group 3. In the pots of today’s draw (LIVE at 18.30 www.ehfTV.com and www.eurohandball.com) there will be four German teams and one Spanish, Russian, Hungarian and Croat.
Group I
HSV Hamburg – Chechovski Medvedi 32:31 (16:15)
FCK Handball – Portland San Antonio 28:27 (15:14)
The Danes made it possible for the Russians to celebrate. FCK have beaten Portland surprisingly and FCK sent Chechovski Medvedi to the quarterfinals.
Chekhov and Portland finish the group with 6 points each, but the Spanish team are eliminated because of the results from the direct encounter.
HSV Hamburg – Chechovski Medvedi 32:31 (16:15)
FCK Handball – Portland San Antonio 28:27 (15:14)
The Danes made it possible for the Russians to celebrate. FCK have beaten Portland surprisingly and FCK sent Chechovski Medvedi to the quarterfinals.
Chekhov and Portland finish the group with 6 points each, but the Spanish team are eliminated because of the results from the direct encounter.
Group II
RK Zagreb – RK Celje 31:18 (14:6)
RK Zagreb – RK Celje 31:18 (14:6)
Zagreb were the first team of Group II to qualify. They have beaten Celje very clearly in a one-sided match. The Croatians took their chance to go on by winning the last three consecutive main round matches after the initial defeat against Chambery and after coach Lino Cervar had left.
Rhein Neckar Löwen – Chambery Savoie 40:25 (19:10)
The extraordinary Löwen performance brought Chambery to a bitter end. The French team were the number one in their group from the first to the last round, but then they lost the decisive match in Germany very clearly.
Winning by 15 goals gave Rhein Neckar Löwen the group victory due to a better goal difference over Zagreb and Chambery. RNL qualified as the fourth German team for the quarterfinals.
The extraordinary Löwen performance brought Chambery to a bitter end. The French team were the number one in their group from the first to the last round, but then they lost the decisive match in Germany very clearly.
Winning by 15 goals gave Rhein Neckar Löwen the group victory due to a better goal difference over Zagreb and Chambery. RNL qualified as the fourth German team for the quarterfinals.
Group III
Ademar Leon – SG Flensburg-Handewitt 36:32 (15:11)
As Flensburg had to miss many players of the squad due to injuries (Carlen, Christianssen, Mamelund, Muratovic, etc.), the chances of winning the group were little. Though the team was highly motivated after the Veszprém defeat a day earlier, Leon wanted to show their spectators more than in the last home match when they lost from Veszprém and were eliminated from the quarterfinals.
Ademar Leon – SG Flensburg-Handewitt 36:32 (15:11)
As Flensburg had to miss many players of the squad due to injuries (Carlen, Christianssen, Mamelund, Muratovic, etc.), the chances of winning the group were little. Though the team was highly motivated after the Veszprém defeat a day earlier, Leon wanted to show their spectators more than in the last home match when they lost from Veszprém and were eliminated from the quarterfinals.
MKB Veszprém – HB Montpellier 22:23 (11:10)
Veszprém qualified already before the game. However, they missed a great chance to secure the first place as they lost at home to Montpellier.
The French could play without pressure at the last CL game of the season and a few of their stars (Bojinovic, Hmam and others) were missing.
Veszprém qualified already before the game. However, they missed a great chance to secure the first place as they lost at home to Montpellier.
The French could play without pressure at the last CL game of the season and a few of their stars (Bojinovic, Hmam and others) were missing.
Group IV
Ciudad Real – THW Kiel 35:33 (18:18)
Title holder Ciudad Real won the re-match of CL Final from last season, THW Kiel won the group. In a high class and very quick game, the Spanish champion took the points, but due to a better goal difference from the direct encounters Kiel finished first in the group.
“It doesn’t matter for me whether we finish first or second,” Ciudad coach Talant Dujshebaev said. “The most important thing is that we qualified for the quarterfinals in this ‘group of horror’.”
Ciudad Real – THW Kiel 35:33 (18:18)Title holder Ciudad Real won the re-match of CL Final from last season, THW Kiel won the group. In a high class and very quick game, the Spanish champion took the points, but due to a better goal difference from the direct encounters Kiel finished first in the group.
“It doesn’t matter for me whether we finish first or second,” Ciudad coach Talant Dujshebaev said. “The most important thing is that we qualified for the quarterfinals in this ‘group of horror’.”
GOG Svendborg - FC Barcelona-Borges 29:35 (17:18)
Barcelona finished their international season with an away victory. As the Catalonians had been eliminated before, winning in Denmark was not so important. Barca started with a 6:2, and then improved their defence, especially as goalkeeper Barufet made important saves and pivot Jesper Noddesbö played a brilliant game.
Barcelona finished their international season with an away victory. As the Catalonians had been eliminated before, winning in Denmark was not so important. Barca started with a 6:2, and then improved their defence, especially as goalkeeper Barufet made important saves and pivot Jesper Noddesbö played a brilliant game.
TEXT: Björn Pazen
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