Race to quarter-finals gets exciting finish

In one of the most exciting pairings, Spain’s Club Balonman Atletico Guardes are set to host H71 from Faroe Islands twice in Pontevedra on Saturday and Sunday.

H71 surprisingly reached the European Cup quarter-finals last season, while Atletico Guardes played in the same stage of the Challenge Cup in 2016/17 and 2019/20.

• in Skopje, North Macedonian side HC Gjorce Petrov-WHC Skopje meet Poland’s Eurobud JKS Jaroslaw on Friday and Saturday
• on the same days, Portuguese team Madeira Handebol SAD are scheduled to face LK Zug Handball from Switzerland in another double-header
• MKS IUVENTA Michalovce, who won at KPR Gminy Kobierzyce in Poland 22:20 last week, try to defend their advantage at home in Slovakia on Saturday
• also on Saturday, Maccabi Arazim Ramat gan have a mountain to climb at home in Israel when they host Turkey’s Izmir BSB SK following a 27:20 first-leg defeat
• similar to Izmir, fellow Turkish team Antalya Konyaalti BSK now play away from home – in Portugal against Sport Lisboa e Benfica on Sunday, following their 35:35 draw last week

Spanish sides hope to finish the job

While Atletico Guardes play both matches this weekend, two other teams from Spain hope to defend their advantage gained last Sunday.

ATTICGO BM ELCHE have already one foot in the next round after beating Serbian side ZORK Jagodina 31:19 at home, with the return match scheduled for Saturday. Motive.co Gijon have a much smaller cushion following their 26:24 victory at Hazena Kynzvart in Czech Republic, but they have home right in the return leg.