The group phase of the EHF European League Men 2021/22 heads into its round 2 on Tuesday, as 12 matches across the four groups promise another exciting night of handball.
The 12 teams that won their respective opener will try to keep their momentum going.
Three matches are between two teams that won last week: Füchse Berlin against Tatran Presov in group A, RK Nexe against IK Sävehof in C, and USAM Nimes Gard against AEK Athens HC in D.
GROUP A
Orlen Wisla Plock (POL) vs Fenix Toulouse Handball (FRA)
Tuesday 26 October, 18:45 CEST, live on EHFTV
- Plock showed an impressive opener, beating Pfadi 35:23 with nine goals from Russian new arrival Mark Sergei Kosorotov
- the teams also met in the EL group phase last season, with Plock winning both encounters narrowly: 26:25 and 27:25
- Toulouse were close to surprise last season’s finalists Füchse Berlin but failed in the final stages
- Plock goalkeeper Adam Morawski: "They have a team with many good players, so we will approach this game fully concentrated. Our goal is to fight for victory and I think that together with the fans in the Orlen Arena we are able to do it”
- both sides had one-goal wins in their domestic leagues: Plock against Azoty-Pulawy (27:26), Toulouse against fellow EL contenders Nimes (26:25)
Füchse Berlin (GER) vs Tatran Presov (SVK)
Tuesday 26 October, 20:45 CEST, live on EHFTV
- both teams started with a win last week: Füchse had a lucky 32:30 victory against Toulouse, Presov had a 7:0 run on their way to beating Bidasoa Irun 27:25
- Füchse won 35:27 when both teams also met last season
- Füchse coach Jaron Siewert: “Presov had a very good start into the season and haven’t lost a game yet. They play their typical aggressive-offensive defence but we want to keep going our way, especially in front of our home fans”
- Presov coach Slavko Goluža: "We don't have to talk too much about the strength of Füchse. They are a great team, top of the Bundesliga ... But we can't think too much about Füchse; we need to focus on us and deliver our best handball"
- including qualification, Füchse lefthander Fabian Wiede is already on 17 goals this season
- former Croatian international Marko Kopljar (Füchse) will face his former national team coach Slavko Goluza (Presov coach)
- Füchse easily won Sunday's Bundesliga match against Nettelstedt
Bidasoa Irun (ESP) vs Pfadi Winterthur (SUI)
Tuesday 26 October, 20:45 CEST, live on EHFTV
- both sides are looking for their first points after losing last week
- the teams have not met before in a European competition
- Irun are coming off a domestic win in Spain (31:25 at Nava), but Pfadi lost their last home match in Switzerland to Bern (34:30)
- one of Irun’s top players, Hungarian Donat Bartok, moved to Switzerland last season – but joined Kadetten Schaffhausen
- Pfadi’s veteran goalkeeper Matias Schulz (ARG) played for various Spanish clubs between 2008 and 2014
GROUP B
GOG (DEN) vs Cocks (FIN)
Tuesday 26 October, 18:45 CEST, live on EHFTV
- the teams have not before in a European competition
- in the first round, GOG took the points in Chekhov (39:32) while Cocks suffered a severe home defeat against Nantes (40:28)
- the Danish side only suffered one defeat at home in the European League last season, to Rhein-Neckar Löwen (37:32)
- GOG are the undefeated leader of the Danish league, winning their eighth game in a row, in Sonderjyske (32:31), last weekend
- Cocks have won only two away games in total in their four previous seasons in the EL and former EHF Cup
HBC Nantes (FRA) vs TBV Lemgo Lippe (GER)
Tuesday 26 October, 20:45 CEST, live on EHFTV
- the two teams have never faced each other in European competitions
- in the first round, Nantes easily defeated Cocks (40:28) while Lemgo suffered a one-goal defeat at home against Benfica (30:29)
- Nantes assistant coach Grégory Cojean: "We will have to make a big game against this good German team. After a good victory against Cocks, we know that we have to rise up to a higher level against Lemgo"
- Lemgo coach Florian Kehrmann: "HBC Nantes, alongside GOG, are certainly the favourites in the group regarding their results in recent seasons. It will be important to stand firm against them and find the gaps in their defence"
- Nantes took the points on Friday in the French league, beating Nancy (37:28), and are ranked fourth
- Lemgo won in Minden (32:29), moving up to the seventh place in the Bundesliga
SL Benfica (POR) vs Chekhovskie medvedi (RUS)
Tuesday 26 October, 20:45 CEST, live on EHFTV
- this will be the first meeting between the two teams
- Chekhov lost their last two games against a Portuguese side – against Sporting in the CL
- the last time Benfica played against a Russian side was in the Challenge Cup 2015/16, beating St. Petersburg 49:47 on aggregate
- in the first round, Benfica snatched a narrow win in Lemgo (30:29) while Chekhov suffered a home defeat to GOG (32:39)
To have a chance against Sporting we have to conquer our self-doubt, become more confident on the court, believe in ourselves and the victory. Now we need the support of our fans more than ever.
