Top four sides in group B to clash in fiery round

EHF / Adrian Costeiu, Sergey Nikolaev

14 January 2022, 12:00

Rostov play on a different level: they are heading for place two in our group, we are heading for place six – at least. Rostov play very physically, that was a big problem for us in the first match against them.

André Fuhr

BV Borussia 09 Dortmund head coach

After the World Championship it is pretty good to work with the team again. Maybe our rhythm is not as good as we want yet, but we are going to do everything for the first win in 2022. Metz are a strong and dynamic team. Last time we played a close match with them, now I am expecting the same. These games are the best ones.

Stine Oftedal

Györi Audi ETO KC centre back

GROUP B

Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) vs Metz Handball (FRA)
Saturday 15 January, 16:00 CET, live on EHFTV

for both teams, this is their first CL game in the year 2022
Györ are the only team in group B to have officially secured progression to the knockout phase
the five-time champions have eight wins from eight matches and boast the best attack in the whole tournament: 278 goals scored, an average of 34.75 per game
third-ranked Metz have 12 points, four less than Györ, but the French side has won all four away games so far this CL season
Györ won the reverse fixture 33:29 in France, handing Metz their first defeat of the CL season

Krim Mercator Ljubljana (SLO) vs Odense Håndbold (DEN)
Sunday 16 January, 16:00 CET, live on EHFTV

Krim are fighting hard for a play-off spot, as they are currently sixth-placed with five points, four less than fifth-ranked Odense
Krim head coach Nataša Derepasko: "Our focus is to upgrade our tactics and stay in the best physical condition. We changed our defense and on the other side we want to play relaxed and with long attacks"
the 27:27 against CSKA last Sunday was Odense’s first draw in the current CL season; they had four wins and four defeats from their first eight matches
the reverse fixture marked Odense’s only home win so far this CL season (26:24); however, they have won three of their four away games
Krim have lost three of their four home matches this CL season, with a win over last year’s DELO EHF FINAL4 contenders CSKA the only exception
Odense head coach Ulrik Kirkely: "It is difficult to prepare for a match against Krim since they recently got a new coach and therefore may have a new playing concept. But we believe that we can go to Krim, develop our play and be focused enough to take the points"

MOTW: CSKA (RUS) vs Vipers Kristiansand (NOR)
Sunday 16 January, 16:00 CET, live on EHFTV

following last week’s draw at Odense, CSKA stayed in fourth place with 10 points
Vipers easily defeated Sävehof in a Scandinavian derby for their fourth straight win last week to climb to second place with 12 points
the 42:23 against Sävehof marked Vipers’ biggest win in their CL history and also the first time they passed the 40-goal mark in a CL match
in the reverse fixture, Elena Mikhaylichenko’s 10 goals helped CSKA to win in Norway: 27:24
both teams met for the first time in last season’s semi-final at the DELO EHF FINAL4, when Vipers won 33:30 and went on to lift the trophy the following day
CSKA won their midweek domestic game at home against Astrakhanochka (31:21) and they are ranked second behind Rostov
after scoring seven times against Sävehof, Vipers’ back Nora Mørk tops the CL scoring chart with 68 goals

Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK (TUR) vs IK Sävehof (SWE)
The game has been postponed and will be rescheduled.