Veszprem lead first power ranking of the season

The beginning of the VELUX EHF Champions League is merely days away and ehfCL.com’s journalists were tasked with figuring out which teams look like they are going all the way to Cologne and which have plenty to do if they want to be considered serious contenders this year. Here is the pre-season power ranking.

10. THW Kiel

It looked like a good pre-season for THW Kiel, despite half the team being involved in the Olympics. But then came the beginning of the Bundesliga and Alfred’s charges have struggled to impress. A narrow win in Stuttgart, followed by a loss in Wetzlar showed everybody how much work there is left to do with young players such as Lukas Nilsson and Nikola Bilyk. However, there is only one week left before PSG come to town.

9. MOL-Pick Szeged

A faultless preparation for Juan Carlos Pastor and his new look team. Six friendly games and as many wins, with already a league win in the basket as well. Sergey Gorbok, Stas Skube and Mario Sostaric proved they have already settled in the Hungarian club, while José Manuel Sierra and Zsolt Balogh are as efficient as last season, proving you will have to count on Szeged to reach the knockout rounds again this season.

8. HC PPD Zagreb

Veselin Vujovic has suffered many departures from his team this summer, but he has already found the alchemy to make it work. In Germany, the Croatians showed good things at the Sparkassen Cup while finishing third at the Marrane Challenge in Paris. No doubt that with the players who represented their country in Rio, including captain Zlatko Horvat, Zagreb will gradually improve as the season progresses.

7. KS Vive Tauron …

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