Croatian record holders eager to take final step to Cologne

26 straight years Croatian champions, and for the 22nd time part of the EHF Champions League – HC PPD Zagreb maintain their records in both rankings. After clinching the berth for the VELUX EHF Champions League quarter-finals twice in 2015 and 2016, now the four-time finalists have the dream of making it to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne. Their historic elimination of Rhein-Neckar Löwen in the previous season boosts the hopes of the team of legendary coach Veselin Vujovic.

Another reason for the huge confidence is the homecoming of one of the most successful Croatian handball players ever: Igor Vori. And he is back in Zagreb, where it all started. The World and Olympic champion and 2013 VELUX EHF Champions League winner returns home from Paris, while back court ace Luka Stepancic has gone in the opposite direction to the French capital.

Like Stepancic, another top talent of the Croatian record champions has made it to a top club abroad, goalkeeper Filip Ivic signed for the Champions League winners Kielce; he was replaced by Slovenian international Matevz Skok. His fellow countryman Darko Cingesar (Maribor) is another top PPD signing.

But the preparation for the new season was anything but easy for the Croats. Five players – Cingesar, David Miklavcic, Skok, Zlatko Horvat and Ivan Stevanovic – as well as coach Veselin Vujovic (as Slovenian NT coach) missed out on most of the pre-season due to the Olympic Games. In addition, Zagreb suffer from two long-term injuries, left back Domagoj Pavlovic (shoulder injury) is ruled out until the end of the year, while PPD expects right back Luka Sebetic (elbow injury) to be back in November.

But despite those problems, the hopes are high: “We want to qualify for the Last 16, and to make it among …

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