Champions face Hungarian test; Slovenia hosts Balkan derby

Champions Kielce and perennial VELUX EHF Champions League contenders Vardar aim to extend their perfect starts at difficult away outings, while Meshkov Brest are looking at an uphill task of chalking up their first points of the season at home to Rhein-Neckar Löwen. IFK Kristianstad and HC PPD Zagreb clash in a battle of two teams who are yet to earn a point in Europe’s premier club competition this season. • Zagreb under pressure after two straight defeats • RNL headed for tough visit to Meshkov • Big names face former clubs as Szeged host champions Kielce • Vardar travel to fired-up Celje in Balkan derby

GROUP B IFK Kristianstad (SWE) vs HC PPD Zagreb (CRO) Saturday, 18:15 hrs local time, live on ehfTV Both sides will see winning this match as a must, having lost their opening two games in what is shaping up to be a fiercely competitive section. Zagreb’s defeat at Celje (30:28) came as a bit of surprise as the Croatian champions have a superior record against their Slovenian neighbours, but it was the 26:24 home setback against Szeged that really rocked coach Veselin Vujovic’s outfit. It left Zagreb scrambling for their first points of the season and Vujovic, who will take a weakened roster to Sweden as the injured David Miklavcic and Tonci Valcic have joined a long list of casualties, conceded his side was under pressure. “We haven’t made a good start to our Champions League season, but being decimated by injuries will be no excuse against IFK because whoever is fit has to soldier on,” Vujovic told reporters in the Croatian capital.

“It is going to be a tough match against a good team who lost their opening two games to Kielce and Vardar, the best two teams in our section. We have to thwart their fast breaks and find a way to break down their 6-0 defence.” Back Luka Sebetic echoed Vujovic’s views and underscored Zagreb would not be at full strength in Sweden. “They are a side which thrives in a quick transition from defence to attack and shoot with plenty of confidence,” he said. “The trouble is that we have a lot of walking wounded. I am not fully fit and Miklavcic is injured, but we just have to play through the pain and win this game.” IFK will have something to say about that, though, hoping that their rising 21-year old prodigy, Philip Henningsson, can carry his good form into the contest after scoring 13 goals in the opening two games. Meshkov Brest (BLR) vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) Saturday, 18:30 hrs local time, live on ehfTV Another tough outing for Meshkov, who have had to put up with a torrid fixture list in the opening three games of their VELUX EHF Champions League campaign this season. The side from Brest suffered a 29:24 home defeat to defending champions Kielce in the opening round before they were beaten 31:27 at Vardar, having played their hearts out against both European giants. They now face none other than German champions Rhein-Neckar Löwen, who will be determined to keep up their momentum.

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