After a break of more than a month, the THW Kiel handball players have to play again in the Champions League on Wednesday (8:45 p.m.). In the quarter-final first leg we go to Montpellier HB.
As preliminary group winners, the “Zebras” skipped the round of 16, in which Montpellier prevailed against RK Zagreb. The THW is now aiming for the ninth place in the Final Four, which has been held in Cologne since 2010, where the German record champions have so far been successful in the premiere as well as in 2012 and 2020.
The Kiel team were only in action on Sunday and saved a 32:32 draw at Bundesliga runners-up Füchse Berlin. A result that, given the difficulty of the task and a successful race to catch up, can provide mental support for the next few days.
“That was good preparation, because we face an emotionally and physically brutal challenge in Montpellier,” said THW coach Filip Jicha. The Czech had already asked his players to train again on Monday. On Tuesday, the THW entourage will travel to Montpellier, 1,600 kilometers away. The second leg in Kiel will take place on May 2nd (6:45 p.m.).
Personnel concerns at THW Kiel
There are still some question marks about the setup. It is clear that left winger Magnus Landin will still be missing after breaking his hand. During the game in Berlin, backcourt ace Elias Ellefsen á Skipagøtu was eliminated with knee problems. After warming up, goalkeeper Tomas Mrkva had to miss the game due to illness.
Samir Bellahcene stood between the posts for the entire 60 minutes. The French keeper will now face Charles Bolzinger and Remi Desbonnet in Montpellier. These are the two goalkeeper colleagues with whom the Kiel goalkeeper became European champions at the end of January.
For the first time against Montpellier in the knockout phase
Montpellier HB is currently third in the French league behind Paris Saint-Germain and HBC Nantes and recently had to be content with a 30:30 draw in Chambery. The star is not on the field, but on the sidelines. Patrice Canayer has been coaching the southern French team since 1994 (!) and will end his role this summer. Will he succeed in a major coup at the end of his great career?
THW has played against Montpellier several times in the group phase of the Champions League since 1999, but never in the further course of the competition. The last encounters so far come from the 2021/2022 season. At that time, the “Zebras” lost 30:37 in the south of France, only to win 35:26 a few months later. “Montpellier will demand everything from us, we have to leave everything on the table for two 60 minutes,” emphasized THW captain Patrick Wiencek.
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NDR 2 Sport | April 24, 2024 | 11:03 p.m
