group b - European Handball Federation

VELUX EHF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2011/12 TEAM OVERVIEW
St. Petersburg HC (RUS)
For the second straight time St. Petersburg finished Russian league runners-up below Chekhovskie
Medvedi and for the second time the Last 16 of the VELUX EHF Champions League is the objective of
Coach Dimitri Torgowanow. “Last season, when we were debutants, we lacked experience, now I hope
that we have – especially in away matches – the cleverness to stand up to our opponents,” he said.
The Olympic, World and European Champion still has a very young team, but they are well trained and
used to each other as only two new players have arrived since last season.
Orlen Wisla Plock (POL)
In one of the biggest sensations across the European leagues last season, Plock won the final series in
Poland against the great favourites Kielce. Even in Kielce the team of Danish coach Lars Walther took
the points – and they are now playing for the seventh time in the VELUX EHF Champions League. They
have been eliminated after the Group Stage five times and reached the Last 16 once – but this was 15
years ago.
Now with an improved team helped with the arrivals of the experienced playmaker Nikola Eklemovic
(Veszprem) and Polish international Michal Kubisztal, who arrived from Berlin. “I think we have a
great chance to reach the Last 16, as teams like Constanta, St. Petersburg, Koper and Plock are on the
same level now,” said Club President Andrzej Miszczynski.
RK Metalurg Skopje (MKD)
After two previous unsuccessful attempts, coaching legend Lino Cervar (former Croatian national
coach, Olympic and World Champion) has led Metalurg to the Group Phase of the VELUX EHF
Champions League. The champions of FYR Macedonia improved their team by signing internationally
well-known players like Serbian goalkeeper Darko Stanic from Koper and Zarko Markovic, former
player of Veszprem.
In their qualification tournament Metalurg did not have to give their best to win the semi-final against
Lezion Rishion from Israel, but were highly lucky in the final as they scored the decisive goal to win
against Haslum 29:28, 20 seconds before the final buzzer.
Group D:
Montpellier Agglomeration HB (FRA)
Twice they were close to the VELUX EHF FINAL4, but twice Montpellier were the unlucky loser in the
2010 and 2011 Quarter-Finals against Medvedi and Lowen – now the French champions are trying again
to reach Cologne. But in their group two more contenders – Kiel and Kobenhavn – have this objective
too.
Coach Patrice Canayer, on the MAHB bench since 1994, hopes that no major injuries will stop his team
– the EHF Champions League winner 2002/03 – on their way to their final destination.