Thrilling duels await in round 4 as the race for main round seats heats up
The EHF Champions League Men 2026/27 group phase is past the midpoint, as the battle for main round places intensifies in round 4 this week, with exciting return matches on the schedule.
One game is one thing, and the next game is another. Of course, we played really well in Belgrade, and Emil helped us with his 24 saves. Everyone is talking about that, but this Wednesday we start at 0:0, and our goalkeepers have zero saves. We have to maintain the mentality of always thinking about the next step and being ready to fight against an amazing team. We cannot think about what happened last week. What matters is what we do now.
Veszprém are top of our group for a reason, and they showed that in Belgrade. They are a top-level team, and they also have fantastic support from their fans. They punish every mistake you make, and on top of that, they have an incredible goalkeeper who shook our confidence in the last game. The experience of playing against a team like Veszprém counts for a lot, and we are definitely better prepared for what awaits us this time.
I think Porto will rely heavily on seven-against-six play. We need to be well prepared for that. We absolutely need these two points. We have three very difficult matches ahead of us in the coming days. We’re now focusing all our attention on Porto to secure second place in the group, but that will certainly be a major challenge.
Even after their loss here in Kassel, Nantes remains a top-tier team. They have a great atmosphere at home and the support of their fans. We’re determined to win, but it will be challenging game.
We showed a fantastic team spirit in the first match against Vardar. If we use our toughness and cleverness in defence once again and mix it with our individual qualities in attack and fight all game, I think we have a really good chance to take the victory once again. I am sure that the supporters will create an amazing atmosphere as usual so we really look forward to play in front of our home crowd.
We have analysed the match, and there is certainly room for improvement in our game, both in defence and in attack. I believe that with good energy and greater confidence, we can produce a strong and high-quality performance. We want to present ourselves in a positive light once again in the Champions League. In the remaining three matches, just as in the opening three, we want to be competitive and fight for our first points and our first victory. We want to keep having something to play for and continue improving.
The win in Croatia last week was an important one for us. Now we need to maintain that momentum for the return match here in Aalborg, where we know we will have a full arena backing us as well.
Every game has its own story. We have analysed the mistakes from the first match. We know that we need to be more focused and stick to our game plan. We have to reduce the number of technical errors in attack, play with more composure and discipline, and get back into defence even faster. If we can stop their transition game, our chances will improve.
Another demanding match against Paris awaits us, we felt their power last week in France. We are aware that we have to play somehow above our capabilities if we want to be close. Anything is normally possible in every game, so we believe that we are capable of playing a good match and show an improved game and version of ourselves.
Last week’s win against Celje gave us a lot of confidence, but we know we can’t take anything for granted. Playing away in the Champions League is never easy. We’ve had some really good performances lately, and I think the most important thing is to keep that same energy and fighting spirit. We know how important these European points can be later in the season, so we’re going to go there with one ambition: to come back to Paris with a win.
We played a decent game against them on their home court, but we also agreed that we didn’t quite reach the level we want to perform at. We believe that if we put in a good performance, we’ll have a good chance of taking the two points. However, Kristianstad are a very good team, so we go into the match with great respect for the opposition.
We managed a draw, a draw that is important for us. Now we have a very important game ahead of us, at home, where we want to reciprocate the atmosphere, we want a full house, we want our fans to help us win, to prove what we have been and hopefully they [PICK Szeged] can also suffer what we suffered, which is a difficult atmosphere, so we are counting a lot on our fans for this objective. So, here we are in the fight. We will have to be at our best to get the two points.
After earning a valuable point in dramatic fashion, another major challenge awaits us. After Saturday’s match in a fantastic atmosphere, recovery was our top priority as we will need to be fresh for the game against Sporting. I was pleased to see the character we showed as it proves the strength of this team and that will be important in the match.
Playing against Barça is always a special challenge. They are one of the best teams in the world, but we are ready to compete, give everything on the court and fight together as a team. We know it will be a tough game, but we are playing at home in Bucharest, and we want to show our quality, our character, and make our fans proud.
We are in that part of the season when we play a lot of matches in a row, and this week we have two away games, one in Champions League and another one in Asobal. Playing against Dinamo will be very difficult. Dinamo are a very tough team to beat and with some great players — not only technically, but also athletic. We have to keep focusing in our defence to find our best game.
It’s going to be a tough battle. We need a big result to keep our Champions League hopes alive. We have to beat this team at home and give everything we’ve got. It’s been a while since our last home win, so we’re really determined to change that. And we know the FDI Stadium crowd will be right behind us, pushing us all the way.
Last week, we saw once again just how difficult it is to play against Kielce. The game was much closer than the final score might suggest. So, we know what to expect. However, we’re a tough team to beat at home. We want to build on that strength to secure the next points and book our place in the next round.
In a match like this, there is no room for poor finishing or mistakes. Magdeburg will punish every error. We are going there with absolutely no doubt that we can win. We have won there before, and I believe in our team. In the Champions League, it has always been difficult to face the same opponent twice within seven days. We have a great deal of information about them, and these matches are slightly different.
We need to be on our guard on Wednesday and play with concentration right from the start. The Norwegians are strong at home and will surely want to get revenge for the defeat in Kriens/Luzern. We can look forward to an exciting EHF Champions League evening because both teams need a win to keep their chances of advancing alive.
