Kolstad challenge Kiel; Celje host Barça in MOTW
Can THW Kiel and Barça stretch their unbeaten streaks in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League 2023/24 to five matches? That question will be answered in round 5 this week, when Kiel travel to Norway where Kolstad Handball with Sander Sagosen await on Thursday, while Barça make a trip to Slovenia to play RK Celje Pivovarna Laško in the Match of the Week on Wednesday.
Aalborg are one of the best teams in our group. They are coming off a draw in Zagreb, so they will be keen to start winning again. They also won in Kielce on the opening day of the competition, so we know they are very good away from home. We will be counting on our fans to push us on and give us plenty of energy.
It will be nice to play against my former team and teammates again. We need to have trust in our own abilities and play. We clearly remember last time we met them in the semi-final at the EHF FINAL4 and know that we can do it once again.
I am really, really looking forward to play against my old club THW Kiel in my hometown Trondheim. They have showed that they are still a great club by topping our group in the Champions League. For me, it will be very nice to meet my old teammates that I know so very well.
We are expecting a difficult away game in Norway. We all know that Kolstad have a strong team together. We have to play to our strengths there to have a chance of getting points. We are looking forward to seeing Sander again. But in 60 minutes, he is our opponent and we want to beat him.
It is obvious that the form is going up, we played two great matches in a row. Against Zagreb, we must play to the maximum, because they were perfect in the last two home games. I was part of Zagreb, I have good memories and it was a big step forward in my career. I signed quite young for a big club that plays in the Champions League every year. They are an organised club from which to learn and grow. I have only good memories from there.
This is a special match for me, I will play against my brother. We already did last year, but this year it will be more special as I have a more important role in the team. We have two days to prepare for the match. On Saturday we won in the domestic league and we want to use that also on Wednesday.
Celje is my home and it is always very nice to return there. I will also be playing against my brother again, so it will be a very special match for me. But on the other hand, we know that we are going to Celje to win the game. They have lost the games because in the end they were unlucky, but they have the quality to compete with all the teams. We have to be focused and give everything.
We had an almost perfect start of our Champions League campaign, and we will do our best to gain more points against Montpellier. We are well aware that the French team also is among the best in Europe, so we will need to defend well and to be effective in front of their goal in order to get the two points.
Wisla Plock are my former team, and it will be great to meet them again. However, this is sport. I moved from Poland, and now I am working for the success of Veszprém. As in every match, I will play with full heart.
We played a number of good matches this year, but something was missing at the end of the game. In the upcoming duels, we want to show that we are able to win and fight for every point. We have missed a few opportunities to score in the EHF Champions League, but at some point there has to come a moment when it will all turn in our favour, because as a team we give 100 per cent of ourselves.
Last season we had two very difficult and close games against Porto and I estimate them to be strong again in this group stage. But after Celje and Plock, we want to keep the next important points in the GETEC Arena.
