Media Information VELUX EHF Champions League Season 2018/19 Group Phase, Round 4 HC Vardar (MKD) vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) Sport Center Jane Sandanski (Skopje, MKD) Saturday 6 October, 17:30 hrs
HC Vardar (MKD) vs Rhein-Nackar Löwen (GER) Group A Saturday 6 October 2018, 17:30 hrs Playing hall Sport Center Jane Sandanski Bubl. Avnoj b.b, 1000 Skopje, FYR Macedonia Capacity: 4,800 Round 4 Most Games vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen: Ilija Abutovic 8 Timur Dibirov 8 Daniil Shishkarev 8 Arpad Sterbik Capar 8 Igor Karacic 7 Most Goals vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen: Timur Dibirov 34 Alex Dujshebaev 27 Joan Cañellas Reixach 21 Igor Karacic 20 Luka Cindric 16 Sergei Gorbok 16 Domestic league SEHA Liga Last 3 games: 02/10 vs Vojvodina (SRB) W33:26 18/09 vs Steaua Bucarest W27:21 09/09 @ Tatran Presov (SVK) W26:27 Next game: 16/10 @ PPD Zagreb (CRO) Standings as of 05/10: 1. Vardar 5 156:121 15 2. PPD Zagreb 5 131:107 12 3. Nexe 5 137:123 12 4. Brest 5 167:162 9 10. HC Metalurg 5 133:160 1 Vardar s last home defeat in the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase was against Rhein-Neckar Löwen, in November 2016 (29:26). Their last CL home defeat was against another German opponent, THW Kiel, in the 2017/18 quarter-finals (28:27). It is the second straight match for Löwen against a team from the SEHA league, after beating Meshkov Brest in Round 3. Vardar are the third former CL winners which Löwen are facing this season, having already played against Barça and Kielce. Former Vardar player Ilija Abutovic, now with Löwen, will miss the match due to injury. Macedonian Löwen left back Filip Taleski has played in Skopje before - though not for Vardar, but for Metalurg. Ivan Cupic once played for Löwen, before joining Kielce and ultimately Vardar. Cupic is the only player to win the CL two years in a row under the VELUX EHF FINAL4 format - in 2016 with Kielce, in 2017 with Vardar. Löwen have four former CL winners in their squad: Ilija Abutovic (Vardar/2016), Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson (Barça/2015), Bogdan Radivojevic (Flensburg/2014), and goalkeeper Andreas Palicka (Kiel/2010, 2012). Löwen have reached the FINAL4 once so far - in 2011 (ranked fourth); Vardar have been there twice - in 2017 (champions) and 2018 (fourth). Vardar have to replace several injured players, including former Löwen back Sergei Gorbok. The two left wings are the players with the longest CL experience, and they have both lifted the trophy once: Timur Dibirov (Vardar) and Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson (Löwen). Dibirov made his CL debut in 2004/05; Sigurdsson in 2005/06, a year after winning the EHF Cup with Essen. Löwen coach Nikolaj Jacobsen will leave the club after this season to fully focus only on the Danish national team, which he has been coaching since 2017. Vardar coach Roberto Garcia Parrondo won the CL twice as a player, with Ciudad Real in 2008 and 2009, both times in a final against Kiel, the former club of Löwen coach Nikolaj Jacobsen. Löwen failed to get beyond the Last 16 in each of the last four CL seasons. The top scorers of both clubs after Round 3 are all on 18 goals: Vuko Borozan, Ivan Cupic (both Vardar) and Andy Schmid (Löwen). Vardar have conceded just 74 goals so far, the lowest number in Group A and the second-lowest in Groups A/B, behind PSG with 71. Löwen have conceded 96 goals. Most Games vs HC Vardar: Gedeon Guardiola 8 Mads Mensah Larsen 8 Harald Reinkind 8 Andre Schmid 8 Patrick Groetzki 7 Alexander Petersson 7 Most Goals vs HC Vardar: Andre Schmid 32 Mads Mensah Larsen 30 Alexander Petersson 22 Harald Reinkind 18 Rafael Baena 17 Domestic league Bundesliga Last 3 games: 04/10 vs Gummersbach W30:24 30/09 @ Wetzlar W25:26 16/09 vs Leipzig D24:24 Next game: 13/10 vs Kiel Standings as of 05/10: 1. SC Magdeburg 9 283:227 16 2. Flensburg-Handewitt 7 200:165 14 3. Rhein-Neckar Löwen 7 204:161 13 4. Bergischer 8 234:214 12 18. Ludwigshafen 7 170:201 1 2
Historic encounters in the EC HC Vardar vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen 5-1-2 (225:203) 11:5 12.10.2014 HC Vardar vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League Group C 28:25 (13:13) 21.02.2015 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs HC Vardar, VELUX EHF Champions League Group C 28:35 (13:20) 10.10.2015 HC Vardar vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League Group B 25:19 (11:10) 11.02.2016 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs HC Vardar, VELUX EHF Champions League Group B 28:27 (14:15) 17.11.2016 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs HC Vardar, VELUX EHF Champions League Group B 27:33 (16:17) 26.11.2016 HC Vardar vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League Group B 26:29 (15:15) 18.11.2017 HC Vardar vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League Group A 30:26 (17:13) 26.11.2017 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs HC Vardar, VELUX EHF Champions League Group A 21:21 (11:11) Details of the last Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs HC Vardar match: 26.11.2017 (Mannheim, Germany) (VELUX EHF Champions League Group A) 21:21 (11:11) Referees: Evgeny Zotin/Nikolay Volodkov (Russia). Suspensions: 6 4 (Mensah Larsen 2, Taleski 2, Petersson 2 Stoilov 2, Borozan 2 ). Number of 7m: 3/2 6/5. Attendance: 4,251. Mikael Appelgren Andreas Palicka - Andre Schmid (3) Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson Bogdan Radivojevic Rafael Baena <= Bergischer HC (1) Jerry Tollbring (2) Mads Mensah Larsen (4) Hendrik Pekeler <= THW Kiel (2) Patrick Groetzki (1) Sebastian Trost Harald Reinkind <= THW Kiel (2) Filip Taleski (1) Gedeon Guardiola (1) Alexander Petersson (4) Rico Keller Arpad Sterbik => Vesprém Strahinja Milic - (1) Stojanche Stoilov Martin Popovski (4) Dainis Kristopans Daniel Gjorgjeski Igor Karacic (1) Ilija Abutovic =>Rhein-Neckar Löwen (4) Joan Cañellas => MOL-PIck Szeged (2) Luka Cindric => PGE Vive Kielce (2) Ivan Cupic (5) Timur Dibirov (2) Daniil Shishkarev Vuko Borozan Janja Vojvodic Mijajlo Marsenic => Füchse Berlin 3
Most Goals in one game HC Vardar vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen: Joan Cañellas 10 17.11.2016 Rhein-Neckar Löwen-HC Vardar 27:33 Igor Karacic 8 21.02.2015 Rhein-Neckar Löwen-HC Vardar 28:35 Alex Dujshebaev 7 10.10.2015 HC Vardar-Rhein-Neckar Löwen 25:19 Sergei Gorbok 7 11.02.2016 Rhein-Neckar Löwen-HC Vardar 28:27 Luka Cindric 7 17.11.2016 Rhein-Neckar Löwen-HC Vardar 27:33 Vuko Borozan 7 18.11.2017 HC Vardar-Rhein-Neckar Löwen 30:26 Most Goals in one game Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs HC Vardar: Andre Schmid 10 11.02.2016 Rhein-Neckar Löwen-HC Vardar 28:27 Alexander Petersson 7 12.10.2014 HC Vardar-Rhein-Neckar Löwen 28:25 Mads Mensah Larsen 7 10.10.2015 HC Vardar-Rhein-Neckar Löwen 25:19 Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson 7 17.11.2016 Rhein-Neckar Löwen-HC Vardar 27:33 Mads Mensah Larsen 7 26.11.2016 HC Vardar-Rhein-Neckar Löwen 26:29 Harald Reinkind 7 26.11.2016 HC Vardar-Rhein-Neckar Löwen 26:29 Last Ten Games in VELUX EHF Champions League: HC Vardar: current run won three 29.09.2018 Veszprém HUN @ Telekom Veszprém HC HUN W 25:27 22.09.2018 Skopje MKD vs IFK Kristianstad SWE W 33:25 15.09.2018 Montpellier FRA @ Montpellier HB FRA W 24:27 27.05.2018 Köln GER @ Paris Saint-Germain Handball FRA L 29:28 26.05.2018 Köln GER @ Montpellier HB FRA L 28:27 29.04.2018 Skopje MKD vs THW Kiel GER L 27:28 22.04.2018 Kiel GER @ THW Kiel GER W 28:29 04.03.2018 Skopje MKD vs Orlen Wisla Plock POL D 31:31 25.02.2018 Rezé FRA @ HBC Nantes FRA L 27:26 18.02.2018 Skopje MKD vs MOL-Pick Szeged HUN W 34:30 Rhein-Neckar Löwen: current run won one 26.09.2018 Mannheim GER vs HC Meshkov Brest BLR W 33:27 22.09.2018 Kielce POL @ PGE Vive Kielce POL L 35:32 12.09.2018 Mannheim GER vs Barça Lassa ESP W 35:24 01.04.2018 Mannheim GER vs PGE Vive Kielce POL L 30:36 24.03.2018 Kielce POL @ PGE Vive Kielce POL L 41:17 03.03.2018 St. Leon-Rot GER vs HBC Nantes FRA D 30:30 25.02.2018 Plock POL @Orlen Wisla Plock POL W 27:32 18.02.2018 St Leon-Rot GER vs IFK Kristianstad SWE W 32:29 11.02.2018 St Leon-Rot GER vs MOL Pick Szeged HUN L 35:37 29.11.2017Zagreb CRO @ HC Prov plinarsko drustrov Zagreb CRO L 30:26 4
HC Vardar vs German clubs 12-3-13 Season Opponent Home Away Competition 2001/02 Sportclub Magdeburg 27:27 19:33 EHF Champions League Group D 2002/03 THW Kiel 27:26 23:34 EHF Champions League Group D 2003/04 SC Magdeburg 28:30 24:38 EHF Champions League Group B 2009/10 THW Kiel 23:33 23:39 EHF Champions League Group D 2010/11 VfL Gummersbach 29:38 21:33 Cup Winners Cup Semi-final 2012/13 SC Magdeburg 28:26 27:30 EHF Cup Qualification Round 3 2013/14 HSV Hamburg 28:28 30:29 VELUX EHF Champions League Last 16 2013/14 SG Flensburg-Handewitt 27:25 22:24 VELUX EHF Champions League Quarter-final 2014/15 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 28:25 35:28 VELUX EHF Champions League Group C 2015/16 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 25:19 27:28 VELUX EHF Champions League Group B 2016/17 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 26:29 33:27 VELUX EHF Champions League Group B 2016/17 SG Flensburg-Handewitt 35:27 26:24 VELUX EHF Champions League Quarter-final 2017/18 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 30:26 21:21 VELUX EHF Champions League Group A 2017/18 THW Kiel 27:28 29:28 VELUX EHF Champions League Quarter-final Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs Macedonian clubs 2-1-5 Season Opponent Home Away Competition 2014/15 HC Vardar 28:35 25:28 VELUX EHF Champions League Group C 2015/16 HC Vardar 28:27 19:25 VELUX EHF Champions League Group B 2016/17 HC Vardar 27:33 29:26 VELUX EHF Champions League Group B 2017/18 HC Vardar 21:21 26:30 VELUX EHF Champions League Group A 5
HC Vardar players career statistics against Rhein-Neckar Löwen Goalkeeper GP W D L G AVG HI PIM Kalifa Ghedbane ALG 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Daniel Gjorgjeski MKD 1 0 1 0 0 0,00 0 0 Marko Kizic MKD 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Dejan Milosavljev SRB 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Andrej Petkovski MKD 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Player GP W D L G AVG HI PIM Vuko Borozan MNE 4 2 1 1 13 3,25 7 2 Ivan Cupic CRO 10 4 2 4 35 3,50 8 0 Timur Dibirov RUS 10 6 1 3 40 4,00 6 (2) 2 Roggerio Ferreira Moraes BRA 2 1 0 1 2 1,00 2 0 Sergei Gorbok RUS 7 4 1 2 27 3,86 7 2 Gleb Kalarash RUS 2 0 0 2 6 3,00 5 6 Igor Karacic CRO 7 5 1 1 20 2,86 8 6 Dmitrii Kiselev RUS 2 0 0 2 3 1,50 3 0 Dainis Kristopans LAT 6 2 1 3 33 5,50 8 6 Marko Mishevski MKD 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Vlado Nedanovski MKD 2 1 0 1 0 0,00 0 0 Gregor Ocvirk SLO 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Martin Popovski MKD 2 1 1 0 0 0,00 0 0 Daniil Shishkarev RUS 8 5 1 2 11 1,38 3 0 Stas Skube SLO 4 2 1 1 13 3,25 5 2 Stojanche Stoilov MKD 6 4 1 1 11 1,83 3 (3) 2 Janja Vojvodic SRB 2 1 1 0 0 0,00 0 0 Ivan Cupic (RK Gorenje 2009/10, KS Vive Targi Kielce 2013/14, KS Vive Tauron Kielce 2015/16); Timur Dibirov (Chehovskie Medvedi 2008/09); Sergei Gorbok (MOL-Pick Szeged 2016/17, MOL-Pick Szeged 2017/18); Gleb Kalarash (St. Petersburg HC 2013/14); Dmitrii Kiselev (St. Petersburg HC 2013/14); Dainis Kristopans (TATRAN Presov 2012/13, HC Meshkov Brest 2016/17); Stas Skube (MOL-Pick Szeged 2016/17, MOL-Pick Szeged 2017/18) UNIQA to present Player of the Match trohy The match of the week Player of the Match trophy, introduced by EHF Marketing last season, will be awarded at all MOTWs in the VELUX EHF Champions League 2018/19 season. The trophy will be handed over on court shortly after the match by alternating sponsors throughout the season. The presenting sponsor at HC Vardar vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen is UNIQA and the trophy will be handed over to the awardee by Emil Kratovaliev, Head of Legal Department of UNIQA LIFE AD Skopje. In the 2017/18 season, one HC Vardar player (Vuko Borozan in Round 8) received the award. Awardees 2018/19: Round 1 : Arpad Sterbik (Telekom Vesprém HC) Round 2 : Ivan Pesic (HC Meshkov Brest) Round 3 : Dika Mem (Barça Lassa) 6
Rhein-Neckar Löwen players career statistics against HC Vardar Goalkeeper GP W D L G AVG HI PIM Can Adanir GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Mikael Appelgren SWE 6 2 1 3 0 0,00 0 0 Niklas Gierse GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Andreas Palicka SWE 3 1 1 1 0 0,00 0 0 Player GP W D L G AVG HI PIM Ilija Abutovic SRB 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Leon Bolius GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Luca Braun GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Steffen Fäth GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Tim Ganz GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Patrick Groetzki GER 7 1 1 5 12 1,71 5 0 Gedeon Guardiola Villaplana ESP 8 2 1 5 3 0,38 1 (3) 2 Rico Keller GER 1 0 1 0 0 0,00 0 0 Maximilian Kessler GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Pascal Kirchenbauer GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Jannik Kohlbacher GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Vladan Lipovina MNE 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Yessine Meddeb GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Mads Mensah Larsen DEN 8 2 1 5 30 3,75 7 (2) 8 Mattes Meyer GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Jesper Nielsen SWE 2 1 0 1 0 0,00 0 0 Alexander Petersson ISL 7 1 1 5 22 3,14 7 4 Bogdan Radivojevic SRB 6 1 1 4 6 1,00 4 0 Lars Röller GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Andre Schmid SUI 8 2 1 5 32 4,00 10 0 Martin Schmiedt SVK 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Jannis Schneibel GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson ISL 6 3 1 2 21 3,50 7 2 Filip Taleski MKD 2 0 1 1 1 0,50 1 6 Jerry Tollbring SWE 6 0 1 5 21 3,50 7 0 Sebastian Trost GER 1 0 1 0 0 0,00 0 0 Lukas Wichmann GER 0 0 0 0 0 0,00 0 0 Jesper Nielsen (Paris Saint-Germain Handball 2016/17, Paris Saint-Germain Handball 2017/18); Andreas Palicka (THW Kiel 2009/10); Bogdan Radivojevic VELUX EHF Champions League 2018/19 - MOTW #4 Media Information by EHF Media & Communications, 05/10/2018 Contributors: Björn Pazen, Roy Knoppert 7