Three main round spots still open before final round 6
The race to the main round in the EHF Champions League Men 2026/27 is going down to the wire, with three spots still open before the concluding matches on Wednesday and Thursday. Two main round tickets in group B and one in group E will only be booked in the final round 6 of the group phase.
Playing against the best raises our levels of concentration and motivation. We are going into this game to win, making the most of our last Champions League match of the year to showcase the progress this team has made. We hope to see a packed Dragão Arena to help us overcome one of the strongest teams in Europe right now.
Porto play at a high tempo, they have a strong defence, and they are able to handle different situations, including 7-against-6 and 6-against-7. They can do many different things on the court, so we have to be fully focused and pay attention to every situation throughout the game.
As expected before the start of the season, our group is evenly matched. It is a final round and we still not know which teams will go through from our group, hence we are pleased that we will play the last game at home, in front of our fans. We know that we have to win to go through to the main round and we truly believe that the support from our fans may be a key factor to succeed.
We know that we are going to the EHF European League, and we want to enter that competition with two Champions League victories behind us, rather than just one. We are preparing well for this match, and we have a very important week ahead of us.
We have been able to put together a good streak of wins, and we need to bring that momentum into this key matchup on Wednesday against PSG, which is very important for us in order to give ourselves the best possible position in the main round.
This is our last match in the EHF Champions League. We are playing in front of our home crowd, which gives us extra motivation. We want to present ourselves in the best possible light, and we know how we need to play. I believe our willingness and determination will be at the right level.
History tells us that matches between Zagreb and Celje are almost always tough and physical, with a lot of contact, so we are preparing for another real battle this time. We expect a tough fight throughout all 60 minutes against opponents who are very dangerous and difficult to face on their home court. They have nothing to lose and will certainly want to say goodbye to the Champions League with their first victory over their great rivals.
I expect a very entertaining match. Sporting are among the best teams in Europe, and they were significantly better than us in our first meeting. However, we have developed well and have great confidence in our own abilities. We will give everything we have to secure a win.
Given all the difficulties we have faced so far, with players missing due to injury and other reasons, reaching the final match of the preliminary round and still being in with a chance of qualifying for the main round is a fantastic opportunity for us. We know there’s a lot at stake. To win, we will have to play the game of our lives to secure victory in Montpellier. We know it will be a very tough mountain to climb, but we will do everything in our power to progress in the Champions League.
After two consecutive away games, we are happy to be back at home this week. With our fans behind us, we want to finish the group stage with another win. Even though there’s nothing left to play for in terms of qualification, we will approach this game with full focus and commitment — as Luzern and this competition but also our fans deserve it.
With the last group match on Wednesday, our journey in the EHF Champions League unfortunately comes to an end. It was HC Kriens-Luzern's first participation in this fantastic competition, and we can take a lot of experience with us. Now it's about saying goodbye to Magdeburg in a worthy way and then attacking in the EHF European League in February.
We should remember that Kolstad have not won a game this season. They may not be the favourites, but they are certainly not coming here just for a trip. The players will want to show their coach their ambition, and if we do not take them seriously, we could run into problems.
Kolstad try to represent youthful energy and speed, while Kielce bring experience and routine. Young versus old — who handles the pressure best when nothing is really at stake?
