HC Alkaloid kicks off a new chapter in its European club history tonight. In the Round of 16 of the EHF European Cup, HC Alkaloid will face home side SSV Brixen in the South Brixen Arena, for the first leg of the two-legged tie that will decide which team wins a spot in the quarterfinals. Coach Kiril Lazarov had ample time and resources to prepare the team for tonight’s opening clash, and based on our observations and analysis, it’s clear that our opponents are a formidable squad. Their roster includes several foreign handballers who are key playmakers, while the Italians primarily rely on rotation players. Although they don’t use many players, they execute rapid transitions and can maintain a high tempo.

“We prepared for this match almost all week. I expect a triumph, even though it won’t be easy because Brixen is an experienced team that fields only seven to eight players who play nearly the entire match. They are also very fast, scoring over 30 goals, so we’re in for a high-tempo, hard-fought game.

Our advantage is our broader roster. It’s not easy to run an entire match, but on the other hand, in previous games Brixen managed to sustain that pace. I can’t directly compare them to one of our own teams, but based on our video analysis, I’d say Brixen is at a level similar to HC Ohrid. However, that’s just from watching the footage, which doesn’t fully capture their true potential on the court,” said Marko Mitev.

Igor Gjorgiev shared the same view as Mitev and coach Lazarov, expecting a tough match against a team that must not be underestimated.

“We had plenty of time to prepare for Brixen—they are a fast team that can run well in both directions. We’re in for a hard battle in both legs, especially in the running segment. Their biggest threat comes from the pivot and two backs, who are internationals from Brazil and Argentina, along with a few other foreign players in the squad. Still, I believe our analysis is solid, I expect a good match, for us to be victorious and advance to the next round,” said Igor Gjorgiev.

HC Alkaloid is set to kick off tonight’s first Round of 16 match in the EHF European Cup against Italian SSV Brixen. The game is scheduled for 19:00h, the home team, however, will not be broadcasting the match.

For this opener, coach Kiril Lazarov deployed a squad of 16 handballers to Italy, ready to face an Italian team that had already completed their warm-up session ahead of the clash.

“We had a solid game plan for Brixen and focused our efforts on them. We know they’re an experienced team that has played together for a long time—they know exactly what they want and how to execute their plays at every moment on the court. They typically field only eight to nine players, which means they are very tightly coordinated, so we must be extremely cautious.

While playing with such a compact unit of eight to nine players gives Brixen an advantage in cohesion and tactical discipline, it might also work to our benefit since we have more players available and can leverage our speed.

It’s a bonus that we’re playing the first leg away, as this offers a strategic advantage; the return match will be on our home court, where our fans can really drive us to secure the win.

We must also keep in mind that Italian handball is on the rise, as demonstrated by their national team’s performances. We will not underestimate any opponent—we’re going in 100%. I believe our team is well-prepared, and we’re ensuring that every player is in top form, especially those who competed at the World Championship,” said coach Kiril Lazarov.

The members of the HC Alkaloid who played for the Macedonian national team at the World Handball Championship last month in Croatia were welcomed by the General Director/President of the Board of ALKALOID AD Skopje, Mr. Zivko Mukaetov.

At the meeting, Mr. Mukaetov congratulated the handball players and the coaching staff for the excellent representation of Macedonia on the world handball stage, for their professional behavior and for the results achieved at the Championship. He also emphasized the importance of their participation as part of the national team and their contribution as members of the club. On that occasion, he awarded them certificates of appreciation and wished them even greater success in the future.

The Alkaloid Club was represented at the 2025 World Championship by the following handball players: Marko Kizic, Ivan Galevski, Ivan Dzhonov, Marko Mitev, Igor Gjorgiev, Martin Serafimov, Martin Velkovski, Aleksandar Petkovski, Nikola Markoski, Valentin Karasmanakis and Marko Stojkovic. The national team’s coaching staff included: head coach Kiril Lazarov, assistant coach Biljana Crvenkoska, fitness coach Petar Basnarkov, and physiotherapist Toshe Trajkovski.

HC STRUGA – HC ALKALOID 14-38 (5-17)

Venue: Avtokomanda in Skopje. Referees: Viktor Andonov and Stojanche Jovanovski. Controller: Dushko Kamishevski

HC STRUGA: Tutenkoski, Mechkaroski, Djigeroski 2, Gjorgjeski, Klenkovski, Jankulovski, Adamovic 1, S. Mateski, Stojkov 1, Ostic, Saveski 2, F. Mechkaroski 1, Kostoski 2, J. Mateski, Pajkoski 5, S. Mechkaroski

Seven-meter throws: 0/2. Suspensions: 4 minutes.

HC Alkaloid: Kizikj, Galevski, Djonov 4, Petrov 1, Markoski, Mladenovikj 1, Serafimov 3, Karasmanakis 3, Gjorgiev 5, Ivanovski 6, Bingo 3, Francisco 1, Petkovski 4, D. Mitev 3, Savrevski 2, Garbeski 2

Seven-meter throws: 4/8. Suspensions: 10 minutes.

HC Alkaloid maintained its top spot in the Super League standings following the introductory round of the season’s continuation. Tonight, at the Avtokomanda arena, HC Alkaloid delivered a commanding victory over HC Struga, further solidifying their lead over the rivals for the top ranking.

HC Alkaloid’s line-up in this match featured Damjan Mitev, who made a strong return after a long injury break, and newcomer Martin Ivanovski. Additionally, youth prospect Maksim Garbeski earned his chance to play in the first team. Several first-team regulars, including Marko Mitev and Martin Velkovski, were rested for this match.

The score was level at 3-3 during the opening minutes; thereafter, HC Alkaloid went on a 14-2 run by the end of the first half, finishing the half with a 17-5 lead in favor of the blue and whites.

In the second half, coach Kiril Lazarov gave the younger players significantly more minutes and responsibility, allowing Damjan Mitev to dominate and newcomer Martin Ivanovski to demonstrate impressive scoring and assist skills, leaving a strong overall impression.

The final score was 38-14, and this match saw HC Alkaloid concede the fewest goals of the season.

Next, HC Alkaloid will host the revamped and rebranded Fruitland Borec from Veles in the upcoming round.

HC Alkaloid continues to keep up with modern sports trends both on and off the court. The club is excited to announce the opening of its very own corner at the D Sport sports store, located within the Todor Proeski Arena in Skopje!

The Hummel-branded sports equipment collection, featuring the club’s logo, includes a range of items such as jerseys, tracksuits, hoodies, sports T-shirts, and other accessories, all now available for fans to purchase!

Head over to the D Sport store or visit their online shop to grab your HC Alkaloid fan gear!

For more details, click here: https://bit.ly/alkaloid-fanshop

HC Alkaloid held its first training session of 2025, with all players and the full staff in attendance.

Many of our club members, both in terms of players and staff, were part of the Macedonian national team that competed in last month’s 29th World Championship. After a short break for the national team members, they are now back to focus on their club duties. A new addition to HC Alkaloid is central back Martin Ivanovski, who is starting his tasks under the guidance of coach Kiril Lazarov.

February will be a month full of challenges for HC Alkaloid. This weekend, the season resumes in the Macedonian Super League, with six more rounds left to play in the first phase of the championship.

After 16 rounds, HC Alkaloid is at the top of the table with a strong chance of finishing the season as champions and entering the Playoff stage with a solid advantage.

On the European front, HC Alkaloid will compete in the Round of 16 matches of the EHF European Cup this month. On February 15, they will travel to Brixen, Italy, and on February 22, they will host the return leg in Skopje’s Avtokomanda arena. HC Alkaloid has a strong chance of advancing to the quarterfinals of this prestigious European competition, potentially taking another step toward achieving the club’s greatest success in Europe.