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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.