News

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.