Nantes’ nightmare continues against Celje

HBC Nantes and RK Celje Pivovarna Laško are racing for the sixth and last play-off spot in this group. After Nantes had won the away match at Celje, the Slovenian side turned the tide in the re-match on Thursday night.

The teams are now level with four points each, but Celje have played one match more.

GROUP B
HBC Nantes (FRA) vs RK Celje Pivovarna Laško (SLO) 28:30 (13:14)

• Celje started furiously, taking a 7:3 lead, before Nantes took the upper hand and levelled the match in the middle of the first half
• Nantes led just twice in the whole 60 minutes – right after the break at 15:14 and 16:15. For the rest of the match, the momentum was on Celje’s side
• Matic Groselj scored the winner’s goal, but Celje’s match winners were goalkeeper Miljan Vujovic with 14 saves and Žiga Mlakar with eight goals
• it was Celje’s first ever victory against Nantes in their fourth encounter; both sides have taken all their points in away matches
• Nantes’s last home victory in the Champions League was a 30:27 win in the Last 16 against Rhein-Neckar Löwen on 30 March 2019

Nantes’ home troubles

In 2018, they were finalists at the VELUX EHF FINAL4, defeated by Montpellier; in the 2018/19 season, they made it to the quarter-finals of the VELUX EHF Champions League, beaten by Barcelona.

In the 2019/20 season, Nantes played in the EHF Cup, now they are back in the top-flight competition. But it is going anything but well: Nantes’ only highlight was the 35:27 win against Kiel in round 2, followed by only one more victory, 31:25 at Celje. Their weakness on home ground may prove crucial in the race for the play-offs.