After an impressive 31:26 away win over Astroc Sagunto in the first leg of the women's Champions League semifinals the road appears to be open for Viborg HK, and the second leg in Viborg Stadionhal Saturday evening may seem like a formality for...

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After an impressive 31:26 away win over Astroc Sagunto in the first leg of the women’s Champions League semifinals the road appears to be open for Viborg HK, and the second leg in Viborg Stadionhal Saturday evening may seem like a formality for the Danes.

Yet, Viborg coach Tomas Ryde feels the need to send a word of warning.

"In the first match their defence managed to put a stress on us several times. We will still have to better and adjust our way of playing, when they change their defence formation, which they did often in the first match" said Viborg’s Swedish coach.

Strong away team
Ryde also warns about Astroc Sagunto’s fine away statistic so far in the tournament. "They have won away over Buducnost Monet and Hypo Niederösterreich - and they qualified for the semifinals through a fine away match against Kometal Skopje. We will therefore have to concentrate one hundred percent on the task Saturday evening!" said Tomas Ryde.

Almost strongest formation
Once again he can send on his almost strongest formation. Danish national team player Lene Thomsen, who did not play in the first leg either, is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, and will of course be missed in the back court line and in the defence.

However, Rikke Skov, who has many of the same qualities as Thomsen - in the defence as well as in the attack - made an excellent comeback after her long injury break in the first match, so the handicap will probably not be serious for Viborg, who will qualify for their third Champions League final ever, if they manage to beat the Spaniards on aggregate.

Viborg has never won the trophy, and that fact will undoubtedly be an extra motivation for the Viborg players Saturday night.


Text: Peter Bruun