Champions League Men | 28 Oct 2015

Last chance for Saarbrucken

Seven out of eight TTCLM Round 3 matches will be held this Friday. In Group A unbeaten team after five rounds in Bundesliga wants its first European victory against Walter Wels in Austria

 

TTCLM Round 3 will be turning point for some clubs in their attempts to secure quarter-final spot. Seven out of eight matches will be held this Friday and, maybe, most exciting will be one in Group A, between Walter Wels and Saarbrucken (October 30th, 19:15 CET). For all table tennis experts both sides have unexpected score so far: Austrian team 2-0, Germans 0-2. Yuya OSHIMA was the man who beat all odds, making 4-0 individual score against very strong opponents.

 

“This is, probably, our last chance to stay in the battle for the quarter-final. We are fully aware of it, hence we will try to win this Friday. Walter Wels is in excellent form, so it is clear how hard match expect us”, said Saarbrucken Coach Slobodan GRUJIC.

 

The 2014 Austrian champion played both its matches away in Group A, beating Orenburg and Angers. Despite that fact, Walter Wels Coach Edi VECKO considers Saarbrucken as a favorite in the upcoming encounter:

“Having already two victories in TTCLM, the players are highly motivated. Nevertheless, we know that we are the underdog in this match and the chances of continuing our winning series are moderate”.

 

Walter Wels President Bernhard HUMER added:

"We are very excited having the first match in Wels. However, knowing that Saarbrücken is an outstanding opponent and undefeated in German Bundesliga, our prime goal is to provide a table tennis match worth seeing to our fans.”

 

In other Group A match, reigning TTCLM champion Orenburg hosts Angers. Both sides have 1-1 score so far.

 

It will be interesting to see how Stefan FEGERL will play in Group B, after fantastic achievement on the recently held GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour, Polish Open, where he beat in the semis former World and Olympic champion ZHANG Jike 4:2 (in the final he lost 4:3 from FAN Zhendong). Niederosterreich (2-0 score) travels to France to meet Hennebont (0-2), while Olimpia Unia (1-1) hosts the 2012 finalist UMMC (1-1).

 

Werder Bremen (1-1) and KTS Energa-Manekin (0-2) will have maybe crucial game for their final standings in Group C. Actual ETTU Cup winner Eslovs (2-0) travels to France, to fight against 2014 TTCLM winner AS Pontoise Cergy, leaded by 2015 individual European silver medalist Marcos FREITAS.

 

Chartres (2-0) plays in Poland to reach its new quarter-final, while Bogoria (0-2) needs victory to keep mathematical chances for that. In other Group D clash, Borussia (1-1) hosts STEN Ostrov (1-1) which team manager Jan HRNCIRIK states:

 

„We travel to Dusseldorf with thoughts we have nothing to lose against them. Of course we want to do our best and will fight for the second place in the group. It all depends with which players Borussia will play on Friday. “

 

TTCLM Round 3

 

October 30th

 

GROUP A

Fakel Gazproma Orenburg – Vaillante Sports Angers (14:20 CET)

SPG Walter Wels – FS Saarbrucken Tischtennis (19:15 CET)

 

GROUP B

Olimpia Unia Grudziadz – UMMC Verkhnaya Pyshma (18:00 CET)

GV Hennebont TT – Wienviertel Niederosterreich (19:30 CET)

 

GROUP C

SV Werder Bremen – KTS Energa-Manekin Torun (19:00 CET)

 

GROUP D

Borussia Dusseldorf – STEN Ostrov Havlickuv Brod (18:30 CET)

Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki – Chartres AS TT (18:30 CET)

 

October 31st

 

GROUP C

AS Pontoise Cergy – Eslovs Al Bordtennis (19:45 CET)