One of the most anticipated ties of the ETTU Champions League Men Round of 16 opening leg will take place on 16 November (18:30), as French champions Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier visit SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt.
Montpellier arrive with exceptional firepower, led by European Team Champions and Olympic Team bronze medallists Félix and Alexis LEBRUN, currently ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in Europe. Their presence elevates the tie’s prestige, marking Montpellier as one of the strongest contenders in the competition. They are supported by a solid squad featuring Esteban DORR (ER 88), Grégoire JEAN (ER 503), and Manav THAKAR (WR 45).
“The players are in very good shape, and they always want to competeboth in the League and in the Champions League. The atmosphere in our team is excellent. We are currently together preparing for our league match against Rouen, which is a very good test before entering the Champions League. The mood is positive, the players feel good, and everything is running smoothly,” said coach Vincent AVRIL.
Seeded No. 5, Wiener Neustadt reached the quarterfinals last season and now field a refreshed line-up with Andrei ISTRATE (ER 56), Peter HRIBAR (ER 129), Navid SHAMS (WR 157), Shunsuke OKANO (WR 451), and Piotr CYRNEK (ER 366).
“Champions League, however, is our biggest objective this year. We are fully prepared for this challenge. The Austrian team is dangerous, with very good players, and we respect them. We haven’t prepared the match in detail yet because we have an important league game tonight, but tomorrow we will analyse, adjust, and define our tactics and strategy. We will be ready.”
Reflecting on the team’s domestic performance, coach AVRIL added:
“In the French league we are performing quite well: two wins and two losses so far. Alex and Félix have played only two matches, which makes this balance even more promising. Our main goal is to reach the play-offs, and we are on the right path. It’s a good start to the season.”
On their European ambitions, he was equally clear:
“Our ambition is simple: to reach the Final Four and go as far as possible. With Alex, Félix, and the rest of the team, our aim is to win and to be in Saarbrücken. We are certainly better prepared now than during the group stage because we have the complete team available. We will play with our full team in the final stage, and now we are ready to face the Austrian club. Tonight’s league match is important, but our main focus remains the Champions League. We took every necessary step to arrive fully ready for this encounter, and we are motivated to give everything.”
