The second semi-final of the Final4 SEHA - Gazprom League on Friday is the re-match of the 2015 final and the 2016 semi - and not only in those matches, but in all eight encounters so far, Telekom Veszprem were victorious against Final4 host Meshkov Brest.

Semi-final 2: Telekom Veszprem (HUN) vs Meshkov Brest (BLR)

Friday, 7 April, 9pm local times (8 pm CET)

It was the very last match of the regular SEHA - Gazprom League season 2016/17, when Meshkov Brest booked their ticket for the Final 4 on home ground by a 31:25 victory at PPD Zagreb. A draw would have already been enough to qualify for the third straight time for the Final4 SEHA - Gazprorm League, but thanks to the win the Belorussian champions even passed Zagreb to finish on the third rank.

Thus, they have the re-match of the 2015 final ahead in the semi, facing second ranked team of Telekom Veszprem. Two years ago, the Hungarian record champions clashed Meshkov in the Veszprem arena by 32:21, the clearest ever final result of the SEHA - Gazprom League.

One year later, at the Final4 in Varazdin, both sides duelled again, this time in the semi - and again Veszprem had the upper hand by a close 24:21 win. Two days later, they tamed Vardar in the final (28:26) to take their second straight trophy of the SEHA - Gazprom League, defending the title as first club ever since the start of the league in 2011.

The overall SEHA - Gazprom League balance of the Veszprem vs Brest encounters is obviously clear: The Hungarian side won all eight previous matches. In the 2016/17 regular season, Veszprem were twice victorious against their semi opponent, beating Brest 31:30 on home ground and winning the away match 19:16 -the low-scorer of the whole season.

But finally those wins were not enough for the team of outgoing Spanish coach Javier Sabate to top the final ranking of the regular season, like they did in 2015 and 2016. After two defeats and two draws, Veszprem were three points below Vardar in the end and - for the first time since entering the SEHA - Gazprom League in 2014 - did not finish on top.

The fans in Brest might not expect a goal-flood on Friday, as both sides had their strengths in defence in the regular season: Veszprem topped the defence ranking by an average of 25,44 goals, while Brest were on fourth position (27,78).

In the current EHF Champions League season, both semi-finalists had qualified for the Last16, Brest as fifth ranked team of group B, Veszprem as third ranked group A team. While the 2002, 2015 and 2016 Champions League finalist from Lake Balaton easily booked their quarter-final tickets by two wins against Zagreb to face Montpellier now, Brest unluckily were eliminated by two close wins against Flensburg, Vardar’s upcoming quarter-final opponent.

On both sides, Serbs are top scorers so far: Line player Rastko Stojkovic netted in 89 times for Brest as fourth best scorer of the regular season (and the best, who is on court at the Final4), while left back Momir Ilic stroke 70 times for Veszprem.

Brest is the sixth different hosting city of the Final4 after Zagreb, Skopje Novi Sad, Veszprem and Varazdin - and only Meshkov’s semi-final opponent managed to win the trophy on home ground, while Zagreb (2012) and Vardar (2013) failed on their way.

A huge number of players involved in the second semi at Brest already had locked horns at the 2017 World Championship in France, when Belarus beat Hungary 27:25 at Rouen. And Brest’s left back Iman Jamali will face his former team mates on Friday, as before he had played for Veszprem.