After a long journey, Nexe players landed in Denmark as they face Ribe Esbjerg in the 3rd qualifying round of the EHF Cup. The Danish team were good last season, finishing 4th in the 888ligaen play-offs. However, they have been poor this season. They only won 2 league matches and played 11, which means they are currently 12th in the league. In addition to that, Ribe Esbjerg also lost their last 3 matches at home, and Nexe have a good chance of achieving a positive result in Denmark.

"This is definitely one of the most important matches of the season. One of our goals this season is to reach the group stage of the EHF Cup. I agree with our coach; if we play the way we can, we will achieve a positive result", said Marko Buvinic for HC Nexe TV. "I agree with Marko, we have been preparing for this match for a long time, we understand how important it is. Ribe haven't been playing well in the league, so surely they also focused more on reaching the group stage of the EHF Cup. I think their position in the league isn't a realistic indicator of their abilities. They have some good players, including Miha Zvizej", added Marin Jelinic.

Nexe have been battling with injuries recently, but the Croatian team will be relieved to have a couple of players back on the court in Denmark. Even with a lot of players missing, Nexe won a point in Slovenia against a very strong team - Celje PL. Their form is on the rise and they definitely look ready to clash with Ribe Esbjerg.

"They play tough defense, and a typical Scandinavian fast style of handball. Sometimes they can be quite aggressive in defense, if we remain focused and disciplined we can achieve big things", concluded Marko Buvinic. After beating Polva Serviti, Nexe will look to repeat the same success in round 3. They did not have enough luck in the past 2 seasons, losing to Nantes and Magdeburg at this stage, but Ribe Esbjerg are definitely a more suitable opponent for Nexe. The first leg is played in Denmark at 14:00, and the teams are back in Nasice for the second leg next Saturday, the 25th of November.