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Both reached Final Four last year but it will be a second round knock-out this season for one of the opponents

Who ever loses today will be knocked out of the Cup this early despite both teams advancing very far last season. Melsungen already lost in Flensburg this season, being limited to only 22 goals

MT Melsungen

This is Magdeburg and Flensburg's  third head to head meeting this season. Melsungen won the preseason game 24-21, Flensburg the league match 29-22. The draw decided that they meet this early on this year despite both teams reaching the Final Four last season.

Flensburg are now much better than they were in either of the two previous head-to-head games. They're on a 6-game winning run, having scored 35 or more goals in the 3 out of the last four. With Vranjes' team getting better, it's a real pity Gotffridson got injured leaving Flensburg with no alternative for middle back Mogensen. 

Last weekend's game was Flensburg's best performance this season...

- Knowing that this is our 17th official game this season and after that tiring trip to Istanbul, we feared if the team would be able to deal with the strain. But, they did brilliantly, each of them displaying character. It doesn't happen very often that everything works perfectly - Vranjes said after the 40-27 win over Bergischer.

It was 31-16 for Flensburg in the 40th minute. Andersson recorded 18 saves by then, with left-handed Glandorf and Hansen scoring lots of goals. Bergischer seemed lost and their goal keepers constantly forced to fish for the ball in their net.

Andersson will be on the team today since there will be no consequences to him being sent off in that game. The only bad news is Jacob Heinl's concussion that will keep him off the team today.

- This is the 18th official game for us. It's extremely tough and everyone knows it but nothing is being done about it. I see the consequences of it every day in training sessions - Vranjes said.

- I don't care about the previous results with Melsungen. This is a knock-out game and we need our fan support today.

Flensburg took advantage of Danner not playing for Melsungen in the first league game. Since he's a very good defenseman and since he's expected to be on the team today, we have to wait and see how Flensburg plan to deal with him.

While Flensburg beat Bergischer, Melsungen played EHF Cup second leg game with Toulose and lost 26-23, but one the first leg game by 7 goals. They will meet Tatran Presov next in the battle or the next EHF Cup stage.

The trip to France and then to Norther Germany and back to Melsungen is about 3,000 kilometers long, meaning they are travelling a lot these days, with the Lufthansa workers strike making it even more difficult to reach their destination...as if Flensburg won't give them enough problems in the game. 

Flensburg are among the worst rivals for Melsungen. They never beat them away and still wait to end the 10-game losing run with the home team. Melsungen lost the last 5 away games by 7, 12, 6, 3, and 7 goals.