Table tennis. Champions League: Hennebont debuts in Austria

Champions League. SPG Felbermayr Wels – GV Hennebont, this Sunday (5 pm)

For this first day, the Hennebont team will leave with the favor of the forecasts, given their homogeneous formation, which includes the former world Champion in men’s doubles Chuang Chih-Yuan (world No. 16) and the Champion of reigning Europe in men’s doubles and semi-finalist in singles Kristian Karlsson (world No. 18). Not to be outdone, Danish international Anders Lind and Greek Hopeful Ioannis Sgouropoulos also seem able to do well in this European competition.

Do as in Pro A

We want to start this Champions League as we started the Pro A championship, with three victories, including that of Friday against Angers, the reigning French champion. We hope to be complete for this match, but our leader Kristian Karlsson injured his thigh in Angers and will have to see the doctor, said Hennebont Coach Adrian Crisan.

Wels led by Portuguese star Joao Monteiro

The Welsh team is difficult to play at home. It has quality players, such as Portuguese Joao Monteiro, South Korean Ganhyeon Park and Austrian Andras Levenko. We will have to be careful, adds Adrian Crisan.

In this month of November marathon, which mixes the Pro A with the Champions League, the Guard of the Vow will move, next Saturday, to the Germans of Mhlhausen. A high-risk trip against a team that plays the leading roles in the Bundesliga with its key players: the Austrian Daniel Habeshon (world No. 62), the Romanian Ovidiu Ionesco (world No. 63) and the German Steffen Mengel ( No. 129 worldwide).

The teams

SPG Felbermayr Wels: Joao Monteiro (Portugal, world No. 91); Andreas Levenko (Austria, world No. 138); Ganhyeon Park (South Korea, world No. 209); Nandor Esceki (Hungary, world n189). Coach: David Huber (Germany).

GV Hennebont TT: Chuang Chih-Yuan (Taiwan, world No. 16); Kristian Karlsson (Sweden, world No. 18); Anders Lind (Denmark, world No. 158); Ioannis Sgouropoulos (Greece, world n202). Coach: Adrian Crisan (Romania).

The group stages

A: Borussia Dusseldorf (Germany); KS Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk (Poland); HB Ostrov ZS (Czech Republic).

B: SPG Felbermayr Wels (Austria); GV HENNEBONT TT (France); Mühlhausen 1951 EV (Germany).

C: Sporting Clube du Portugal (Portugal) ; KS Dekorglass Dzialdowo (Poland) ; TTC Neu ULM.

D: FC Saarbrücken TT (Germany); Roskilde table tennis BTKG61 (Denmark); AS PONTOISE-CERGY (France).

The first two will qualify for the quarter-finals. The third will be donated to the ETTU Cup.