EUROHOCKEY LEAGUE PROSPECTS by Peter Savage in Terrassa

TalkHockeyRadio is in Terrassa for the knockout stages of the EuroHockey League. Play starts at Club Egara at 08:30 GMT tomorrow (Friday) when Loughborough Students meet Belgian side Royal Antwerp. British interest continues tomorrow when the Scots from Azzurri Kelbourne meet the last remaining German side in the tournament, Uhlenhorster. England is guaranteed to get at least one side through to the last eight as the last match on Saturday will be between Cannock and Reading.

The matches to decide the semi finalists will be played on Sunday and Monday, and they look tough prospects for whichever English sides get through to the last eight. Kelbourne are going to struggle to get passed the Germans but if they do they will find themselves playing the winner of the Loughborough Students v Royal Antwerp match. The winner of the meeting between Reading and Cannock are likely to face Rotterdam, who will be playing Waterloo Ducks on Saturday. It’s not that many months ago that I saw a Dutch side suckered into thinking that the Ducks were a walkover. I think the message about Belgian hockey has been learnt and I would expect Rotterdam to emerge the winners.

This blog will contain updates and photographs from the matches involving the English side, hopefully within 30 minutes of the final whistle.