On 17th september in 7 PM NEXE will host Tatran from Preshov. Last season NEXE was playing his local matches in Nasice, however this year they moved to Osijek's sports hall Gradski vrt - one of the most beautiful sports hall in Croatia and the region with  a capacity of 3,500 seats.  In the first round in Croatian derby Co Zagreb beat NEXE with 37:30 in Zagreb.

 

Regardless lots of problems during the summer during which many important players left club, before this first match in Gradski vrt players from Slavonija are careful but also rather opimistic.

As a result of summer events, new coach Zdenko Kordi has got a new younger team.

"Only with very hard work we can make something. Season will be long, but in every match we must play very hard deffence and effective attack. I would have thought that our reality would be if we finished in the middle of the standing. Also I hope that we will have many new supporters in Osijek and the other places from Slavonia, and of course lots of our faitfhul supporters from Nasice who will come in Gradski vrt. I hope that atmosphere will be great", Kordi said.

Tatran Preshov open the new season in SEHA South Stream League with victory against Meshkov in Brest 28:30 whereby Tatran's captain Radoslav Antl scored 11 goals.

"They have a few members from Slovakian national team plus very well goalkeeper Verkič and excellent right back Kristopans. They are generally excellent team", Nexe's coach said.

Nexe's right winger Franjo Lelic shared Kordi's expectations.

"We always played very interesting matches. It will be another dramatic match. We trained hard so I belive in the first points", Lelic said.

Pivot Kreso Tomas was born in Osijek. He wished great atmosphere.

" I returned to top handball in my hometown. So, I want a lot of people in the stand", Tomas said. 

NEXE's new centre back Luka Sokolić will not play the match against Tatran because eye  injury.

Before trip to Croatia Tatran's coach Peter Hatalčik insists on tactical discipline team from Slovakia.
"We are often very rash. We finished our attack after only a few seconds. NEXE is typical Balkan's handball product. They are good in "one on one" game with very aggressive deffence. But our ambition is to win", Tatran's coach said.