One of the SEHA – Gazprom League participating teams which has experienced the biggest rise in terms of quality in the last few years is without doubt Ukrainian Motor Zaporozyhe. And while we are directly witnessing their rise in the SEHA – Gazprom League matches, their rise has not gone unnoticed on the biggest European stage either.
 
Matches against some of the best teams in this part of Europe in the SEHA – Gazprom League have surely helped coach Savukynas and his guys prepare in the best possible way for what is waiting for them in clashes against the best teams in the Old Continent.
 
We’ve already seen that with Macedonian Vardar which was rising through SEHA – Gazprom League matches for years before first coach Raul Gonzales and then Roberto Parrondo managed to help them secure two EHF Champions League titles. We’re also seeing that same effect with Telekom Veszprem. Hungarians have on a few occasions managed to come inches away from going all the way in EHF CL as well.
 
Last season Ukrainians managed to finish the group stage with seven victories and just as many losses. Because of goal difference they finished the group on fifth place with just as many points as Danish Aalborg which later on played in the grand final after knocking PSG out in the semis. This season they are looking really good as well already securing victories against teams like Porto, Telekom Veszprem and Flensburg.
 
Another proof of their success is the fact that almost all of their key players are also carrying their national teams at the moment, which was visible on 2022 EURO with Viacheslau Bokhan, Dmytro Horiha, Aidenas Malasinskas, Gennadiy Komok and others.
 
Their sponsor ‘Motor Sich’ is one of the leading engine manufacturers for airplanes and helicopters. Motor Zaporozhye have already proven everyone that they are once again one of the main candidates to go all the way in SEHA – Gazprom League. So far, the furthest they’ve managed to come is semi-finals and it will be interesting to see whether the time has finally arrived for Motor to take-off.