Table of contents. Foreword 4. Media contacts 6. Playing system diagram - stages and dates 7. Facts and figures of the Group Phase 9

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3 Table of contents Foreword 4 Media contacts 6 Playing system diagram - stages and dates 7 Facts and figures of the Group Phase 9 CL current top scorers 11 Important regulations scoring of the matches 12 Rhein Neckar Löwen vs FC Barcelona 13 SG Flensburg Handewitt vs HC Vardar PRO Skopje 23 HC Metalurg vs THW Kiel 33 PSG Handball vs MKB MVM Veszprem 43 VELUX EHF FINAL4 countdown 53 Media accreditation for VELUX EHF FINAL4 opens 54 3

4 Foreword With the VELUX EHF Champions League 2013/14 rapidly approaching its thrilling conclusion, we look forward to the quarter-final phase of the competition. At this stage of the game, with the shocking departure of the current champion; two titleholders, three finalists, and three enthusiastic quarter-final rookies remain. To the arenas, on behalf of the European Handball Federation, I welcome the delegations from France, PSG Handball; Germany, Rhein-Neckar Löwen, SG Flensburg-Handewitt, THW Kiel; Hungary, MVM-MKB Veszprém; FYR Macedonia, HC Vardar Skopje, HC Metalurg; and Spain, FC Barcelona. From the start of the group phase, through the last 16, and as they stand on the eve of the quarter-finals, these eight teams have shown laudable tenacity and athleticism. They have more than earned this moment. This latest heat is the definitive encounter; for the teams second place is not an option. Clearly inevitable, four teams will estimably depart the competition, as four teams step triumphantly towards Cologne, and the 2014 VELUX EHF FINAL4. From April, the 1st Leg matches of the four pairings will commence, as the handball stars of Europe vie for the initial advantage; the return matches are scheduled to play across two days just one week later on April The Lions may be the King of the Jungle.but how will they fare against FC Barcelona, a fierce competitor with seven wins so far. The team of SG Flensburg-Handewitt are hungry to return to a Champions League final and eager for their first taste of a FINAL4; the German team will face HC Vardar Skopje who enter the VELUX EHF Champions League Quarter-finals for the very first time.and the team from FYR Macedonia are ready to make a lasting impression. THW Kiel from Germany meet the second team from FYR Macedonia, HC Metalurg. With three titles to their name, the Zebras are determined to get back to Cologne; for HC Metalurg this will be the second quarter-final appearance, and they are prepared for battle but which team will take the upper hand in the first leg? PSG Handball played their joker with flair as they exceeded expectations in their second Champions League participation...having made it so far, will their unwavering energy hold through the matches against the Hungarian powerhouse of MKB- MVM Veszprém? Only time will tell I wish them all the very best of luck. Following months of preparation, the teams are ready to take to the court, and we eagerly await the throw-off to the matches that will radiate the essence, the passion, the power, and the determination that is synonymous with the Champions League. Enjoy the matches of the VELUX Champions League Quarter-finals. Jean Brihault EHF President 4

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6 EHF/M Media contacts Media matters Vlado Brindzak Media and Communications European Handball Federation brindzak@eurohandball.com TV and Radio Akos Moczan Media Manager EHF Marketing GmbH moczan@ehfmarketing.com Clubs Media contacts FC Barcelona (ESP) Gustau Galvache gustau.galvache@fcbarcelona.cat THW Kiel (GER) Christian Robohm christian.robohm@thw-handball.de MKB-MVM Veszprém KC (HUN) Zsolt Sevinger mkbveszprem@chello.hu RK Vardar PRO Skopje (MKD) Marko Savovski markosavovski@live.com PSG Handball (FRA) Louise Cosnard +33 (0) lcosnard@psg.fr Rhein Neckar Löwen (GER) Ute Krebs krebs@rhein-neckar-loewen.de SG Flensburg Handewitt (GER) Sandra von Wallis s.vonwallis@sg-flensburg-handewitt.de HC Metalurg (MKD) Zoran Cvetanovski zoran.cvetanovski@gmail.com 6

7 Qualification Tournaments Qualification/ Wild Card Matches vs. vs. vs. vs. Qualification Tournaments Qualification and Wild Card Matches VELUX EHF Champions League 2013/14 playing system Group Phase Last 16 Quarter-finals FINAL4 4 vs. 1 vs. vs. 3 vs. 2 vs. vs. 2 vs. 1 vs. vs. Semi-finals vs. vs. 3 rd Place Match vs. vs. vs. vs. Home Matches 5 Total Matches Final vs. Season 2013/14 playing dates Group Phase Last first leg second leg Quarter-finals first leg second leg FINAL /

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9 Facts & figures Vugrinec on top, jubilees for Barcelona and Kiel Only 16 hours after the final whistle of the last VELUX EHF Champions League Last 16 match, the draw will be conducted in Vienna. After an overall of 136 matches of group phase and first knock-out stage it s time to have another look on the most important facts and figures of the competition. 0 - times a winner of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 defended their title in Cologne. This tradition continues in this season too, as reigning champions HSV Hamburg bowed out in the Last 16 0 teams have qualified for all four previous VELUX EHF FINAL4 events 0 times before Vardar Skopje and Paris St. Germain had been part of a quarter-final of the VELUX EHF Champions League. 0 was the final goal difference of the closest of all Last 16 encounters. Rhein Neckar Löwen clinched their berth by scoring more away goals against Vive Targi Kielce. The German side lost at Poland 28:32 and won at home 27:23. 1 another premiere: For the first time two Macedonian sides made it so far in the EHF Champions League. 1 fourth ranked team of the group phase made it to the quarterfinals: Vardar Skopje. 1 - team arriving from qualification made it to the quarter-finals: Metalurg Skopje. 2 former EHF Champions League winners are still part of the race to Cologne, representing ten trophies: record winner FC Barcelona (7 titles) and THW Kiel (3). Additionally Flensburg are the only team, which had been part of EHF Champions League finals (2004, 2007), but did not win the trophy. 2 teams had been part of all quarter-finals since the implementation of the current playing system in the 2009/10 season: FC Barcelona and THW Kiel. 3 teams of those, who are still in competition, have been part of previous VELUX EHF FINAL4 events in Cologne: FC Barcelona (2010, 2011, 2013), THW Kiel (2010, 2012, 2013) and Rhein Neckar Löwen (2011). 3 teams won both Last 16 matches: FC Barcelona (against Aalborg), THW Kiel (against Zaporozhye) and Metalurg Skopje (against KIF Kolding-Kobenhavn). Additionally Vardar Skopje remained unbeaten (draw and win against Hamburg). 3 group winners of the first stage are still in the two pots for the draw: Barcelona, Veszprém and Kiel. The only first ranked team, which is out already, is defending champions Hamburg. 4 teams turned the aggregate result around after losing their respective matches of the first leg: Veszprém, PSG, Löwen & Flensburg. 4 - which means all teams, which had qualified from group 2 for the Last 16, have now made it to the quarter-finals: FC Barcelona, PSG, Vardar and Metalurg. 5 nations are represented by the eight participants of the quarterfinals: Germany (three teams), FYR Macedonia (2), Spain, Hungary and France (each 1). Last season the quarterfinals were composed by teams from Germany (3), Spain (2), Hungary, FYR Macedonia and Poland (each 1). 5 of those eight teams qualified for the 2012/13 quarter-finals too: THW Kiel, FC Barcelona, MKB Veszprém, Metalurg Skopje and SG Flensburg-Handewitt. 10 victories in 12 matches is the record of THW Kiel and FC Barcelona in this season. Both each lost one match and tied once in the group phase. 12 goals were the biggest difference in a single Last 16 match, made by Kiel against Zaporozhye (40:28). 12 of 136 matches by now ended by a draw. 15 times each FC Barcelona and THW Kiel have qualified for the quarter-finals of the EHF Champions League including the current season. 18 goals was the aggregate final difference, Barcelona scored in their Last 16 matches against Aalborg, followed by a 15 goal difference of Kiel vs. Zaporozhye goals were scored by Renato Vugrinec for his team Metalurg Skopje against KIF to become best scorer of the Last goals was the lowest number in one single Last 16 match, made by Metalurg and Kolding in the first leg (23:17) 42 goals FC Barcelona conceded in both Last 16 matches to have the strongest defence ahead of Metalurg (43) and Flensburg (53). 46 times in 136 matches by now the away team was victorious. 68 goals was the highest number in all Last 16 matches in the game of Kiel vs. Zaporozhye (40:28), followed by 67 in the match Plock vs. Veszprem (34:33). 71 goals were scored by THW Kiel to have the best attack in the Last 16, followed by Veszprem (64) and PSG (62). 78 of 136 matches by now ended with home victories. 85 goals were scored by Vugrinec by now to lead the overall top scorer ranking ahead of Gasper Marguc (Celje/79) and Momir Ilic (Veszprém/77). 8,805 spectators attended the match Löwen vs. Kielce in Mannheim to top this ranking, followed by 8,000 at the match Kiel vs. Zaporozhye and 6,963 at the match Metalurg vs. KIF. 9

10 Facts & figures The top three lists Matches with the highest number of goals 73 goals HSV Hamburg vs. Gorenje Velenje (41:32) 72 goals DROTT Halmstad vs. Gorenje Velenje (32:40) 72 goals Naturhouse La Rioja vs. DROTT Halmstad (38:34) 71 goals - MKB-MVM Veszprém vs. Motor Zaporozhye (44:27) 71 goals FC Barcelona Wacker Thun (45:26) Matches with the lowest number of goals 38 goals - Dunkerque vs. KIF Kolding-Kobenhavn (18:20) 40 goals Metalurg Skopje vs. KIF Kolding-Kobenhavn (23:17/L16) 43 goals FC Porto vs. Dunkerque (22:21) 44 goals FC Porto Orlen Wisla Plock (20:24) 44 goals - Vardar Skopje vs. Metalurg Skopje (18:26) Biggest goal difference in a single match 19 goals - Barcelona vs. Wacker Thun (45:26) 18 goals - FC Barcelona vs. HC Metalurg (35:17) 17 goals - MKB-MVM Veszprém vs. Motor Zaporozhye (44:27) Spectators 15,320 - Dinamo Minsk vs. FC Barcelona 11,000 - RK Zagreb vs. MKB-MVM Veszprém 10,200 THW Kiel vs. Vive Targi Kielce 10

11 VELUX EHF Champions League Current Top Scorers No. Player Club Goals 1 Renato Vugrinec (SLO) HC Metalurg (MKD) 85 2 Gasper Marguc (SLO) Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO) 79 3 Momir Ilic (SRB) MKB-MVM Veszprém (HUN) 77 4 Stas Skube (SLO) RK Gorenje Velenje (SLO) 72 5 Petar Nenadic (SRB) Orlen Wisla Plock (POL) 69 6 Magnus Persson (SWE) HK DROTT Halmstad (SWE) 67 Marko Vujin (SRB) THW Kiel (GER) 67 8 Timur Dibirov (RUS) HC Vardar - Skopje (MKD) 66 9 Albert Comas Rocas (ESP) KIF Kolding Kobenhavn (DEN) 64 Filip Jicha (CZE) THW Kiel (GER) Uwe Gensheimer (GER) Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) Sergiy Onufryienko (UKR) HC Motor Zaporozhye (UKR) Kiril Lazarov (MKD) FC Barcelona (ESP) 59 Havard Tvedten (NOR) Aalborg Handball (DEN) Nemanja Zelenovic (SRB) Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO) 59 Igor Karacic (CRO) HC Vardar - Skopje (MKD) 58 Mads Mensah Larsen (DEN) Aalborg Handball (DEN) 58 Stefan Schröder (GER) HSV Hamburg (GER) 58 Michal Jurecki (POL) Vive Targi Kielce (POL) Gilberto Duarte (POR) FC Porto Vitalis (POR) 56 Morten Andreas Slundt (DEN) Aalborg Handball (DEN) 56 Bold text indicates players of teams qualified for the Last 16 11

12 Important regulations Scoring of the matches in the Last 16 and quarter-finals If, after completion of the two matches, both clubs have won the same number of points (no extra time will be played), the teams standings shall be determined by the following criteria: a) goal difference b) Higher number of plus goals scored in away match c) penalty throws Rules for execution of penalty throws Prior to the penalty throws, each team shall name five players eligible to play at the end of the match by handing the referees a list of numbers. These players shall then take one throw each, alternating with their opponents. Each team is free to determine the sequence in which throwers will take their throws. The goalkeepers may be freely selected from the match report and exchanged in accordance with the Rules of the Game. Goalkeepers may take throws and throwers may perform as goalkeepers. The referees shall choose the goal at which throws are taken. The team taking the first penalty throw shall be determined by the referees by drawing lots. The team winning the draw may choose whether it wishes to throw first or last. If the scores are equal after the first round of penalty throws, it shall be continued until a decision is reached. In the second round, the other team shall start. Again five players shall be named who are eligible to play (the players named before may be named once again). In the second round, a decision is reached when a goal difference arises after both teams have taken one throw each. Eligible players are players entered in the match report that have not been disqualified or suspended at the time of the final whistle. Serious infractions committed during penalty throws shall be sanctioned by disqualification. If a thrower is disqualified or suffers an injury, an eligible substitute player shall be supplementary named. While the throws are being taken, only the player taking the throw, the current goalkeeper and the referees may enter the respective half of the playing court. If the number of eligible players falls below five, players may be named to take a second throw in the same round. 12

13 Rhein Neckar Löwen vs FC Barcelona First leg Sunday 20 April, hrs. local time in Mannheim Second leg Saturday 26 April, hrs. local time in Barcelona They went through Asobal Liga like a hot knife through butter and after only 25 rounds, FC Barcelona managed to win their 21st championship in Spain after their 25th straight victory on Friday (48:22 against Aragon). The Catalans, who took their fourth straight trophy in the domestic league, can now fully focus on their international tasks. On the other hand, Löwen just missed out on their first trophy in Germany by losing the German Cup semi-final against Flensburg and followed it with a top of the Bundesliga clash with Kiel on Wednesday, providing the fans in Mannheim with two haute handball cusine meals within five days. The last time both sides faced was in Cologne, now both have the ambition to make it again there without the other. In the 2011 semifinal Barcelona took a 30:28 victory to set up a their last title win, which came only 24 hours later in a final victory over Ciudad Real. In the 2010/11 season both teams also faced in the group phase, when Löwen sensationally won at Palau Blaugrana in the first match of their now outgoing coach Gudmundur Gudmundsson, later they tied in Mannheim (38:38). My personal record with Barcelona is not that bad, and our players do not have to hide from those world class players in the Catalan s squad. But in my opinion, Barca are still the main favourite for winning the trophy in this season, said Gudmundsson. Barcelona s coach Xavi Pascual is wary of Löwen: They have played an incredible season. Anyone who eliminates Kielce and ties with Veszprem cannot be that bad. No decisions will be made until the rematch in Palau Blaugrana. While the German side currently have no injury worries in their squad after team captain Uwe Gensheimer had recovered from Achilles problems, Barcelona are still without goalkeeper Arpad Sterbik (knee operation), who was replaced by Michael Robin before the Last 16 matches. Head-to-head stats FC Barcelona Borges ESP-Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER EHF Champions League Group A 30:31 (13:14) Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER-FC Barcelona Borges ESP EHF Champions League Group A 38:38 (22:17) Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER-FC Barcelona Borges ESP EHF Champions League FINAL4-1/2-finals 28:30 (12:12) All stats by Roy Knoppert Expert s view Francois Xavier Houlet Happy Easter 2014, Rhein Neckar Löwen. Within two weeks; the team from Mannheim could took part at the final tournament of the DHB Cup in Hamburg, three days later faced THW Kiel and then challenge Barca in the VELUX EHF Champions League Quarter-finals. How beautiful, how dangerous Löwen play a very attractive, attacking and successful brand of handball. In the Last 16 against Kielce the charges of Gudmundur Gudmundsson showed they are ready for tactical and hard battles. After Veszprem in the group phase and Kielce in the Last 16, they have to lock horns with Barcelona now. If they make it to the FINAL4, nobody can say they did not really deserve it. I do not believe this can happen. In my opinion Barcelona are the favourites for the title. In the Last 16 against Aalborg, the Catalan club needed just ten minutes in the first leg to find the right rhythm. They proved their strengths on the way to two quite straight forward victories. Seemingly unstoppable Barcelona have only one goal to reclaim the trophy. After the final defeat with Hamburg last season this quarter-final is another reunion with a German team. This is a must-see game with two top team names and quality handball is to be expected. 13

14 Rhein Neckar Löwen (GER) After a two-year absence the Lions, aka German side and EHF Cup champions Rhein-Neckar Löwen, returned in style to the VELUX EHF Champions League. Following a bit of a false start that only saw them taking a draw in their first match against Ukrainian side Motor Zaporozhye, they pushed themselves into gear and secured the spot in the Last 16 already at the end of November after a 32:26 victory in the return leg against Zaporozhye. They eventually finished the Group Phase of the VELUX EHF Champions League ranked second in Group A with seven wins, two draws and one loss.only away goals ruled that Löwen are part of the quarter-finals tale as they tied the third team of the previous season Vive Targi Kielce 55:55 on aggregate in the Last 16. As Rhein-Neckar scored away five more goals than Kielce, they ruined the dream of Talant Dujshebaev and his players. Back in October there had been a lot of transfer talk about their inspirational left wing, Uwe Gensheimer, but the 27-year-old eventually extended his contract with the German side until 2016, true to the motto once a lion, always a lion. His current coach however, Icelandic Gudmundur Gudmundsson, won t be sitting on the Löwen s bench next season as he accepted the offer to succeed Ulrik Wilbek at the helm of the Danish national team from July 2014 onwards. Playing hall SAP Arena Xaver-Fuhr-Str Mannheim Germany Capacity: 12,900 Club Address: Rhein-Neckar Löwen Mollstraße 49a Mannheim Germany Media contact: Ute Krebs krebs@rhein-neckar-loewen.de Online information: Website: Facebook: rnloewen Last 16 results First leg: Vive Targi Kielce vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen 32:28 (17:13) Second leg: Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs Vive Targi Kielce 27:23 (16:14) GROUP A Final Table: 1. MKB-MVM Veszprém :243 (60) Rhein-Neckar Löwen :252 (53) Celje Pivovarna Lasko :272 (-3) 9 4. HC Motor Zaporozhye :296 (-19) 9 5. HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb :282 (-15) 8 6. St. Petersburg HC :292 (-76) 1 Group Phase results: (W - win, D - draw, L - loss) vs HC Motor Zaporozhye D31:31 MKB-MVM Veszprém KC L29:30 Celje Pivovarna Lasko W28:25 (13:7) vs St. Petersburg HC W31:17 (14:8) vs HC Croatia Osiguranje W34:26 HC Croatia Osiguranje W28:24 HC Motor Zaporozhye W32:26 (10:15) vs MKB-MVM Veszprém D25:25 St. Petersburg HC W32:23 (18:10) vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko W35:25 (19:12) Past achievements VELUX EHF Champions League Participations (including 2013/14 season): 5 Semi-final (2): 2008/09, 2010/11 Quarter-final (1): 2009/10 Qualification (1): 2011/12 Other Cup Winners Cup: Runners-up 2007/08 EHF Cup: Winners 2012/13, Semi-finals 2011/12, Quarter-finals 2006/07 Kit colours Light Player shirt: yellow Player short: yellow Goalkeeper shirt: white/red Dark Player shirt: black Player short: black Goalkeeper shirt: blue/green Top scorers: 1. Uwe Gensheimer (GER) Patrick Groetzki (GER) Bjarte Hakon Myrhol (NOR) Sergei Gorbok (RUS) 31 Andre Schmid (SUI) 31 German league: none German Cup winner: none 14

15 Rhein Neckar Löwen (GER) Club records VELUX EHF Champions League Biggest win: 40:25 (19:10) v Chambery Savoie HB FRA (h), :39 (10:20) v HC Bosna BH Gas BIH (a), :22 (19:11) v Chambery Savoie HB FRA (h), Biggest defeat: 37:23 (20:08) v THW Kiel GER (a), Longest winning run: 5 matches ( ) Longest unbeaten run: 8 matches ( ) 8 matches ( ) Longest losing run: 2 matches ( ) 2 matches ( ) Longest run without win: 3 matches ( ) Most goals: 40 v Chambery Savoie HB FRA 40:25W (h), Most goals opponent: 38 v FC Barcelona Borges ESP 38:38D (h), Most goals both teams: 76 v FC Barcelona Borges ESP 38:38D (h), Fewest goals: 23 v Chambery Savoie HB FRA 25:23L (a), v THW Kiel GER 37:23L (a), v KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 23:23 (a), Fewest goals opponent: 17 v St. Petersburg HC 35:17W (h), Fewest goals both teams: 46 v KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 23:23 (a), VELUX EHF Champions League record MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage Reached 2008/09 Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER : /2-finals 2009/10 Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER : /4-finals 2010/11 Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER : Fourth Place Total : Current situation in domestic competitions (as of 19 April) After 29 rounds the Lions have drawn level with the defending champions THW Kiel but they have a better goal difference. Following a heavy defeat at HSV (25:38) Löwen won eleven matches in a row what is the longest active winning streak in the bundesliga. In their campaign in the DHB Cup they managed to eliminate THW Kiel in the last 16 and reached the semi-final, where they failed against SG Flensburg-Handewitt. Injury report Marius Steinhauser - torn cruciate ligament - out for the season 15

16 Rhein Neckar Löwen (GER) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 26 Michal Abt GER Left Back 25 Jul Kevin Bitz GER Centre Back 10 Mar Denni Djozic GER Left Wing 2 Oct Kim Ekdahl du Rietz SWE Left Back 23 Jul Uwe Gensheimer GER Left Wing 26 Oct Sergei Gorbok RUS Left Back 4 Dec Patrick Groetzki GER Right Wing 4 Jul Gedeon Guardiola Villaplana ESP Line Player 1 Oct Isaias Guardiola Villaplana ESP Right Back 1 Oct Runar Karason ISL Right Back 24 May Niklas Landin Jacobsen DEN Goalkeeper 19 Dec Nikola Manojlovic SRB Back 1 Dec Bjarte Hakon Myrhol NOR Line Player 29 May Roco Peribonio CRO Goalkeeper 16 Oct Alexander Petersson ISL Right Back 2 Jul Oliver Roggisch GER Line Player 25 Aug Andre Schmid SUI Centre Back 30 Aug David Schmidt GER Right Back 19 Oct Zarko Sesum SRB Back 16 Jun Stefan Rafn Sigurmannsson ISL Left Wing 19 May Marius Steinhauser GER Right Wing 6 Feb Goran Stojanovic MNE Goalkeeper 24 Feb Tomas Svensson SWE Goalkeeper 15 Feb

17 Gudmundur Gudmundsson coach Gudmundsson became coach of Fram Reykjavik in From 2008 to 2012, He was on the bench of the national team as successor to Alfred Gislason. Gudmundsson had a number of sport director roles before becoming Löwen head coach in After the Olympic Games in 2008 he quit his position as Icelandic national team coach to fully focus on his club and led Löwen to the 2011 VELUX EHF FINAL 4 in Cologne. He also steered the Mannheim s side to their first international trophy as they won the premiere edition of the EHF Cup Finals last May in Nantes, France. Niklas Landin goalkeeper The 24-year-old Dane is in the Löwen squad since the start of last season and is one of the main reasons for their success. The successor of legendary Kasper Hvidt broke through during the 2011 WCh. Gudmundur Gudmundsson was already his coach at his former club GOG and he gave him the chance to be number one in Svendborg already at the age of 20. In 2011 and 2013 Landin became runner-up at the WCh in Sweden and Spain and was awarded as best goalkeeper for the 2013 All-star. In 2012 he became EHF EURO champion in Serbia. Uwe Gensheimer left wing Born in Mannheim, he is the 100 per cent local hero. Since 2003 he has been playing for his club. His talent was discovered very early as he became Junior European champion in 2006, one year later he was awarded MVP at the Junior WCh, when he also won the silver medal. In 2011 and 2012 he was awarded German player of the year and was the top scorer of 2010/11 CL season. In November 2012 he tore his Achilles tendon, but right for the EHF Cup Finals in Nantes he was back helping Löwen to take their first title in history. Sergey Gorbok left back He left Mannheim as Siarhei Harbok and returned with the new name Sergey Gorbok: The father of triplets has changed his citizenship from Belarusian to Russian in the meantime, so his name was transcripted. Gorbok was one of the biggest talents in the world of handball, when he transferred from Ukrainian side ZTR Zaporozhye to RK Celje in Slovenia. After two domestic championships in Slovenia he went to Rhein Neckar Löwen for the first time in After three seasons Gorbok went eastwards to join Chekhovskie Medvedi, but now he is back. Andre Schmid centre back The four-time Swiss handball player of the year played for both Zürich clubs Grasshoppers and ZMC Amicitia until 2009, before he left his mother country for one season with Bjerringbro-Silkeborg. The playmaker, who was twice a Swiss champion, transferred to Rhein Neckar Löwen in And in the previous season, in which Löwen underwent a big transition, Schmid was the key in attack both as playmaker and as shooter. Schmid is a big fan of US basketball and especially Michael Jordan. Bjarte Myrhol line player In August 2011 his biggest fight started not on, but off the court. After he was diagnosed with cancer, an immediate surgery and chemo therapy changed his life. But the Norwegian international was always willing to fight and only two and a half months after the surgery he returned to the court. After he left his first professional club in Sandefjord, he joined Hungarian side Veszprém for one season, before arriving in Nordhorn, where he became EHF Cup winner for the first time. Alexander Petersson right back Born in Latvia, he took over the Icelandic citizenship and became an Olympic silver medallist in 2008 and EHF EURO bronze medallist in He moved to Germany in 2003, playing for Düsseldorf, Großwallstadt, Flensburg-Handewitt, and Füchse Berlin, before he transferred to Löwen in Currently Petterson suffers from a shoulder surgery, but hopes to be back in October. In Flensburg and Berlin he gained the international experience, which made it so important for the Icelandic team where Guðmundur Guðmundsson was his former National Team coach. Patrick Groetzki right wing He was born in Pforzheim only some kilometres away from Mannheim. Right after the youth category he switched to Löwen and became part of the German younger age category national teams. Groetzki was MVP and silver medallist of the U20 EURO in 2008 and crowned himself as Junior World Champion one year later. And right after he was nominated for the men s national team for the first time he has become a constant key player of Germany since then. Like Gensheimer, Groetzki is a counter-attack specialist and one of the main fan favourites. 17

18 FC Barcelona (ESP) No team in the group phase managed to avoid a defeat at least once. Even FC Barcelona, a team that boasts stars like Arpad Sterbik, Siarhei Rutenka, Kiril Lazarov and Nikola Karabatic did not. Their group phase was like a burger - eight victories covered on both ends by two stumbles in Skopje. In the first round Xavi Pascual and his team only tied RK Vardar, while in the last round they were defeated by Metalurg. In the Spanish Asobal they have won all their matches so far. The sheer dominance is one of the reasons that makes the EHF Champions League record winners of the red-hot favourite to win their eighth title come the end of May and the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne. One damper to Barcelona s campaign has been an injury to their goalkeeper Arpad Sterbik who is expected to be sidelined at least until the FINAL4. However, the club was quick in signing Mickael Robin from Montpellier HB as replacement. He led his new team safely past Aalborg in the Last 16. Last 16 results First leg: Aalborg Handball vs FC Barcelona 22:29 (13:15) Second leg: FC Barcelona vs Aalborg Handball 31:20 (16:11) Playing hall Palau Blaugrana Av. Aristides Maillol, s/n Barcelona Spain Capacity: 7,250 GROUP C Final Table: 1. FC Barcelona :256 (92) PSG Handball :288 (27) HC Metalurg :265 (-9) HC Vardar - Skopje :263 (6) HC Dinamo Minsk :295 (-29) 7 6. Wacker Thun :329 (-87) 1 Club Address: FC Barcelona Intersport Avda. Aristides Maillol, s/n Barcelona Spain Media contact: Gustau Galvache gustau.galvache@fcbarcelona.cat Online information: Website: Facebook: FCBHandbol Kit colours Light Player shirt: red and yellow Player short: red Goalkeeper shirt: green/grey Dark Player shirt: blue and red Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: black/dark red Group Phase results: (W - win, D - draw, L - HC Vardar - Skopje D29:29 (15:19) vs Wacker Thun W45:26 (21:14) vs HC Metalurg W35:17 PSG Handball W33:29 HC Dinamo Minsk W35:25 (16:15) vs HC Dinamo Minsk W35:25 (13:9) vs HC Vardar - Skopje W30:23 Wacker Thun W39:23 (17:13) vs PSG Handball W38:28 HC Metalurg L29:31 (11:15) Top scorers: 1. Kiril Lazarov (MKD) Nikola Karabatic (FRA) Siarhei Rutenka (BLR) Victor Tomas (ESP) Jesper Nöddesbo (DEN) 39 Past achievements VELUX EHF Champions League Participations (including 2013/14 season): 17 Winner (7): 1995/96, 1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2004/05, 2010/11 Final (3): 2000/01, 2009/10, 2012/13 Semi-final (1): 2007/08 Quarter-final (3): 2005/06, 2006/07, 2011/12 Last 16 (1): 2003/04 Main Round (1): 2008/09 Other EHF Cup: Winners 2002/03, Runners-up 2001/02 Cup Winners Cup: Winners 1993/94, 1994/95 Spanish league: 21 titles (1969, 1973, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) Spanish Cup winner: 17 times Asobal Cup winner: 9 times 18

19 FC Barcelona (ESP) Biggest win 17:43 (9:21) v HC Bosna BH Gas Sarajevo BIH (a), Biggest defeat 31:21 (13:10) v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER (a), :31 (20:15) v THW Kiel GER (a), Longest winning run 12 matches ( ) Longest unbeaten run 16 matches ( ) Longest losing run 2 matches (6 times) Longest run without win 3 matches ( ) Most goals 46 v KIF Kolding DEN 46:36W (h), Most goals opponent 41 v THW Kiel GER 41:31L (a), Most goals both teams 82 v KIF Kolding DEN 46:36W (h), Fewest goals 21 v ABC Braga POR 21:21D (a), v SC Pick Szeged HUN 22:21L (a), v Portland San Antonio ESP 25:21L (a), v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 31:21L (a), Fewest goals opponent 12 v Vardar Vatrost. Skopje MKD 12:26W (a), Fewest goals both teams 38 v Elgorriaga Bidasoa ESP 23:15W (a), v Vardar Vatrost. Skopje MKD 12:26W (a), VELUX EHF Champions League record MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage Reached 1995/96 FC Barcelona ESP : Winner 1996/97 FC Barcelona ESP : Winner 1997/98 FC Barcelona ESP : Winner 1998/99 FC Barcelona ESP : Winner 1999/00 FC Barcelona ESP : Winner 2000/01 FC Barcelona ESP : Runner-up 2003/04 FC Barcelona ESP : /8-finals 2004/05 FC Barcelona Cifec ESP : Winner 2005/06 FC Barcelona-Cifec ESP : /4-finals 2006/07 FC Barcelona-Cifec ESP : /4-finals 2007/08 FC Barcelona ESP : /2-finals 2008/09 FC Barcelona Borges ESP : rd MR Gr /10 FC Barcelona Borges ESP : Runner-up 2010/11 FC Barcelona Borges ESP : Winner 2011/12 FC Barcelona Intersport ESP : /4-finals 2012/13 FC Barcelona Intersport ESP : Runner-up Total : Current situation in domestic competitions (as of 18 April) Barca lack a worthy rival in this season of Asobal. The defending champions won all 26 matches so far in the league and they have already reclaimed the championship title. Already in December they earned the Asobal Cup and they are also the hottest candidate to earn Copa del Rey trophy too after successfully passing the quarter-final recently. Injury report Arpad Sterbik (GK) - out for the rest of season 19

20 FC Barcelona (ESP) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 13 Aitor Arino Bengoechea ESP Left Wing 5 Oct David Balaguer Romeu ESP Right Wing 17 Aug Ignacio Biosca Garcia ESP Goalkeeper 17 Jul Raul Entrerrios Rodriguez ESP Centre Back 12 Feb Juan Garcia Lorenzana ESP Left Wing 28 Aug Eduardo Gurbindo Martinez ESP Right Back 8 Nov Nikola Karabatic FRA Left Back 11 Apr Michal Kasal CZE Left Back 3 Apr Kiril Lazarov MKD Right Back 10 May Viran Morros de Argila ESP Left Back 15 Dec Jesper Brian Nöddesbo DEN Line Player 23 Oct Siarhei Rutenka BLR Left Back 29 Aug Danijel Saric BIH Goalkeeper 27 Jun Daniel Sarmiento Melian ESP Centre Back 25 Aug Joan Saubich Mir ESP Right Wing 7 Nov Cedric Sorhaindo FRA Line Player 7 Jun Arpad Sterbik ESP Goalkeeper 20 Nov Martin Stranovsky SVK Left Wing 12 Sep Victor Tomas Gonzalez ESP Right Wing 15 Feb Mickael Robin FRA Goalkeeper 28 May

21 Xavi Pascual coach The name is a double feature at FC Barcelona, as the coaches of both the handball and the basketball section hold the same name. Handball s Xavi Pascual played for a lengthy period Barcelona and some other Spanish clubs, before becoming the goalkeeper coach at the EHF Champions League record winners in 2005, where he started working with the legendary David Barrufet and others. In 2009 he succeeded Manolo Cadenas at Barcelona s helm and led the team to the Champions League victory in Danijel Šarić goalkeeper One of the best Barcelona players for his incredible quality in goal and for the joy he brings to the team. Nowadays he will be more important because of the injury to Arpad Sterbik. The Bosnian goalkeeper won the VELUX EHF Champions League in 2011 with Barcelona, awarded the best goalkeeper of the ASOBAL Spanish league in 2011 and 2012, and the best player overall in He joined Barça in 2009, after spells with Spanish clubs San Antonio, León, Alcobendas and Cantabria, but began his career in Serbia with RK Crvena Zvezda and RK Sintelon. Juanin Garcia left wing The all-time record scorer of the Spanish ASOBAL league is still one of the most talented wing players in Europe. He joined the Spanish powerhouse at the start of the 2005/06 season and was part of the Barcelona squad that won the EHF Champions League in He also won gold with the Spanish national team at the 2005 World Championship. His speed on the counterattack, his athletic game and his ability to shoot in so many different ways are both fundamental aspects of Juanin Garcia s style. Siarhei Rutenka left back In 2011 the Belarusian became the second player to win five EHF Champions League titles with three clubs after Jose Javier Hombrados (with Santander, San Antonio, Ciudad Real) completed this feat as the first one. After lifting the trophy in 2004 with Celje, Rutenka won three titles with Ciudad Real, followed by the victory with Barcelona. No matter what competition, Rutenka is among the top scorers, e.g. at the 2006 EHF EURO and in 2003/04 and the 2004/05 Champions League season. Nikola Karabatić centre back / left back The former World Handball player of the Year has been one of Barcelona transfer coups this summer, with Kiril Lazarov being another one. Karabatic has already won everything there is to win, as he has triumphed at Olympic Games, World Championships and EHF European Championships with the French national team. The left back is one of the most complete handball players with strengths in attack and defence. He has also won the EHF Champions League twice in 2003 with Montpellier and 2007 with THW Kiel. Jesper Nøddesbo line player Noddesbo started his career at Team Tvis Holstebro long before the Danish club made it as far as the EHF Cup semi-final in the 2012/13 season. His career started spiralling upwards when he joined KIF Kolding in Since then, he has been among Europe s elite year after year with Kolding from 2004 to 2007, and ever since with FC Barcelona, whom he joined in the summer of He is an imposing presence on the court and is not afraid of anything when it comes to stopping opposing attackers. Kiril Lazarov right back The powerful back court shooter from FYR Macedonia is the most successful scorer at a single EHF EURO event (2012 Serbia, 61 goals) and also at World Championship level (2009 Croatia, 92 goals). He was also top scorer of the EHF Champions League twice (2005/06 and 2007/08) but still this title is missing in his trophy cabinet. In the 2012/13 ASOBAL season he converted 62 per cent of his shots, being particularly effective from the penalty line (76 per cent) and with counter (86 per cent). Victor Tomas right wing Following the victories in 2005 and 2011, the Barcelona-born Tomas will be hoping to lift his third EHF Champions League trophy at the FINAL4 in Cologne. He joined Barcelona s youth team in 1998 and has not played for any other club. In fact he is that loyal to Barça, he has always stated that if he were to leave the Catalan club he would only play outside of Spain. He biggest assets are his great pace and his impressive flexibility that make him a strong player in attack but also in defence. 21

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23 SG Flensburg Handewitt vs HC Vardar PRO - Skopje First leg Monday 21 April, hrs. local time in Flensburg Second leg Saturday 26 April, hrs. local time in Skopje The outcome of the weekend prior to the first leg match could not have been more contrasting. While Flensburg failed in their fourth straight German Cup final (this time against Füchse Berlin), Vardar managed to win their second SEHA League trophy after beating Brest 29:27 in the final. If we play like we did during the SEHA final tournament in Novi Sad, we really have a chance to eliminate Flensburg and make it to Cologne, Vardar s Spanish coach Raul Gonzales said. Flensburg are absolutely aware of their opponent, even if they never faced before not only due to the SEHA results, but even more after the performance Vardar had shown in the Last 16, when they eliminated defending VELUX EHF Champions League champions HSV Hamburg by winning the away match. The chances are 50:50, as Vardar are really tough opponents. We need to have a great result in the first leg, as we will expect hell on earth in the rematch in Skopje, said Flensburg manager Dierk Schmäschke. Both sides have not made it to Cologne before, but Flensburg have been part of two quarter-finals (2011, 2013) since the implementation of the current playing system, while Vardar are making their quarterfinal bow. The return of top scorer Timur Dibirov after an eye injury is a huge boost for Vardar, and the Russian s MVP performance in the SEHA league finals showed that the injury has not affected him. Flensburg still suffer from several injuries to back court players like Lars Kaufmann and Olafur Gustafsson, meaning that young Swede Jim Gottfridsson will have to take a measure of responsibility for the side who are unbeaten at home all season in this competition. Head-to-head stats No previous encounters in the EC competitions. Expert s view Francois Xavier Houlet Northern Germany vs Skopje part 1. Vardar sent shockwaves with their Last 16 victory over the Hamburg and their presence in the quarter-finals. The question is whether Vardar can spring another surprise and eliminate another German team? No, because Flensburg s squad are steadier than the quite fragile 2013 winners and are fully focused on their first trip to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne. Yes, because Vardar possess not only a quality team, but also a home advantage in the second leg. It is well-known how the Boris Trajkovski arena can turn into a seething cauldron and this season only one team managed to beat Vardar there, which happened to be the other occupants of the arena, Skopje Metalurg. I suppose, therefore, that the first leg in Flensburg will be decisive. If Ljubomir Vranjes lads create a multiple-goal cushion, then they can dare to believe that Cologne is a possibility. If not, then it will be very difficult for them. I see Flensburg as slight favourites thanks to their well-rehearsed team. It is going to be an open quarter-final tie and for sure a great promotion for handball, as both clubs can pride themselves with the best supporters in Europe. The goal is the same for both a debut appearance in Cologne. 23

24 SG Flensburg Handewitt (GER) For the second season in a row, SG Flensburg-Handewitt were paired with local rivals HSV in the group phase and for the second season in a row finished one point behind in second place. Ljubomir Vranjes side were barely troubled in their opening three encounters, dispatching their opponents with ease, before letting a four-goal half-time lead against La Rioja slip in a 35:35 draw. Subsequent defeat to HSV meant that finishing first in the group was out of their hands, despite a win in the return fixture, and second position was never really in doubt with nearest rivals Velenje and Aalborg lacking consistency. The German side were hit hard by injuries at the beginning of 2014, so much so that coach Vranjes was an unused substitute in the penultimate game against La Rioja, but they completed the group phase with three wins from three, happy in the knowledge that they will avoid their local rivals for the next round at least. In the Last 16 they faced Celje exactly 10 years after the perennial Slovenian champions beat Flensburg in the EHF Champions League final and this time German team prevailed by two goals on aggregate. Last 16 results First leg: Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt 26:25 (13:12) Second leg: SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko 30:27 (15:14) Playing hall Flens Arena Campusallee Flensburg Germany Capacity: 6,000 GROUP D Final Table: 1. HSV Hamburg :266 (64) SG Flensburg-Handewitt :272 (42) RK Gorenje Velenje :320 (-13) 8 4. Aalborg Handball :265 (10) 8 5. Naturhouse La Rioja :320 (-28) 8 6. HK DROTT Halmstad :364 (-75) 1 Club Address: SG Flensburg-Handewitt Schiffbrücke Flensburg Germany Media contact: Sandra von Wallis s.vonwallis@sg-flensburg-handewitt.de Online information: Website: Facebook: SGFleHa Kit colours Light Player shirt: red Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: yellow Dark Player shirt: white Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: black Group Phase results: (W - win, D - draw, L - loss) vs Aalborg Handball W31:27 HK DROTT Halmstad W37:27 (19:13) vs RK Gorenje Velenje W35:31 Naturhouse La Rioja D32:32 HSV Hamburg L27:32 (14:15) vs HSV Hamburg W27:24 Aalborg Handball W27:26 (14:13) vs HK DROTT Halmstad W33:25 (20:8) vs Naturhouse La Rioja W37:25 RK Gorenje Velenje W28:23 (15:9) Top scorers: 1. Anders Eggert (DEN) Holger Glandorf (GER) Steffen Weinhold (GER) Thomas Mogensen (DEN) Jim Gottfridsson (SWE) 32 Past achievements VELUX EHF Champions League Participations (including 2013/14 season): 9 Final (2): 2003/2004, 2006/2007 Semi-final (1): 2005/2006 Quarter-final (4): 2004/2005, 2008/2009, 2010/2011, 2012/2013 Main Round (1): 2007/2008 Other Cup Winners Cup: Winners 2000/ /2012 EHF Cup: Winners 1996/1997 City Cup: Winners 1998/1999 German league: 1 title (2004) German Cup winners: three times 24

25 SG Flensburg Handewitt (GER) Biggest win 43:24 (23:12) v RK Metalurg Skopje MKD (h), Biggest defeat 36:22 (16:10) v Montpellier HB FRA (a), :38 (8:19) v Renovalia Ciudad Real ESP (h), Longest winning run 6 matches ( ) 6 matches ( ) Longest unbeaten run 7 matches ( ) 7 matches ( ) Longest losing run 3 matches ( ) Longest run without win 5 matches ( ) Most goals 44 v Redbergslids IK SWE 44:33W (h), Most goals opponent 41 v Celje Pivovarna Laško SLO 41:31L (a), Most goals both teams 77 v Redbergslids IK SWE 44:33W (h), Fewest goals 19 v Renovalia Ciudad Real ESP 27:19L (a), Fewest goals opponent 18 v HC Bosna Sarajevo BIH 25:18W (h), Fewest goals both teams 43 v Montpellier HB FRA 22:21W (h), v HC Bosna Sarajevo BIH 25:18W (h), v Renovalia Ciudad Real ESP 21:22W (a), VELUX EHF Champions League record MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage Reached 2003/04 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER : Runner-up 2004/05 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER : /4-finals 2005/06 SG Flensburg Handewitt GER : /2-finals 2006/07 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER : Runner-up 2007/08 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER : th MR Gr /09 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER : /4-finals 2010/11 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER : /4-finals 2012/13 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER : /4-finals Total : Current situation in domestic competitions (as of 18 April) The chance for a German bundesliga title is still very realistic for SG. With five rounds to go they currently sit on the third place one point behind the leaders RNL and THW Kiel. They waged a successful campaign in the German Cup all the way to the final, however they lost the decisive game to Füchse Berlin 21:22. Injury report Lars Kaufmann knee problems questionable Hampus Wanne - back pain - questionable 25

26 SG Flensburg Handewitt (GER) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 1 Mattias Andersson SWE Goalkeeper 29 Mar Lukas Blohme GER Right Wing 7 Nov Anders Eggert Jensen DEN Left Wing 14 May Holger Glandorf GER Right Back 30 Mar Jim Gottfridsson SWE Centre Back 2 Sep Olafur Gustafsson ISL Left Back 27 Mar Jacob Heinl GER Line Player 9 Oct Tobias Karlsson SWE Line Player 4 Jun Lars Kaufmann GER Left Back 25 Feb Michael V. Knudsen DEN Line Player 4 Sep Maik Machulla GER Centre Back 9 Jan Thomas Mogensen DEN Centre Back 30 Jan Drasko Nenadic SRB Left Back 15 Feb Michael Nicolaisen GER Left Back 6 May Bogdan Radivojevic SRB Right Wing 2 Mar Sören Rasmussen DEN Goalkeeper 12 Aug Christopher Rudeck GER Goalkeeper 15 Oct Lasse Svan DEN Right Wing 31 Aug Ljubomir Vranjes SWE Centre Back 3 Oct Hampus Wanne SWE Left Wing 10 Dec Steffen Weinhold GER Right Back 19 Jul Goran Bogunovic CRO Left Back 28 Jun

27 Ljubomir Vranjes coach Player, manager, coach this the running order of the career of former Swedish international player. After retiring as a player he became club manager in 2009 and coach in November His biggest success on the bench was the title in the Cup Winners Cup 2012 and finishing second in the German league in the same season. As a player he became World Champion in 1999 and threetimes EHF EURO champion. After his club had been narrowly eliminated by HSV in the quarter-final he succesfully steered Serbia to EHF EURO 2014 last June. Mattias Andersson goalkeeper The Swedish was the most outstanding Flensburg player in the last two years, including his award best player of the Bundesliga season 2011/12. He won the CL in 2007 with THW Kiel, where he played until 2008, before leaving Northern Germany for three years to join TV Großwallstadt. In 2011 he returned northwards, signing his contract in Flensburg. Mainly thanks to his saves Flensburg won the Cup Winners Cup in the 2011/12 season. He is one of the most experienced goalkeepers in the CL and won a silver medal with Sweden at 2012 Olympics in London. Anders Eggert left wing Fast, faster, Eggert: The Dane had to fill the biggest shoes ever in Flensburg as successor of legendary Lars Christiansen. But he coped perfectly with this situation and was the top scorer of the German Bundesliga in 2011 and top scorer of the 2013 world championship in Spain. He is two-time EHF EURO champion (2008, 2012) and two-time runner-up of the WCh (2011, 2013) with Denmark. He has just started his already eighth season in Flensburg. He is also famous being as cold as ice from the penalty line with one of the highest percentages in the CL. Thomas Mogensen centre back More than 1000 goals for his club, awarded 2012 EHF EURO champion and silver medallist at the 2011 and 2013 WCh Danish playmaker Thomas Mogensen is highly experienced. Since 2007 he plays for Flensburg his first stop outside his homecountry Denmark. Before he had been player of Viborg HK and GOG Svendborg, becoming Danish champion and Cup winner twice. His biggest success on club level was winning the Cup Winners Cup in And SG will have at least two more years of inspiration, as his contract expires in Steffen Weinhold right back Although he is 27 years old, Weinhold is considered to be one of the rising stars in German handball. He was Men s 20 EHF EURO champion in 2006 and runner-up at the Junior World Championship the following year. Right after this event, the Bavarian transferred from Fürth to German powerhouse HSG Nordhorn, winning the EHF Cup in his first season. After signing for TV Großwallstadt he was in the focus of the national team coach Heiner Brand and then made the next step in his career, signing for SG Flensburg-Handewitt in He is set to move to THW Kiel at the end of this season. Tobias Karlsson line player He is the typical powerful Scandinavian defence specialist, who together with former Barcelona rock Magnus Jernemyr - build the Swedish middle block in the last years. He is the team captain, a great honour after legendary Lars Christiansen left SG. He became Swedish champion three times with Hammarby IF. Like Mattias Andersson, he was part of the Swedish team which took silver at the 2012 Olympics in London. He is the clear boss in the SG defence, the look upon his attack statistics proves that he is rather randomly entering the opponent s half. Holger Glandorf right back Years ago it was impossible to find any German stars in the Flensburg squad, which mostly had been imprinted by Scandinavian players - but times have changed. One of two German 2007 world champions in the Flensburg roster is left handed shooter Glandorf. Despite some injury breaks, the right back always returned to a high level of performance. Aside winning the gold medal on home ground at the 2007 WCh in Germany, also won twice the EHF Cup (2008 and 2010) with Nordhorn and the Cup Winners Cup in Lasse Svan Hansen right wing One who names roasted hot dog as his favourite dish cannot be a professional sportsmen, or? But despite his love for the typical Danish snack, he is one of the fastest wing players in the CL. He has the same qualities as Eggert on the other side: fast counter-attacks and a high scoring efficiency. And he has another task in his team: motivation and relaxing as his business is mental coaching. After four seasons at GOG Svendborg he moved to Flensburg in In the Danish national team he won gold at the 2012 EHF EURO and silver each at the 2011 and 2013 WCh. 27

28 HC Vardar PRO - Skopje (MKD) The reigning Macedonian champions made several headlines early in the season as they not only stole the first point from the main group favourites FC Barcelona, but were also the first club to replace their head coach. Less than a week before their Round 3 match at home to PSG Handball they parted ways with Zoran Kastratovic. After just three months in the job, this decision was a surprise for many. Assistant coach Andon Boskovski took charge for the following game, but after the EHF EURO in Denmark the club announced the signing of Raul Gonzalez Gutierrez, a former Spanish national team player and member of team that won a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. The 44-year-old has coached Valladolid and is a former assistant of Talant Dujshebaev at Ciudad Real and Atletico Madrid. The second club s connection to Dujshebaev, his son Alex, missed the final rounds of the group phase through injury, but was instrumental in the biggest success in the club s history as Vardar eliminated the defending champions HSV Hamburg and reached the top eight of Europe for the first time. Last 16 results First leg: HC Vardar Skopje vs HSV Hamburg 28:28 (14:16) Second leg: HSV Hamburg vs HC Vardar Skopje 29:30 (15:17) Playing hall Boris Trajkovski bul. 8 Septemvri bb Skopje FYR Macedonia Capacity: 7,000 GROUP C Final Table: 1. FC Barcelona :256 (92) PSG Handball :288 (27) HC Metalurg :265 (-9) HC Vardar - Skopje :263 (6) HC Dinamo Minsk :295 (-29) 7 6. Wacker Thun :329 (-87) 1 Club Address: HC Vardar - Skopje Marko Savovski BUL 8 mi Septemvri 20 FYR Macedonia Media contact: Marko Savovski markosavovski@live.com Online information: Website: Facebook: rkvardar Kit colours Light Player shirt: red/white Player short: red/white Goalkeeper shirt: red/black/yellow Dark Player shirt: black/red Player short: red/white Goalkeeper shirt: black/grey Group Phase results: (W - win, D - draw, L - loss) vs FC Barcelona D29:29 HC Dinamo Minsk L24:26 (11:11) vs PSG Handball D24:24 Wacker Thun W37:24 HC Metalurg W27:22 (14:9) vs HC Metalurg L18:26 FC Barcelona L23:30 (11:14) vs HC Dinamo Minsk W30:22 (14:11) vs Wacker Thun W32:25 PSG Handball L25:35 (12:15) Top scorers: 1. Timur Dibirov (RUS) Igor Karacic (CRO) Alex Dujshebaev (ESP) Matjaz Brumen (SLO) Mikhail Chipurin (RUS) 32 Past achievements VELUX EHF Champions League Participations (including 2013/14 season): 8 Last 32 (1): 1999/2000 Group Phase (6): 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2007/08, 2009/10 Other Cup Winners Cup: Semi-finals 1998/99, 2004/05, 2010/11, Quarter-finals 2006/07 SEHA league: 1 title (2012) Macedonian league: 8 titles (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2013) Macedonian Cup winner: 8 times 28

29 HC Vardar PRO - Skopje (MKD) Biggest win 37:24 (19:11) v Wacker Thun SUI (a), Biggest defeat 41:19 (19:8) v FC Barcelona ESP (a), Longest winning run 2 matches ( ) 2 matches ( ) Longest unbeaten run 3 matches ( ) Longest losing run 7 matches ( ) Longest run without win 8 matches ( ) 8 matches ( ) Most goals 37 v Wacker Thun SUI 37:24W (a), Most goals opponent 41 v FC Barcelona ESP 41:19L (a), Most goals both teams 67 v Haukar Hafnarfjördur ISL 34:33L (a), Fewest goals 12 v FC Barcelona ESP 12:26L (h), Fewest goals opponent 22 v HCM Constanta ROU 22:22D (h), v GC Amicitia Zürich SUI 22:22D (h), v HC Metalurg MKD 27:22W (a), v HC Dinamo Minsk BLR 30:22W (h), Fewest goals both teams 38 v FC Barcelona ESP 12:26L (h), VELUX EHF Champions League record MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage Reached 2001/02 Vardar Vatrost. Skopje MKD : th Gr. D 2002/03 Vardar Vatrost. Skopje MKD : th Gr. D 2003/04 Vardar Vatrost. Skopje MKD : th Gr. B 2004/05 Vardar Vatrost. Skopje MKD : rd Gr. A 2007/08 HC Vardar PRO Skopje MKD : th Gr. C 2009/10 HC Vardar PRO Skopje MKD : th Gr. D Total : Current situation in domestic competitions (as of 19 April) Both Vardar and Metalurg join the Macedonian league only in the play-off phase. In the regional SEHA league Vardar made it to the final four tournament in Novi Sad as they finished third in the regular season behind the winners Tatran Presov and runners-up Zagreb. In the semi-final they easily overcame Croatia Zagreb and one day later they claimed the title after a final victory over Brest Meshkov. Injury report Alexey Rastvortsev shoulder injury out for season 29

30 HC Vardar PRO - Skopje (MKD) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 20 Ilija Abutovic SRB Left Back 2 Aug Matjaz Brumen SLO Right Wing 23 Dec Gradimir Chanevski MKD Goalkeeper 4 Mar Mikhail Chipurin RUS Line Player 17 Nov Zlatko Daskalovski MKD Goalkeeper 8 Dec Timur Dibirov RUS Left Wing 30 Jul Milos Dragas SRB Left Back 11 Jun Vlatko Jovchevski MKD Right Wing 20 Sep Igor Karacic CRO Centre Back 2 Nov Filip Lazarov MKD Left Back 21 Apr Dobrivoje Markovic SRB Left Wing 22 Apr Strahinja Milic SRB Goalkeeper 20 Dec Vlado Nedanovski MKD Left Wing 23 Jun Vladimir Petric SRB Right Back 5 Aug Nemanja Pribak SRB Centre Back 26 Mar Luka Rakovic CRO Right Wing 6 Jun Alexey Rastvortsev RUS Left Back 8 Aug Mitko Stoilov MKD Back 4 Feb Stojanche Stoilov MKD Line Player 30 Apr Stefan Terzic SRB Right Back 17 May Alem Toskic SRB Line Player 12 Feb

31 Raul Gonzalez coach The former Spanish national team player and member of team that won a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta signed a two-year contract with Vardar at the start of The 44-year-old has coached Valladolid and is a former assistant of Talant Dujshebaev at Ciudad Real and Atletico Madrid. After the departure of Zoran Kastratovic in October 2013, the club was led by Andon Boskovski, while the club owner Sergej Samsonenko joined him on the bench for all CL games. Gonzalez has been reinforced by a former Atletico player David Davis. Strahinja Milic goalkeeper The 23-year-old Serbian is regarded as one the biggest talents in Serbian handball. Being two metres tall and weighing more than 130 kg, some might tongue-in-cheek say that he resembles a small fortress. However, his range and his reflexes are impeccable. At the end of the past season he was voted Most Valuable Player at the SEHA League Final Four Tournament. This is his second VELUX EHF Champions League appearance after he had reached the group phase with Partizan in the 2011/2012 season. Timur Dibirov left wing Vardar Skopje is just the second club in the career of Dibirov who only played for Chekhovskie Medvedi before with whom he reached the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in At the 2013 World Championship the Russian international was voted best left wing of the tournament and it can be expected that the Vardar fast breaks will be more threatening and the team s defence will more aggressive with Dibirov on the court. In 2006 Dibirov won the Cup Winners Cup with Chekhov, beating CMB Valladolid in the final. Igor Karačić centre back The 25-year-old Croatian was voted into the SEHA League All-star team at the end of the 2012/13 season. He is regarded as a fast and tough player who is brilliant when it comes to one-on-one situations. With his former club, HC Bosna BH Gas from Sarajevo, he reached the last 16 in the 2010/11 VELUX EHF Champions League season, scoring 62 goals on the way. Born in Mostar in 1988, he plays for the Croatian national team, while his brother Ivan Karacic plays for Bosnia- Herzegovina. Filip Lazarov left back The younger brother of the more famous Kiril Lazarov from FC Barcelona joined Vardar before the 2011/12 season after seven seasons at their city rivals from Metalurg. The importance and the playing time of the 197-cm tall left back has grown substantially after the Russian Alexey Rastvortsev got injured in the derby match against Metalurg in Group C and was out for the rest of the season. In contrast to his globetrotting brother Filip Lazarov spent almost the whole career in Skopje besides short spells with Hungarian PLER Budapest and even shorter with Pelister Bitola. Stojance Stoilov line player Stojance Stoilov is not only Vardar s first choice line player, but occupies the same position in the Macedonian national team. He joined Vardar three seasons ago from city rivals Metalurg a step that saw his career spiralling upwards. The spotlight was on him at the EHF EURO 2012 when FYR Macedonia finished 5th and Stoilov played a brilliant tournament. In May 2013 he was selected for the All-star team of SEHA League Final-Four tournament at which Vardar finished second. Alex Dujshebaev right back The son of Talant Dujshebaev joined Vardar at the beginning of the season. Playing for Spain at the Junior World Championship this summer, Dujshebaev was one of the best players, helped his team to win silver and was selected for the All-star team as best right back. He achieved the same honours at the 2012 Men s 20 EHF EURO at which Spain topped the podium. In the two previous seasons during which he played for BM Aragon Dujshebaev became the Spanish ASOBAL s top scorer on both occasions. Matjaz Brumen right wing The 31-year-old Slovenian is the only Vardar player with a European Cup title under his belt. He won the EHF Champions League with Celje in 2004 and the Challenge Cup with Koper in He has been playing for Slovenian clubs Prule 67, Celje and Koper, but this is the first time he plays outside of his home country. He played for Slovenia at several major tournaments and was part of the team which only narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth at the 2013 World Championship in Spain. 31

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33 HC Metalurg vs THW Kiel First leg Saturday 19 April, hrs. local time in Skopje Second leg Sunday 27 April, hrs. local time in Kiel Both sides had an unexpected free weekend last Saturday and Sunday, as both missed their respective cup finals. THW Kiel were eliminated in the from the German Cup in the Last 16, Metalurg failed to qualify for the SEHA League final event in Novi Sad. However, while Metalurg can fully focus on their second straight VELUX EHF Champions League quarter-final, THW had another top task prior to the first leg in Skopje, as they played Rhein Neckar Löwen in a battle for the top of the Bundesliga on Wednesday. The only time both sides duelled was in the 2008/09 season, when Kiel won both group matches against the Macedonians. Metalurg are the only remaining team in this competition arriving from qualification and they have been greatly helped on their way by current VELUX EHF Champions League top scorer Renato Vugrinec, who struck 85 times in the competition. The duel of the three-time champions (2007, 2010, 2012) against the Macedonian runners-up might be decided in a private duel of two close friends: THW Serbian sniper Marko Vujin and Metalurgs minister of defence, Serbian goalkeeper Darko Stanic. Metalurg mostly focus on defence, while Kiel will try to decide the match by their fast breaks and back court shooters. Both will be missing key players, as Ramus Lauge (THW) and Naumce Mojsovski (Metalurg) are out for the rest of the season due to knee injuries. Everybody knows the strengths of Metalurg. They have beaten Barcelona and they eliminated Kolding with two victories in the last round. We will have to stand the atmosphere in the lion s den of the Boris Trajkovski Arena first, but it is our goal to proceed to Cologne, so we have to beat any opponent on our way there, said THW manager Klaus Elwardt. Metalurg s secretary general Zoran Cvetanovski is optimistic: Kiel is a very famous name in international handball and I think Metalurg deserved to play against such a big name. It ll be two great matches. It s a very good advantage to play the first match at home. At Skopje no visiting team has taken a win home with them. Head-to-head stats THW Kiel GER-HC Metalurg MKD EHF Champions League Group C 37:29 (18:15) HC Metalurg MKD-THW Kiel GER EHF Champions League Group C 25:30 (12:15) All stats by Roy Knoppert Expert s view Francois Xavier Houlet Northern Germany vs Skopje part 2! Happy handball fans of Skopje, since September they have enjoyed a game in Europe s elite competition almost every weekend. After the impressive success against KIF in the Last 16, Metalurg are back in the quarter-finals. The team of the Old Fox Lino Cervar is smart and experienced, which could prove to be decisive over two games. One has to bear in mind the unpredictable goalkeeper Darko Stanic and the competition s top scorer Renato Vugrinec, the 38-year-old who won the trophy 10 years ago with Celje. Their recipe is well-known - hard in defence, while patient and masterful in attack. However, I believe THW Kiel possess the means to clear this hurdle. The German record champions have quickly overcome departures of Omeyer, Narcisse, Ahlm and Ilic and enjoy a very sound season. It is an important factor for Kiel that Aron Palmarson is currently in top shape and can be their key in the final weeks of this season. I give a slight advantage to THW, but watch out for the first leg, as an away win in Skopje seems almost impossible. 33

34 HC Metalurg (MKD) There was a Russian invasion to Skopje over the last summer, but the only big signing for Metalurg was Pavel Atman from Minsk. Lino Cervar s team saw that nobody escaped the group phase unblemished as they beat FC Barcelona on the very last day of the campaign. In their Boris Trajkovski arena they also defeated the second group favourites PSG Handball, but ironically on the same court against the underdogs from Wacker Thun they lost a valuable point, which could have pushed them closer to pot 2. In the competition s first city derby they lost to Vardar, but they struck back swiftly and took both points in the very next round. The club has successfully survived some internal troubles as goalkeeping icon Darko Stanic was suspended by the club and should be ready for another long mission in the knock-out rounds like last season, when they reached the quarter-finals before Kielce brought their campaign to a halt. Their performance against KIF Kolding Kobenhavn in the Last 16 was brilliant as they not only dominated the home court by a great defence, but also won the second leg in Denmark. The 38-year-old Renato Vugrinec completely denied his age scoring 23 goals in two matches on his way to the top of the scoring chart. Playing hall Boris Trajkovski bul. 8 Septemvri bb Skopje FYR Macedonia Capacity: 7,000 Last 16 results First leg: HC Metalurg vs KIF Kolding Kobenhavn 23:17 (14:9) Second leg: KIF Kolding Kobenhavn vs HC Metalurg 26:30 (13:15) GROUP C Final Table: 1. FC Barcelona :256 (92) PSG Handball :288 (27) HC Metalurg :265 (-9) HC Vardar - Skopje :263 (6) HC Dinamo Minsk :295 (-29) 7 6. Wacker Thun :329 (-87) 1 Club Address: HC Metalurg ul. Jane Lukroski Skopje FYR Macedonia Media contact: Zoran Cvetanovski zoran.cvetanovski@gmail.com Online information: Website: Facebook: rkmetalurgofficial Kit colours Light Player shirt: white Player short: black Goalkeeper shirt: yellow/orange/white Dark Player shirt: blue Player short: black Goalkeeper shirt: blue Group Phase results: (W - win, D - draw, L - Thun W23:22 (13:9) vs PSG Handball W28:26 FC Barcelona L17:35 (5:17) vs HC Dinamo Minsk W33:29 (20:18) vs HC Vardar - Skopje L22:27 HC Vardar - Skopje W26:18 (10:12) vs Wacker Thun D24:24 PSG Handball L29:32 HC Dinamo Minsk D23:23 (13:11) vs FC Barcelona W31:29 (15:11) Top scorers: 1. Renato Vugrinec (SLO) Pavel Atman (RUS) Naumce Mojsovski (MKD) Goce Georgievski (MKD) Dejan Manaskov (MKD) 25 Past achievements VELUX EHF Champions League Participations (including 2013/14 season): 6 Quarter-final (1): 2012/13 Last 16 (1): 2011/12 Group Matches (2): 2006/07, 2008/09 Qualification (1): 2010/11 Other 9 participations in other EC Macedonian league: 5 titles (2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) Macedonian Cup winner: 5 times 34

35 HC Metalurg (MKD) Biggest win 32:18 (18:14) v Bjerringbro-Silkeborg DEN (h), Biggest defeat 43:24 (23:12) v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER (a), Longest winning run 4 matches ( ) 4 matches ( ) Longest unbeaten run 4 matches ( ) 4 matches ( ) Longest losing run 8 matches ( ) Longest run without win 8 matches ( ) Most goals 37 v Drammen HK NOR 37:30W (h), Most goals opponent 43 v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 43:24L (a), Most goals both teams 67 v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 43:24L (a), v Drammen HK NOR 37:30W (h), Fewest goals 15 v KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 26:15L (a), Fewest goals opponent 14 v St. Petersburg HC RUS 14:32W (a), Fewest goals both teams 37 v Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb CRO 19:18W (h), VELUX EHF Champions League record MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage Reached 2006/07 RK Metalurg Skopje MKD : th Gr. D 2008/09 HC Metalurg MKD : rd Gr. C 2011/12 HC Metalurg MKD : /8-finals 2012/13 HC Metalurg MKD : /4-finals Total : Current situation in domestic competitions (as of 19 April) Both Metalurg and Vardar join the Macedonian league only in the play-off phase. In the regional SEHA league Metalurg missed the final four tournament as they finished fifth nine points behind fourth Brest and 14 points below the winners of the regular season from Tatran Presov. Injury report Goce Georgievski - strained knee ligaments - doubtful Naumce Mojsovski torn knee ligaments out for season 35

36 HC Metalurg (MKD) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 20 Petar Angelov MKD Goalkeeper 8 Mar Pavel Atman RUS Centre Back 25 May Vancho Dimovski MKD Line Player 4 Apr Goce Georgievski MKD Right Wing 12 Feb Ace Jonovski MKD Left Back 29 Dec Nikola Kedzo CRO Right Back 12 Aug Nikola Kosteski MKD Right Wing 22 Aug Bojan Madjovski MKD Left Wing 8 May Borjan Madjovski MKD Centre Back 8 May Dejan Manaskov MKD Left Wing 26 Aug Martin Manaskov MKD Left Back 7 Jun Igor Mandic BIH Left Back 16 Oct Nikola Markoski MKD Line Player 22 May Velko Markoski MKD Left Back 5 Apr Filip Mirkulovski MKD Centre Back 14 Sep Nikola Mitrevski MKD Goalkeeper 3 Oct Zlatko Mojsoski MKD Right Wing 15 Nov Naumce Mojsovski MKD Centre Back 17 Jun Marko Nelovski MKD Left Back 6 Jun Goce Ojleski MKD Left Wing 10 Oct Dejan Pecakovski MKD Left Back 12 Jan Zharko Peshevski MKD Line Player 11 Apr Darko Stanic SRB Goalkeeper 8 Oct Filip Talevski MKD Left Back 28 Mar Petar Topic CRO Line Player 30 Dec Renato Vugrinec SLO Right Back 9 Jun Serghei Zhedik RUS Left Back 24 Jun

37 Lino Červar coach He was the most successful coach of the Croatian men s national team, becoming Olympic gold medallist in 2004 and world champion in Furthermore he collected several more medals like two WCh silver medals in 2005 and 2009 and EHF EURO silver 2008 and Parallel to his work for the Croatian federation, he was coach of RK Zagreb for a long time. In 2009 he started coaching Metalurg a job he focuses on completely since resigning from the helm of the Croatian national team. Darko Stanić goalkeeper Courtesy of his excellent skills Serbian goalkeeper Darko Stanić, who joined Metalurg in 2011, is referred to as Minister of Defence. Immediately he won the hearts of the fans and coach Lino Červar. At the end of the 2012/13 season Stanić was voted into the VELUX EHF Champions League All-star team, the same award he received at the end of the EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia, where he won the silver medal with the hosts Serbia. While still playing for Koper he won the Challenge Cup in Dejan Manaskov left wing The 21-year-old is the son of Macedonian handball legend Pepe Manaskov. He missed half of the 2012/13 season, including Metalurg s Champions League quarter-finals against Kielce, due to a knee injury. However, he has now fully recovered and is well on his way to again reach his full potential. Before playing at the World Championship in Spain for FYR Macedonia, Manaskov extend his contract with Metalurg until June And this season he will be joined by his younger brother Martin. Pavel Atman left back The arrival of left-back Pavel Atman was a massive transfer coup for Metalurg in summer Together with Naumce Mojsovski and and Renato Vugrinec the 26-year-old Russian will build the Macedonian team s first back court line-up. Atman played for Russian side Kaustik Volgograd and Belarusian team Dinamo Minsk before and now signed a two-year contract with Metalurg. As a national team player for Russia he participated at the 2009 and 2013 World Championships as well as at the EHF EURO Luka Cindric centre back After the playmaking star of both the Macedonian national team and Metalurg Naumce Mojsovski got injured Metalurg management had to act swiftly. Their decision to fill the gap by a rising Criatian talent Luka Cindric quickly proved e the right one as the 20-year old youngster quickly accommodated in the new environment. In the last three rounds of the group phase he scored 15 goals. The 2013/14 is his first season in the European Cups at all as he played two matches in the Challenge Cup for HRK Karlovec before he transferred to Skopje. Vancho Dimovski line player Vancho Dimovski is one of the most experienced players, not only because of his age (34), but also because of his experience of 10 EHF Champions League seasons. Apart from Metalurg he played for Vardar and Slovenian side RK Gold Club Kozina and reached Europe s premier club competition with all three of them. He has won the Macedonian national championship 11 times and finished the past eight seasons with winning at least one title. He was part of Macedonian team that finished 5th at the EHF EURO Renato Vugrinec right back Renato Vugrinec is the only Metalurg player who has won a European Cup title to date as he was a Celje player when they won the EHF Champions League in During the ten seasons he played for the Slovenian side (interrupted by stints at SC Magdeburg and Portland San Antonio) he won eight national championships and five times the national cup, scoring 1,465 goals on the go. With the Slovenian national team he won silver at the 2004 EHF European Championship in his home country. Goce Georgievski right wing Together with Dejan Manaskov, Goce Georgievski is part of a new generation of young players who come from the Metalurg handball school. The 26-year-old played a successful 2012/13 VELUX EHF Champions League season, scoring 38 goals overall. He only started playing handball at the age of 16, but quickly improved his skills and has been part of Metalurg s senior team from 2006 onwards. He was part of the Macedonian national team that finished 14th at the 2013 WCh in Spain. 37

38 THW Kiel (GER) There have might been voices out there among the handball experts that uttered concern about THW Kiel s ability to play yet another dominant season, after the German side had to cope with the departure of French internationals Thierry Omeyer and Daniel Narcisse, Swede Markus Ahlm and Serb Momir Ilic. However, the German national champions proved their critics wrong, not only in the VELUX EHF Champions League, where they topped Group B at the end of the group phase with eight wins from 10 matches, but also in the domestic league in which they equally rank first after two thirds of the season have been played. Head coach Alfred Gislason has once more forged a strong team that is ready to reach the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne for the third consecutive time. To reach the FINAL4 is always one of our main goals. We are a top club in Europe, so we should aim high all the time, says goalkeeper Johan Sjöstrand, one of the players started playing for THW Kiel at the beginning of this season. They were spared a long trip after the first leg match against Motor Zaporozhye was played on the neutral court in Györ, Hungary due to political situation in Ukraine. Kiel won both encounters and for the 17th time they are in the top eight of the continent. Last 16 results First leg: HC Motor Zaporozhye vs THW Kiel 28:31 (14:16) Second leg: THW Kiel vs HC Motor Zaporozhye 40:28 (20:13) Playing hall Sparkassen-Arena-Kiel Europaplatz 1, Kiel Germany Capacity: 10,000 GROUP B Final Table: 1. THW Kiel : KIF Kolding Kobenhavn : KS Vive Targi Kielce : Orlen Wisla Plock :277 (-2) 8 5. FC Porto Vitalis :278 (-37) 5 6. Dunkerque HB G.L :268 (-31) 3 Club Address: THW Kiel Ziegelteich Kiel Germany Media contact: Christian Robohm christian.robohm@thw-handball.de Online information: Website: Facebook:thwhandball Kit colours Light Player shirt: white Player short: white Goalkeeper shirt: green Dark Player shirt: black Player short: black Goalkeeper shirt: red Group Phase results: (W - win, D - draw, L - Orlen Wisla Plock W34:33 (14:14) vs KIF Kolding Kobenhavn W29:26 FC Porto Vitalis W31:27 KS Vive Targi Kielce L29:34 Dunkerque HB Littoral W29:21 (19:13) vs Dunkerque HB Littoral W28:25 (15:12) vs Orlen Wisla Plock W34:25 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn W26:24 (13:13) vs KS Vive Targi Kielce D28:28 (13:16) vs FC Porto Vitalis W30:25 (17:11) Top scorers: 1. Marko Vujin (SRB) Filip Jicha (CZE) Gudjon Sigurdsson (ISL) Niclas Ekberg(SWE) Rene Toft Hansen (DEN) 27 Past achievements VELUX EHF Champions League Participations (including 2013/14 season): 17 Winners (3): 2006/07, 2009/10, 2011/12 Runners-up (3): 1999/2000, 2007/08, 2008/09 Semi-final (3): 1996/1997, 2000/01, 2012/13 Quarter-final (5): 1998/99, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2010/11 Group Phase (2): 1994/95, 1995/96 Other EHF Cup: Winners 1997/98, 2001/02, 2003/04 German league: 18 titles (1957, 1962, 1963, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013) German Cup winners: 9 times 38

39 THW Kiel (GER) Biggest win 26:50 (13:24) v Banik OKD Karvina CZE (a), Biggest defeat 22:13 (12:8) v Badel 1862 Zagreb CRO (a), Longest winning run 10 matches ( ) Longest unbeaten run 17 matches ( ) Longest losing run 3 matches ( ) Longest run without win 3 matches ( ) Most goals 50 v Banik OKD Karvina CZE 26:50W (a), Most goals opponent 44 v FC Barcelona ESP 44:37L (a), Most goals both teams 81 v FC Barcelona ESP 44:37L (a), Fewest goals 18 v Elgorriaga Bidasoa ESP 25:18L (a), Fewest goals opponent 15 v SKA Minsk BLR 15:27W (a), v SKA Minsk BLR 21:15W (h), Fewest goals both teams 35 v Badel 1862 Zagreb CRO 22:13L (a), VELUX EHF Champions League record MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage Reached 1994/95 THW Kiel GER : nd Gr. B 1995/96 THW Kiel GER : nd Gr. A 1996/97 THW Kiel GER : /2-finals 1998/99 TKW Kiel GER : /4-finals 1999/00 THW Kiel GER : Runner-up 2000/01 THW Kiel GER : /2-finals 2002/03 THW Kiel GER : /4-finals 2004/05 THW Kiel GER : /4-finals 2005/06 THW Kiel GER : /4-finals 2006/07 THW Kiel GER : Winner 2007/08 THW Kiel GER : Runner-up 2008/09 THW Kiel GER : Runner-up 2009/10 THW Kiel GER : Winner 2010/11 THW Kiel GER : /4-finals 2011/12 THW Kiel GER : Winner 2012/13 THW Kiel GER : Fourth Place Total : Current situation in domestic competitions (as of 19 April) With five rounds to go to the end of the bundesliga season Kiel are still on the track to defend their titles, although they lost their leading position after a defeat at Rhein Neckar Löwen recently. They are on the same poinst as Löwen with a worse goal difference, but Flensburg are trailing only by one and Hamburg by three points. Kiel s mission in the DHB Cup was over as they were eliminated exactly by Lions in the last 16. Injury report Rasmus Lauge Schmidt torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee out for season Johan Sjöstrand severe brain concussion questionable Christian Sprenger ligament rupture in his right ankle - some chance of playing 39

40 THW Kiel (GER) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 15 Rune Dahmke GER Left Wing 10 Apr Niclas Ekberg SWE Right Wing 23 Dec Wael Jallouz TUN Left Back 3 May Filip Jicha CZE Centre Back 19 Apr Dominik Klein GER Left Wing 16 Dec Moritz Krieter GER Goalkeeper 5 Feb Rasmus Lauge Schmidt DEN Centre Back 20 Jun Tjark Müller GER Centre Back 2 Jun Andreas Palicka SWE Goalkeeper 10 Jul Aron Palmarsson ISL Centre Back 19 Jul Fynn Ranke GER Line Player 5 Jan Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson ISL Left Wing 8 Aug Johan Sjöstrand SWE Goalkeeper 26 Feb Christian Sprenger GER Right Wing 6 Apr Rene Toft Hansen DEN Line Player 1 Nov Marko Vujin SRB Right Back 7 Dec Patrick Wiencek GER Line Player 22 Mar Christian Zeitz GER Right Back 18 Nov

41 Alfreð Gíslason coach The Icelander is the only current coach, who has won the CL with two different clubs - in 2002 with SC Magdeburg and in 2010 and 2012 with THW Kiel. His current team have become five-time German champions, fourtime German cup winners, five-time German supercup winner, two-time EHF Trophy winners, collected an EHF Cup along with an IHF Super Globe title. THW missed only one edition of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 under his leadership. In his active career Gislason played 190 matches for Iceland and became German champion twice with Essen. Johan Sjöstrand goalkeeper Swedish is the new language between the THW goalposts. After Thierry Omeyer returned to Montpellier, Sjöstrand was brought in to replace the legend together with close friend and international colleague Andreas Palicka. Although Sjöstrand is only 27, he has already got a journey through European handball behind him, with spells at Skövde, SG Flensburg-Handewitt, Barcelona and then Danish side Aalborg before his latest move. Gudjón Valur Sigurdsson left wing After only one year away from the Bundesliga, the 2011/12 season was spent at AG København, Sigurdsson returned to Germany again before the start of last season. The former Tusem Essen, VfL Gummersbach and Rhein-Neckar Löwen player had some outstanding performances in Europe and really appeared to have got the joy of playing handball back. With his enormous experience from top handball and his equally large talent, 2008 Olympic silver medallist Sigurdsson is a real key player. Filip Jícha left back The left and centre back was the first Czech player to be World Handball Player of the Year in Jícha, two time VELUX EHF Champions League winner in 2010 and 2012 and was twice top scorer of the competition as well. He is a danger to all defences with his one-against-one action and tough shots, but he is also a strong defender. Jícha was in the only active VELUX EHF FINAL4 participant on Ultimate Selection from 20 years of the EHF Champions League named in June Aron Pálmarsson centre back Despite his young age, this versatile and tactically as well as technically skilled playmaker has actually been with Kiel for four years now. In competition with so many world class backcourt players, match practice was scarce in his first years. However, after the departure of Momir Ilic and Daniel Narcisse, Palmarsson will be more in focus. Palmarsson is expected to become the mastermind of the THW attack with his well-known array of passing and his powerful shots. Rene Toft Hansen line player The Danish international is even better in defence than on the line in attack, but after Marcus Ahlm s departure, the learning period in attack is over for Toft Hansen, who will share the position with Patrick Wiencek. Rene Toft Hansen is a regular in the competition, where he has been playing every year since 2007, with former clubs KIF Kolding and AG København. His greatest personal achievement is an EHF EURO 2012 gold, a tournament in which he was part of the All-Star Team. Marko Vujin right back One year ago the Serbian shooter arrived in Kiel to fill the gap after the departure of Kim Andersson to KIF Kolding. After an uneasy beginning, he grew and grew and the twometre tall right back from Bačka Palanka (Serbia) scored 76 goals in Europe, scoring over 0 for the third year running. Vujin has won six consecutive national championships with Veszprém and Kiel. In the Serbian national team he is one of the stalwarts who were key to winning a silver medal at the EHF EURO Christian Sprenger right wing 31-year-old Sprenger worked under coach Alfred Gislason at former club SC Magdeburg and after seven years, including one EHF Cup title in 2007, the former German international transferred to THW Kiel in Since then, Sprenger has won eleven titles: two CL trophies, three German championships, three German cup titles, the Super Globes and the German super cup twice. His international achievements include selection on the EHF EURO 2012 All-Star team. 41

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43 PSG Handball vs MKB-MVM Veszprém First leg Saturday 19 April, hrs. local time in Paris Second leg Saturday 26 April, hrs. local time in Veszprem They have had several attempts, but every time they left the quarterfinals empty-handed, after elimination by either a Spanish or German team. However, MKB-MVM Veszprém are as strong as ever and are eager to make it to Cologne for the first time. Despite having no German or Spanish opponent this time, the task is anything but easy, as star-studded PSG Handball have had plenty of time to rehearse as a a team since the start of the season. The situation is similar to the Flensburg vs Vardar encounter a debutant will proceed to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 and both sides have never faced before. And: The winner of this encounter will definitely make history, as never before has either a team from France or Hungary reached the season-ending event. The tie will be something very special for Gabor Csaszar, who transferred from Veszprém to Paris last summer. The French champions have already reached their best result in the competition to date by making it to the quarter-finals (after their Last 16 appearance in the 2005/06 season), while the biggest success of Veszprém is still reaching the final in 2002, when they lost against German side SC Magdeburg. Paris only lost one home match in the competition so far (against Barcelona), while Veszprém s only losses came in their previous two away matches (in Zaporozhye and Plock). We aren t really happy. This is one of the strongest teams we could possibly draw. Paris have played excellently. If we could have chosen, we would have picked a different team, admits Veszprém club director Csaba Hajnal. PSG feel the same way as their opponents, but remain confident: They have a huge atmosphere in their arena, which makes it difficult for any team, but we have the quality, individually and collectively, to cause them problems, says PSG manager Bruno Martini, an EHF Champions League winner himself with Montpellier in The situation in their domestic leagues is quite different: While Veszprém are topping the Hungarian table, level in points with their arch rivals Pick Szeged, PSG sit three points below current leaders Dunkerque. Head-to-head stats no previous encounters in the EC competitions Expert s view Francois Xavier Houlet A first appearance at the showcase event is at stake for both. The emerging powerhouse PSG Handball already achieved their minimum goal to qualify for the quarter-finals. Now the question for the French is do we already belong with the best in Europe or not? The star-ensemble have not really convinced yet with seven wins, one draw and four defeats. With Hansen, Narcisse, Abalo, Vori and co. this is certainly a world selection squad, but they have yet to work well as a team. Although PSG s squad has many weapons to beat any opponent, in my eyes I see them as outsiders against Veszprem. The Hungarians want to see Cologne at last. The team seems to be as strong as never, they have the qualities and necessary experience as well. The players know each other and each position is suitably covered with two quality players. And last but not least, they can rely on a fantastic crowd to underline their power on home court. In Veszprem, handball is a religion. Both teams met during pre-season last summer three times. The Hungarians won twice very narrowly, while PSG earned one clear victory. Place your bets no more bets! 43

44 PSG Handball (FRA) Much of the talk going into this season s competition surrounded PSG Handball and their recently assembled collection of superstars. How would the large number of world class players collaborate as a team? Quite well, but far from perfect was the answer. Four points from their first four games, including a home defeat to Barcelona, was not the start many expected. However, four wins on the trot put PSG back in a strong position. Barcelona s established team put the new title contenders firmly in their place with a devastating 38:28 win, with all the damage done in a brilliant first half, but Hansen and co. regained some pride by securing second position with a clear win over Vardar. They have attacking threat in abundance, with clear evidence in their scoring list. Seven players scoring between 30 and 46 goals prove that they rely on no one player at any time and the side are bound to improve as a unit as the season progresses further. The reached their first ever quarter-final in the European top flight after they ousted the Slovenian side Gorenje Velenje mainly thanks to a convincing home victory in the second leg. Last 16 results First leg: RK Gorenje Velenje vs PSG Handball 30:28 (16:13) Second leg: PSG Handball vs RK Gorenje Velenje 34:25 (17:17) Playing hall Halle Georges Carpentier 81 boulevard Massena Paris France Capacity: 4,800 GROUP C Final Table: 1. FC Barcelona :256 (92) PSG Handball :288 (27) HC Metalurg :265 (-9) HC Vardar - Skopje :263 (6) HC Dinamo Minsk :295 (-29) 7 6. Wacker Thun :329 (-87) 1 Club Address: PSG Handball 82 avenue Georges Lafont Paris France Media contact: Louise Cosnard +33 (0) lcosnard@psg.fr Online information: Website: Facebook: PSGHand Group Phase results: (W - win, D - draw, L - loss) vs HC Dinamo Minsk W34:30 HC Metalurg L26:28 HC Vardar - Skopje D24:24 (12:9) vs FC Barcelona L29:33 Wacker Thun W34:28 (16:10) vs Wacker Thun W38:24 Dinamo Minsk W35:29 (19:14) vs HC Metalurg W32:29 FC Barcelona L28:38 (9:19) vs HC Vardar - Skopje W35:25 (15:12) Past achievements VELUX EHF Champions League Participations (including 2013/14 season): 2 Last 16 (1): 2005/06 Other EHF Cup: Quarter-finals 2006/07, Last /04 French league: 1 title (2012/13) French Cup winner: once Kit colours Light Player shirt: white Player short: white Goalkeeper shirt: grey Dark Player shirt: blue Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: grey Top scorers: 1. Marko Kopljar (CRO) Luc Abalo (FRA) Mikkel Hansen (DEN) Fahrudin Melic (MNE) Igor Vori (CRO) 34 44

45 PSG Handball (FRA) Biggest win 38:24 (22:11) v Wacker Thun SUI (h), Biggest defeat 44:28 (22:12) v THW Kiel GER (a), Longest winning run 4 matches ( ) Longest unbeaten run 4 matches ( ) Longest losing run 4 matches ( ) Longest run without win 4 matches ( ) Most goals 38 v Wacker Thun SUI 38:24W (h), Most goals opponent 44 v THW Kiel GER 44:28L (a), Most goals both teams 72 v THW Kiel GER 44:28L (a), Fewest goals 20 v Celje Pivovarna Laško SLO 20:26L (h), v Caja Cantabria Santander ESP 26:20L (a), Fewest goals opponent 18 v HC Banik Karvina CZE 21:18W (h), Fewest goals both teams 39 v HC Banik Karvina CZE 21:18W (h), VELUX EHF Champions League record MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage Reached 1996/97 PSG Asnières FRA : th Gr. D 2005/06 Paris Handball FRA : /8-finals Total : Current situation in domestic competitions (as of 16 April) After 21 rounds the defending French champions rank second with 32 points, three points below the league leaders from Dunkerque. They were suffering from inconsistency especially in away games recently as PSG were winless in their four straight trips from Paris before they won at Nimes. Their progress in the League cup was stopped in the semi-final by St. Raphael, in the French Cup they reached the semi-final after they eliminated Toulouse only on penalty shots. Injury report no injuries reported 45

46 PSG Handball (FRA) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 18 Luc Abalo FRA Right Wing 6 Sep Patrice Annonay FRA Goalkeeper 17 May Ludwig Appolinaire FRA Right Back 27 May Mladen Bojinovic SRB Centre Back 17 Jan Gabor Csaszar HUN Centre Back 16 Jun Ibrahim Diaw FRA Left Back 28 Nov 1979 Kevin Durosier FRA Left Back 14 May 1994 Dylan Garain FRA Left Back 22 Aug Antonio Garcia Robledo ESP Left Back 6 Mar Jakov Gojun CRO Left Back 18 Apr Robert Gunnarsson ISL Line Player 22 May Asgeir Örn Hallgrimsson ISL Right Back 17 Feb Mikkel Hansen DEN Left Back 22 Oct Samuel Honrubia FRA Left Wing 5 Jul Bryan Jabea Njo FRA Goalkeeper 28 Jun 1992 Jordy Jacoby FRA Left Wing 8 Feb Marko Kopljar CRO Right Back 12 Feb Jeffrey M tima FRA Left Wing 16 Jul Steve Marie Joseph FRA Left Wing 3 Jan Fahrudin Melic MNE Right Wing 22 Jul Zacharia N diaye FRA Left Back 2 Jun Daniel Narcisse FRA Centre Back 16 Dec Jordan Nonone FRA Left Back 15 Nov 1993 Axel Rosier FRA Centre Back 20 Feb 1994 Julio Rupaire FRA Line Player 1 Mar Jose Manuel Sierra Mendez ESP Goalkeeper 21 May Boubou Toure FRA Centre Back 29 Jan Igor Vori CRO Line Player 20 Sep

47 Philippe Gardent coach After coaching Chambéry Savoie for 16 years (head coach and before assistant coach) he joined PSG in 2012 with a mission to build-up a team capable of reaching the top of Europe. And right in his first season, the former pivot of the French national team (Olympic bronze medallist) took the French title with PSG. He played for several clubs in Paris winning two champion and two cup winner titles. He had 298 caps in 13 years with France and became world champion in As Chambéry coach he won the league in 2001 and cup in José Manuel Sierra Méndez goalkeeper Born in 1978, Sierra is a top Spanish goalkeeper with fantastic positioning in the goal and great reflexes. Started playing in his local city of Moguer, as it was the sport all his friends practised. Soon FC Barcelona took him in and from there onwards he s collected but titles: 1 in the EHF Cup, 5 ASOBAL leagues, 1 French league, 5 Spanish cups, and many other minor titles. Also he won the gold medal at the WCh held in Spain last January. He has already played 90 games with the Spanish national team. Samuel Honrubia left wing After having played in Montpellier for more than a decade, Samuel Honrubia joined PSG at the start of the 2012/13 season. Once he had arrived at the French capital he immediately showed what he is capable of and why is he is regarded as one of the best left wings in Europe. He is very efficient when it comes to scoring from fast breaks and he also has the capacity to make a difference, due to his fast-pace changing of directions, when it comes to one-on-one situations on limited space. Mikkel Hansen left back The 26-year-old was awarded World Handball Player in 2011, the year he reached the VELUX EHF FINAL4 with AG Kobenhavn. He is the son of former Danish international Flemming Hansen. Having grown into a top class player at Danish side GOG, he played for Barcelona for two seasons before joining AG Kobenhavn in He then joined PSG Handball at the start of the 2012/13 season and after Paris claimed the national championship, Hansen and his teammates are now ready to conquer the EHF Champions League. Daniel Narcisse centre back Daniel Narcisse might well go down in history as one of the most decorated French handball players. Being voted 2012 World Handball Player of the Year seems very to be the right award for a player who has won two Olympic golds, two World Championship titles and two EHF EURO titles in the past decade. His incredible speed and jumping abilities are well to known to any of his opponents. Before joining Paris he played for THW Kiel with whom he won the EHF Champions League in 2010 as well as in Igor Vori line player At 2,03 metres, the tall Croatian line player is a pillar in any team s defence. He has won nearly every title the sport (including Olympic gold in 2004 and the first place at the 2003 World Championship) has on offer, adding the VELUX EHF Champions League trophy to his impressive tally at the end of the past season, when he won the competition s final with HSV Hamburg against FC Barcelona. The move from the eventual EHF Champions League winners to the French capital had already been confirmed in January. Asgeir Örn Hallgrimsson right back After having reached the group phase of the EHF Champions League with his Icelandic club Haukar Hafnafjördur in the 2004/05 season, the Icelandic international with the hard and versatile left-hand shots transferred to German Bundesliga side TBV Lemgo. Two seasons later he joined Danish side GOG Svendborg for three seasons and now plays for the team from the French capital. With Iceland s national team he won silver at the 2008 Olympic Games and bronze at the 2010 EHF EURO in Austria. Luc Abalo right wing The spectacular right wing returned to France the past season from Spanish side Atletico Madrid and immediately showed how much progress he made. During his four seasons in Spain, he learned to channel his energy and reached the final of the EHF Champions League in 2011 and With the French national team he won gold at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and the EHF EURO in 2006 and With his high jumps and all the tricks a winger must have in his bag, he is one of the best on his position 47

48 MKB-MVM Veszprém (HUN) Momir Ilic, who arrived from German national champions THW Kiel at the beginning of the season, promised that MKB-MVM Veszprem would take Europe and in that respect the VELUX EHF Champions League by storm. And the Hungarian side gave everything they had to fulfill the Serbian left back s promises at the start of the competition. With six consecutive wins in the first six matches of the group phase they became the first team to qualify for the Last 16, eventually also securing the top spot in Group A mid-february following 34:27 victory against Zagreb in Round 9. Early in 2014 Veszprem furthermore strengthened their squad with Hungarian international Tamas Mocsai, who returned from German side TSV Hannover Burgdorf to his native country to cover for the injured Laszlo Nagy. However, even the inspirational Nagy has recovered from a knee and shin injury. They faced Orlen Wisla Plock with their former stalwart Nikola Eklemovic in the Last 16. Although they lost the first match in Poland by one goal, they comfortably reached the top eight after beating Plock by five at home. Last 16 results First leg: Orlen Wisla Plock vs MKB-MVM Veszprem 34:33 (16:16) Second leg: MKB-MVM Veszprem vs Orlen Wisla Plock 31:26 (16:11) Playing hall Veszprém Arena Külso Kadartai ut 8200 Veszprém Hungary Capacity: 5,020 GROUP A Final Table: 1. MKB-MVM Veszprém :243 (60) Rhein-Neckar Löwen :252 (53) Celje Pivovarna Lasko :272 (-3) 9 4. HC Motor Zaporozhye :296 (-19) 9 5. HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb :282 (-15) 8 6. St. Petersburg HC :292 (-76) 1 Club Address: MKB-MVM Veszprém Marcius 15. ut Veszprém Hungary Media contact: Zsolt Sevinger mkbveszprem@chello.hu Online information: Website: Facebook: mkbveszprem Kit colours Light Player shirt: white Player short: white Goalkeeper shirt: grey Dark Player shirt: red Player short: red Goalkeeper shirt: black Group Phase results: (W - win, D - draw, L - St. Petersburg HC W28:15 (12:7) vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen W30:29 (17:14) vs HC Motor Zaporozhye W44:27 HC Croatia O. Zagreb W33:22 Celje Pivovarna Lasko W31:26 (15:14) vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko W27:26 (13:10) vs St. Petersburg HC W29:20 Rhein-Neckar Löwen D25:25 (13:12) vs HC Croatia O. Zagreb W34:27 HC Motor Zaporozhye L26:22 (13:13) Top scorers: 1. Momir Ilic (SRB) Renato Sulic (CRO) Laszlo Nagy (HUN) Iman Jamali Moorchegani (IRI) 32 Peter Gulyas (HUN) 32 Past achievements VELUX EHF Champions League Participations (including 2013/14 season): 19 Final (1): 2001/02 Semi-final (2): 2002/03, 2005/06 Quarter-final (9): 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2012/13 Last 16 (2): 1993/94, 2010/11, 2011/12 Group Phase (3): 1994/95, 1995/96, 2007/08 Other Cup Winners Cup: Winners 2007/08, Runners-up 1996/97 Hungarian league: 21 titles (1985, 1986, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) Hungarian Cup winner: 23 times 48

49 MKB-MVM Veszprém (HUN) Club records VELUX EHF Champions League Biggest win 38:17 (18:9) v HC Granitas Kaunas LTU (h), Biggest defeat 30:18 (16:8) v Badel Zagreb CRO (a), Longest winning run 11 matches ( ) Longest unbeaten run 11 matches ( ) Longest losing run 3 matches ( ) Longest run without win 4 matches ( ) Most goals 46 v MSK SIRS Povazska Bystrica SVK 46:26W (h), v MSK SIRS Povazska Bystrica SVK 30:46W (a), Most goals opponent 39 v THW Kiel GER 39:32L (a), Most goals both teams 76 v MSK SIRS Povazska Bystrica SVK 30:46W (a), Fewest goals 15 v TEKA Santander ESP 25:15L (a), Fewest goals opponent 13 v SO Chambery FRA 29:13W (h), v Panellinios AC Athens GRE 19:13W (h), Fewest goals both teams 32 v Panellinios AC Athens GRE 19:13W (h), VELUX EHF Champions League record MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage Reached 1994/95 Fotex Veszprém HUN : rd Gr. A 1995/96 Fotex Veszprém HUN : rd Gr. A 1997/98 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN : /4-finals 1998/99 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN : /4-finals 1999/00 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN : /4-finals 2001/02 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN : Runner-up 2002/03 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN : /2-finals 2003/04 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN : /4-finals 2004/05 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN : /4-finals 2005/06 MKB Veszprém KC HUN : /2-finals 2006/07 MKB Veszprém KC HUN : /4-finals 2007/08 MKB Veszprém KC HUN : rd Gr. F 2008/09 MKB Veszprém KC HUN : /4-finals 2009/10 MKB Veszprém KC HUN : /4-finals 2010/11 MKB Veszprém KC HUN : /8-finals 2011/12 MKB Veszprém KC HUN : /8-finals 2012/13 MKB Veszprém KC HUN : /4-finals Total : Current situation in domestic competitions (as of 19 April) The defending champions topped the ranking of the Hungarian league s regular season. Veszprem won the same amount of points (46 from 24 matches) as Szeged, but thanks to a better aggregate score from their direct encounters (in which they exchanged home wins 23:22 in Szeged and 25:22 in Veszprem) they finished ahead of their arch rivals. Both teams avoided quarter-finals and are directly seeded for semi-finals. In Hungarian Cup Veszprem were directly seeded for the quarter-finals and easily sailed past Cegled to the final 4 tournament, where they beat Gyöngyös in the semi-final and Szeged in the final. Injury report no injuries reported 49

50 MKB-MVM Veszprém (HUN) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 32 Mirko Alilovic CRO Goalkeeper 15 Sep Adam Borbely HUN Goalkeeper 22 Jun Nandor Fazekas HUN Goalkeeper 16 Oct Mate Gulas HUN Centre Back 28 Jun Peter Gulyas HUN Right Wing 4 Mar Norbert Gyene HUN Right Wing 18 Apr 1994 Daniel Horvath HUN Line Player 16 Dec Momir Ilic SRB Left Back 22 Dec Gergö Ivancsik HUN Left Wing 30 Nov Tamas Ivancsik HUN Right Wing 3 Apr Moorchegani I. Jamali IRI Left Back 11 Oct Otto Kancel SVK Left Back 1 Feb Bence Kisek HUN Left Wing 4 Jul 1993 Patrik Ligetvari HUN Right Back 13 Feb 1996 Seyed Alireza Mousavi Ghalehmirz IRI Line Player 27 Apr Laszlo Nagy HUN Right Back 3 Mar Daniel Pocz Nagy HUN Right Back 1 Jun Jose Maria Rodriguez Vaquero ESP Centre Back 5 Jan Carlos Ruesga Pasarin ESP Centre Back 10 Mar Istvan Timuzsin Schuch HUN Line Player 5 Jun Janos-Tamas Stranigg HUN Centre Back 2 Feb Renato Sulic CRO Line Player 12 Oct Laszlo Szeitl HUN Line Player 1 Jun Mirsad Terzic BIH Left Back 12 Jul Cristian Ugalde Garcia ESP Left Wing 19 Oct

51 Carlos Antonio Ortega coach Six-time winner of the CL, five European Cup triumphs, sixtime Spanish champion, 14 different cup titles in Spain, a silver medallist at the EHF EURO 1998 and Olympic bronze medallist in 2000 Ortega s cabinet of medals and trophies is absolutely huge. As a player for Barcelona he won every possible title at least three times. In 2005 he started his coaching career in Antequera, in 2012 he left Spain for the first time to take on the challenge in Veszprém. His team was stopped just in front of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 gates by THW Kiel in the quarter-final. Mirko Alilović goalkeeper Like his predecessor Dejan Perić he belongs to the elite class of goalkeepers who can send the audience to their feet and inspire his teammates. He is a member of the Croatian national team and his medal tally consists of three silver medals (WCh in 2009 and the EHF EURO 2008 and 2010) and two bronze pieces (2012 Olympics and 2013 WCh). In Spain he played an important role as an attack-starter and recorded 11 goal assistances during the WCh. As he played for five years in Asobal he is very familiar with Spanish contingent in Veszprém. Cristian Ugalde left wing Veszprém caught a really big fish in him. He is a player who was brought up by Barcelona and who played regularly in the adult team since he was 18. He excelled at the international level in the 2007/08 season with his 34 goals and the participation in the national team. His biggest success with Barcelona was the CL title in 2011 but he won every possible title with Barca some of them more times. He found a new challenge in Veszprém where he will alter with Gergő Iváncsik who is one of the best players on this position according to Ugalde. Momir Ilić left back He joined the THW Kiel in 2009 from VfL Gummersbach and won seven titles during his four years with THW, including two CL titles. The Serbian left back led his country to their first handball medal as an independent nation at EHF EURO 2012 on the home court where he was selected as the MVP of the tournament. He was just one of many leaving faces in the THW squad last summer. Veszprém expects him to prove his sharpshooting skilles as he stands at the top of the top scorers list of the CL regularly. Chema Rodríguez Vaquero centre back Until 2012 he played only in Spain (Valladolid, Ciudad Real, Atlético Madrid). In 2007 he transferred to Ciudad Real in what was one of the most expensive transfers of the handball history. On the club level he is two-time CL winner and he won the Spanish Championship and the Spanish Cup three times. His accolade at the national team started with silver medal from the EHF EURO in 2006, followed with the third place at the WCh 2011 and most recently with a world champion title in January Renato Sulić line player This is the second stint of the robust Croatian in Veszprém, but in the 2004/05 season he did not have a chance to wear their dress as he was injured in a car incident before his first match. The world champion and EHF EURO silver medallist came back to Veszprém after several years in Zagreb and Celje. During Slavko Goluža s time at the helm he was left out of the squad for the WCh in Spain. After the departure of Marco Oneto he has shared his time on the court with the defensive specialist Timuzsin Schuh, what propelled him among the top scoring pivots of the CL. László Nagy right back He started his career as a basketball player and he was close to move to the USA at the age of 13. At the end he decided for handball and became one of the best right backs of the world. He transferred from Szeged to Barcelona in 2006 and became the captain of the team despite being a foreigner. He was the captain of the national team until 2009 then he made a break and returned in He reached 4th place at the Olympics twice, he was selected in the All Star team of the last WCh and the best right back of the last CL season. Tamás Iváncsik right wing He joined his brother Gergő in Veszprém in 2007 but they had already played together one year earlier in the national team. He suffered a serious injury in January 2012 when the ligament in his left knee was torn and his Olympic dream marred. He decided to resign in the national team afterwards. He performed very well in his club and he was one of the top scorers of the Hungarian Championship. Last season he set his new personal best in the CL as he scored 37 goals. 51

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53 VELUX EHF FINAL4 countdown The VELUX EHF FINAL4 is the culmination of the European club handball season. The two-day event sees the best four men s teams in Europe playing to decide the ultimate winner of the VELUX EHF Champions League. Introduced in the 2009/10 season and to be played until at least 2014 in the LANXESS arena, Cologne, the decision to create a new format for the final phase of the VELUX EHF Champions League was seen as crucial for the growth of handball across Europe. The aim was to create a flagship event, one that could compete on the international sports market and make the Europe s leading club competition even more attractive to fans, partners and sponsors. The success of the first four editions of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 showed that this new format was the right strategy. It has set new standards in organisation and entertainment: it is not just four games played over two days but a true entertainment event. The engagement of a top international act such as EUROPE was a sign too of the direction the event is taking. It is undeniable that the 2013 VELUX EHF FINAL4 was the season s highlight in European handball 20,000 spectators in the LANXESS arena and millions of fans at home watched four unforgettable handball games and a unique entertainment show. Tickets for the 2014 edition of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 went on sale on the opening day of the VELUX EHF FINAL Now, eight months before the participating teams are known, more than of the tickets have already been sold. The success of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 is also thanks to the commitment of a great number of volunteers who have been active on the weekend of the event. The application procedure for next edition has already started and applications are invited also in the area of media. Full information at: 53

54 Media accreditation for VELUX EHF FINAL4 opens With 10 weeks to go before the start of VELUX EHF FINAL4, the final round of the VELUX EHF Champions League, accreditation requests from media representatives are now being accepted. For the fifth time the top event of the club season will take place in the LANXESS arena, Cologne on 31 May and 1 June 2014 and will see the continent s best four teams battling it out over two days to lift the coveted VELUX EHF Champions League trophy. Journalists, photographers, TV and radio representatives can now submit their request for accreditation via an online form at the event s official website. Requests can only be made online. Requests for media accreditation should be made by Friday 9 May at 15.00, almost two weeks after the completion of the quarter-final matches. Media accreditation is only open to professional media representatives working at the event. Freelance media representatives may be asked to provide additional evidence of their work. There are limited places and it may not be possible to accept all requests for an accreditation. Click here to enter the media accreditation page. 54

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