Women's EHF Champions League
2020–21
Tournament information
SportHandball
Dates12 September 2020–30 May 2021
Teams16
Websiteehfcl.com
Final positions
ChampionsNorway Vipers Kristiansand
Runner-upFrance Brest Bretagne Handball
Tournament statistics
Matches played127
Goals scored6963 (54.83 per match)
Attendance58,183 (458 per match)
Top scorer(s)Slovenia Ana Gros
(135 goals)

The 2020–21 Women's EHF Champions League was the 28th edition of Europe's premier club handball tournament, running from 12 September 2020 to 30 May 2021.

There was no defending champion, after the season before was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vipers Kristiansand defeated Brest Bretagne Handball to win their first title.[1]

Because of this pandemic, each local health department allowed a different number of spectators.

Format

The competition began with a group stage featuring 16 teams divided in two groups. Matches were played in a double round-robin system with home-and-away fixtures. In Groups A and B, originally the top two teams would have qualified for the quarterfinals, with teams ranked third to sixth entering the playoffs. After a decision by the EHF, all teams advanced.

The knockout stage included four rounds: the round of 16, quarterfinals, and a final-four tournament comprising two semifinals and the final. The teams were paired against each other in two-legged home-and-away matches, with the aggregate winners qualifying to the next round.

In the final four tournament, the semifinals and the final were played as single matches at a pre-selected host venue.[2]

Team allocation

A total of 21 teams from 15 countries submitted their application for a place in the competition's group stage before the deadline of 10 June 2020.[3] The final list of 16 participants was revealed by the EHF Executive Committee on 19 June.[4]

Croatia Podravka Vegeta Denmark Team Esbjerg Denmark Odense Håndbold France Metz Handball
France Brest Bretagne Handball Germany Borussia Dortmund Germany SG BBM Bietigheim Hungary Győri Audi ETO KC
Hungary FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria Montenegro ŽRK Budućnost Norway Vipers Kristiansand Romania SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea
Romania CSM Bucureşti Russia Rostov-Don Russia CSKA Moscow Slovenia Krim Mercator
Wildcard rejection
Czech Republic DHK Baník Most North Macedonia ŽRK Kumanovo Norway Storhamar Håndball Elite Sweden H 65 Höör
Turkey Kastamonu Bld. GSK

Group stage

The draw was held on 1 July 2020 at the EHF headquarters in Vienna, Austria.[4][5] The 16 teams were drawn into two groups of eight, with the restriction that teams from the same national association could not be drawn into the same group.[6]

In each group, teams play against each other in a double round-robin format, with home and away matches. After completion of the group stage matches, the top two teams from each group would have qualified directly for the quarterfinals, and the four teams ranked 3rd–6th advance to the playoffs, but on 10 February 2021, it was announced that all 16 teams advance from the group stage.[7]

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts ROS MET BUC FER VIP ESB KRI BIE
1 Russia Rostov-Don 14 10 1 3 331 308 +23 21 30–26 0–10 26–24 10–0 28–24 23–23 27–21
2 France Metz Handball 14 10 0 4 389 354 +35 20 27–26 25–22 30–29 28–29 31–29 33–27 36–27
3 Romania CSM Bucureşti 14 8 1 5 331 309 +22 17 22–27 31–26 25–19 22–29 28–26 22–22 10–0
4 Hungary FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria 14 8 0 6 386 378 +8 16[lower-alpha 1] 25–26 32–30 31–27 30–28 24–28 32–25 24–35
5 Norway Vipers Kristiansand 14 7 2 5 327 320 +7 16[lower-alpha 1] 23–24 0–10 30–25 26–31 28–28 37–30 10–0
6 Denmark Team Esbjerg 14 5 2 7 374 351 +23 12 24–25 25–28 29–30 21–24 27–27 33–23 37–29
7 Slovenia RK Krim Mercator 14 2 3 9 325 375 50 7 28–27 22–26 23–25 26–32 26–27 0–10 28–26
8 Germany SG BBM Bietigheim 14 1 1 12 318 386 68 3 31–32 25–33 22–32 25–29 29–33 26–33 22–22
Source: EHF
Notes:
  1. 1 2 FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria 61–54 Vipers Kristiansand

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts GYO MOS BRE ODE BUD VAL DOR KOP
1 Hungary Győri Audi ETO KC 14 10 4 0 457 353 +104 24 31–24 27–27 32–25 34–29 38–31 38–25 43–28
2 Russia CSKA Moscow 14 11 1 2 404 350 +54 23 27–27 25–24 27–23 27–23 30–20 35–28 30–26
3 France Brest Bretagne Handball 14 6 5 3 384 349 +35 17 25–25 28–30 32–21 28–28 28–21 33–33 32–25
4 Denmark Odense Håndbold 14 6 1 7 384 370 +14 13 32–32 26–25 24–31 30–21 25–26 32–27 35–20
5 Montenegro Budućnost 14 5 2 7 363 377 14 12 21–26 22–25 22–22 27–24 29–28 31–27 33–26
6 Romania SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea 14 5 0 9 263 319 56 10 20–37 24–34 10–0 21–30 25–23 0–10 0–10
7 Germany Borussia Dortmund 14 4 1 9 347 391 44 9 24–34 28–29 29–41 32–24 26–28 0–10 32–31
8 Croatia HC Podravka Vegeta 14 2 0 12 326 419 93 4 15–33 20–26 29–33 17–33 29–26 25–27 25–26
Source: EHF

Note All matches ending with a 10–0 results were assessed by the EHF.[8]

Knockout stage

Originally, the top six teams advanced but on 10 February 2021, after a decision by the EHF Executive Committee, it was announced that all 16 teams advance from the group stage.[7]

Round of 16

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea Romania 51–54 Romania CSM Bucureşti 24–33 27–21
Team Esbjerg Denmark 54–63 France Brest Bretagne Handball 27–33 27–30
ŽRK Budućnost Montenegro 50–48 Hungary FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria 22–19 28–29
Vipers Kristiansand Norway 65–62 Denmark Odense Håndbold 35–36 30–26
Podravka Vegeta Croatia 44–71 Russia Rostov-Don 20–29 24–42
SG BBM Bietigheim Germany 48–69 Hungary Győri Audi ETO KC 20–37 28–32
Borussia Dortmund Germany 0–20[note 1] France Metz Handball 0–10 0–10
Krim Mercator Slovenia 46–47 Russia CSKA Moscow 25–20 21–27

Quarterfinals

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
CSM București Romania 51–51 (a) Russia CSKA Moscow 32–27 19–24
Brest Bretagne Handball France 60–50 France Metz Handball 34–24 26–26
ŽRK Budućnost Montenegro 40–54 Hungary Győri Audi ETO KC 19–30 21–24
Vipers Kristiansand Norway 57–50 Russia Rostov-Don 34–27 23–23

Final four

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
29 May
 
 
Hungary Győri Audi ETO KC23 (2)
 
30 May
 
France Brest Bretagne Handball (Pen)23 (4)
 
France Brest Bretagne Handball28
 
29 May
 
Norway Vipers Kristiansand34
 
Norway Vipers Kristiansand33
 
 
Russia CSKA Moscow30
 
Third place
 
 
30 May
 
 
Hungary Győri Audi ETO KC32
 
 
Russia CSKA Moscow21

Final

30 May 2021
18:00
Brest Bretagne Handball France 28–34 Norway Vipers Kristiansand László Papp Budapest Sports Arena, Budapest
Attendance: 2,300
Referees: Năstase, Stancu (ROU)
Gros 8 (14–18) Reistad 12
Yellow card number 2 in light blue rounded square Report Yellow card number 2 in light blue rounded square

Top goalscorers

Rank Player Club Goals[10]
1 Slovenia Ana Gros France Brest Bretagne Handball 135
2 Romania Cristina Neagu Romania CSM Bucureşti 115
3 Norway Veronica Kristiansen Hungary Győri Audi ETO KC 97
4 Montenegro Jovanka Radičević Montenegro ŽRK Budućnost 94
5 Croatia Dejana Milosavljević Croatia RK Podravka Koprivnica 88
Norway Henny Reistad Norway Vipers Kristiansand
7 Norway Stine Bredal Oftedal Hungary Győri Audi ETO KC 87
8 Netherlands Lois Abbingh Denmark Odense Håndbold 84
France Estelle Nze Minko Hungary Győri Audi ETO KC
10 Denmark Mette Tranborg Denmark Team Esbjerg 77

Awards

The all-star team was announced on 28 May 2021.[11]

PositionPlayer
GoalkeeperFrance Amandine Leynaud (Győri Audi ETO KC)
Right wingHungary Viktória Lukács (Győri Audi ETO KC)
Right backNorway Nora Mørk (Vipers Kristiansand)
Centre backNorway Stine Bredal Oftedal (Győri Audi ETO KC)
Left backRomania Cristina Neagu (CSM Bucureşti)
Left wingMontenegro Majda Mehmedović (ŽRK Budućnost)
PivotFrance Pauletta Foppa (Brest Bretagne Handball)
Final four MVPNorway Henny Reistad (Vipers Kristiansand)
Best defenderBrazil Eduarda Amorim (Győri Audi ETO KC)
Best young playerNorway Henny Reistad (Vipers Kristiansand)
Best coachNorway Ole Gustav Gjekstad (Vipers Kristiansand)

See also

Notes

  1. The matches, scheduled for 12 and 14 March 2021, were assessed by the EHF after Dortmund did not travel to France.[9]

References

  1. "Superb Vipers celebrate first Champions League title". eurohandball.com. 30 May 2021.
  2. Competition system
  3. "21 teams eye a place in the new season". ehfcl.com. 10 June 2020.
  4. 1 2 "EXEC finalises the list of teams for the DELO EHF Champions League 2020/21". ehfcl.com. 19 June 2020.
  5. "Group phase draw sets the path for all teams". eurohandball.com. 1 July 2020.
  6. "Four pots for the group phase draw announced". ehfcl.com. 22 June 2020.
  7. 1 2 "EHF adapts playing schedule for EHF Champions League". eurohandball.com. 10 February 2021.
  8. "DELO EHF Champions League: Assessment of non-played matches". eurohandball.com. 10 February 2021.
  9. "Court of Handball rules on Dortmund vs Metz play-offs". eurohandball.com. EHF. 14 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  10. Goalscorers
  11. "Fan favourite Oftedal leads Györ quartet in All-star Team". European Handball Federation. 28 May 2021.
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