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Media Information VELUX EHF Champions League Season 2015/16

Group Phase VELUX EHF Champions League 2015/2016 OFFICIAL PROGRAMME

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V11944-045_003_EHF_ad_Handle-as-you-like_A4_urls_English_2015.indd 1 28-08-2015 14:27:11 Table of contents Foreword 6

Media contacts 7

Map of participating clubs 8

Playing system diagrams - stages and dates 9

Where to follow - live ticker, live streaming, EHF_live 11

List of TV stations 13 ehfTV.com relaunches, first MOTWs announced 14

VELUX EHF FINAL4 countdown 16

Ticket partners for VELUX EHF FINAL4 announced 18

Qualification review 19

Facts & Figures of the Group Phase 20

Important regulations - scoring of matches and ranking 23

GROUP A

Preview 25

Head-to-heads in the EC 26

THW Kiel 30

MVM Veszprem 34

Paris Saint-Germain 38

RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko 42

Orlen Wisla Plock 46

HC Prvo Plinarsko Drustvo Zagreb 50

Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu 54

SG Flensburg-Handewitt 58

GROUP B

Preview 63

Head-to-heads in the EC 64

FC Lassa 67

KS Vive Tauron 71

HC Vardar 75

KIF Kolding Kobenhavn 79

MOL-Pick Szeged 83

Rhein-Neckar Löwen 87

IFK Kristianstad 91

Montpellier HB 94

4 Table of contents

GROUP C

Preview 99

Head-to-heads in the EC 100

Naturhouse La Rioja 101

HC Meshkov Brest 105

Chekhovskie Medvedi 109

Futebol Clube do Porto 113

HC Vojvodina 117

Tatran Presov 120

GROUP D

Preview 125

Head-to-heads in the EC 126

HC Metalurg 127

Skjern Handbold 131

HC Motor Zaporozhye 135

Kadetten Schaffhausen 139

HCM Baia Mare 143

Elverum Handball Herrer 146

HISTORY

2014/15 Top scorers 150

2014/15 All- Team 150

Past winners 151

History of the EHF Champions League 152

All-time club standings 154

5 Foreword

Dear handball friends,

On behalf of the European Handball Federation, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Group Phase of the VELUX EHF Champions League 2015/16. As we enter the opening stages of the 23rd season, we are looking forward to a fresh challenge for Europe’s top teams as a new playing system has been introduced with more teams and many more tough and exciting matches for fans to enjoy.

Starting the season are 28 of the continent’s leading teams, the expanded field representing 20 countries from across Europe. , , , Hungary, FYR Macedonia and each have two teams in the competition this season, whilst Germany is the only country represented by three clubs. Thanks to the expanded number of participants, fans can look forward to a record-breaking number of 176 matches in the Group Phase, which is an increase of 56 games compared to last season.

The VELUX EHF Champions League is a living product, and as such it needs to adapt and change over time, which is why it was decided introduce these important changes this season. The new system will involve more teams and more markets whilst at the same time creating a playing modus that produces close matches throughout the competition.

Sixteen teams will compete in Groups A and B in the new playing system, while Groups C and D contain six teams each. The best two teams from C and D will make it through to the Last 16 where they will join the teams placed two to six from Groups A and B. The two group winners qualify directly for the quarter-finals stage.

There are five clubs in the competition with a EHF Champions League title to their name. The defending champions and record winners, FC Barcelona Lassa, will launch their new campaign in Group B together with the 2002/03 trophy holders , whilst three-time winners THW Kiel will play in Group A with 2013/14 champions, SG Flensburg-Handewitt, and the 2003/04 winners Celje Pivovarna Lasko.

IFK Kristianstad, Vojvodina, HCM Baia Mare and the qualifier Elverum will also make their premiere amongst the heavyweights of European handball, but there will be no time for the newcomers to find their feet with tough clashes promised right from the very first round.

The dream of Cologne and the VELUX EHF FINAL4 may seem a distant one as the season throws off but there is much to look forward to over the months ahead. I wish all teams the very best of luck on their VELUX EHF Champions League journey and wish you, the fans, a very enjoyable season!

Jean Brihault EHF President

6 EHF/M media contacts Media matters TV and Radio

Vlado Brindzak Miguel Mateo Marcellan Media and Communications Media Manager European Handball Federation EHF Marketing GmbH +43 1 80 151 161 +43 1 80 151 224 [email protected] [email protected]

Clubs media contacts

GROUP A GROUP B GROUP C GROUP D

THW Kiel (GER) FC Barcelona Lassa (ESP) Naturhouse La Rioja (ESP) HC Metalurg (MKD) Christian Robohm Gustau Galvache Jaime Luis Gonzalez Gutierrez Ana Neloska +49 1635306300 +34 618522789 +34 63 77 66 107 +389 723 103 98 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Veszprém HC (HUN) KS Vive Tauron Kielce (POL) HC Meshkov Brest (BLR) Skjern Handbold (DEN) Zsolt Sevinger Sebastian Kozubek Alexandr Kulbaka Jette Alstrup +36 305024547 +48 505031244 +375 29 350 74 79 +45 606 602 59 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Paris Saint-Germain Handball (FRA) HC Vardar (MKD) Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS) HC Motor Zaporozhye (UKR) Louise Cosnard Marko Savovski Olga Belysheva Dmitriy Karpushchenko +33 675 591 939 +389 75 200 088 +7 909 6391 839 +380 50 5581181 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO) KIF Kolding Kobenhavn (DEN) Futebol Clube do Porto (POR) (SUI) Nejc Ajdnik Thomas Christensen Joana Moreira Barbara Imobersteg +386 40687766 +45 22 629062 +351 22 508 32 68 +41 787203247 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Orlen Wisla Płock (POL) MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN) HC Vojvodina (SRB) HCM Baia Mare (ROU) Tomasz Bauman Levente Juhasz Dan Fracile Paul Ursachi Tel: +48 723 100 787 +36 70 543 0979 +381 65 861 8533 +40 757 275 832 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

HC PPD Zagreb (CRO) Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) Tatran Presov (SVK) Elverum Handball Herrer (NOR) Goran Roknic Christopher Monz Branko Benko Erik Henriksen +385 95 9999 334 +491744288849 +421 911 620435 +47 400 21299 glasnogovornik@rk‐zagreb.hr [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu (TUR) IFK Kristianstad (SWE) Berk Karahan Anders Hallengren +90 535 358 8747 +46 734 33 11 88 [email protected] [email protected]

SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) Montpellier HB (FRA) Sandra von Wallis Suzy Demonte +49 4611609625 +33 499 610 358 [email protected] [email protected]

7 HUN ROU MOL-Pick MOL-Pick HC Motor Szeged, HUN Szeged, SVK Veszprem HC, Veszprem HCM Baia Mare, HCM Baia Mare, Kielce, POL Kielce, Zaporozhye, UKR Zaporozhye, Kulubu, TUR Kulubu, Chekhovskie Medvedi, RUS Medvedi, KS Vive Tauron Vive KS Tatran Presov, Tatran HC Vojvodina HC Vojvodina , SRB Novi Besiktas Jimnastik Besiktas Brest, BLR Brest, HC Meshkov MKD HC Vardar Plock, POL Plock, MKD Orlen Wisla HC Metalurg, HC Metalurg, GER THW Kiel, THW RK Borac m:tel m:tel RK Borac Banja Luka, BIH Banja Luka, SWE IFK Kristianstad, HC PPD Zagreb,CRO Lasko, SLO Lasko, PRVO PLINARSKO DRUŠTVO PLINARSKO PRVO RUKOMETNI KLUB RUKOMETNI ZAGREB RK Celje Pivovarna RK Celje SG Flensburg- Handewitt, GER Handewitt, Alpla Herrer, NOR Herrer, HC Hard, AUT HC Hard, Elverum Handball Elverum Skjern Skjern Handbold, DEN Kadetten Schaffhausen, SUI Schaffhausen, KIF Kolding KIF NED Kobenhavn, DEN Kobenhavn, OCI-Lions, OCI-Lions, Lassa, ESP Lassa, FC Barcelona FC Naturhouse La Rioja, ESP Löwen, GER Löwen, HB, FRA Rhein-Neckar Handball, FRA Montpellier Montpellier Saint-Germain Paris VELUX EHF FINAL4 EHF FINAL4 VELUX Host City Cologne, GER GER Cologne, City Host Clube Futebol do Porto, POR do Porto, Groups A&B teams Groups C&D teams Groups in qualification eliminated Teams 8 VELUX EHF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE VELUX Season 2015/16 Season

vs vs vs vs place match rd 3 Final Semi-nals (draw) 28.-29.05.2016 FINAL4 B1 A1 M1 M2 vs vs vs vs M4 M3 M5 M6 Quarter-nals (no draw) first leg 20.-24.04.2016 leg second 27.04-01.05.2016 Quarter-nals B2 B3 B4 A4 A2 A3 vs vs vs vs vs vs bye bye B1 B5 K1 B6 A1 K2 A5 Last 16 Last 16 (no draw) first leg 16.03.-20.03.2016 leg second 23.03.-27.03.2016 M1 M2 M3 M5 M4 M6 C1 D1 Season 2015/16 playing schedule playing Season 2015/16 vs vs Group A & B only KO Group C & D KO Group C & D Group A & B only Group A & B and Group A & B and C2 D2 K1 K2 Group Phase MatchesKO (no draw) 25.-29.11.2015 25.-29.11.2015 02.-06.12.2015 10.-14.02.2016 17.-21.-02.2016 24.-28.02.2016 02.-06.03.2016 B1 B7 B2 B5 B3 B6 B4 B8 D1 D2 D3 D5 D4 D6 A1 C1 A6 C6 C2 A4 C4 A8 C5 A2 C3 A5 A3 Group Phase Groups A & B (draw) Group Phase Groups C & D (draw) Group Phase 16.-20.09.2015 23.-27.09.2015 30.09.-04.10.2015 07.-11.10.2015 14.-18.10.2015 21.-25.10.2015 11.-15.11.2015 18.-22.11.2015

(no draw) Qualication Qualication Tournament playing systemplaying Season 2015/16 QualicationTournament 05.-06.09.2015

9 VELUX EHF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2015/16 Qualification Tournament Group Phase Last 16 Quarterfinals FINAL4 16.-20.09.15 (1); 23.-27.09.2015 (2); 05./06.09.2015 30.09.-04.10.2015 (3); 07.-11.10.2015 (4) 16.-20.03.2016 20.-24.04.2016 28./29.05.2016 tournament 14.-18.10.2015 (5); 21.-25.10.2015 (6) first leg first leg tournament 11.-15.11.2015 (7); 18.-22.11.2015 (8) played in semi finals and finals 25.-29.11.2015 (9); 02.-06.12.2015 (10) 23.-27.03.2016 27.04.-01.05.2016 played in in one venue 10.-14.02.2016 (11 - A/B); 17.-21.02.2016 (12 -A/B) second leg second leg semi finals and finals 24.-28.02.2016 (13); 02.-06.03.2016 (14) in Cologne

DRAWS: 26 June 2015 in Vienna/AUT 26 June 2015 in Vienna/AUT no draw no draw 03.05.2016 Group A and B (16 teams) 12 teams 8 teams 4 teams 2 groups with 8 teams

1 GER 1 THW Kiel 2 ESP 1 FC Barcelona Lassa 3 HUN 1 MKB-MVM Veszprem 4 POL 1 KS Vive Tauron Kielce 5 MKD 1 HC Vardar 6 FRA 1 Paris Saint Germain HB 7 DEN 1 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn 8 SLO 1 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko 9 HUN 2 MOL-Pick Szeged 10 POL 2 Orlen Wisla Plock 11 CRO 1 HC PPD Zagreb 12 GER 2 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 13 SWE 1 IFK Kristianstad 14 TUR 1 Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu 15 FRA 2 Montpellier HB 16 GER 3 SG Flensburg-Handewitt Group C and D (12 teams) 2 groups with 6 teams 1 ESP 2 Naturhouse La Rioja 2 MKD 2 HC Metalurg 3 DEN 2 Skjern Handball 4 BLR 1 HC Meskov Brest 5 RUS 1 Chekhovskie medvedi 6 UKR 1 HC Motor

7 SUI 1 Kadetten Schaffhausen KO matches from Group C D and qualify for the Last 16

8 POR 1 Futebol Clube do Porto Quarterfinals League Champions EHF VELUX of Winners 4 9 ROU 1 HCM Baia Mare 1st placed team of qualify B Groupand A directly for the Quarterfinals; 10 SRB 1 Vojvodina 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th 6th and placed team of as well B Groupand A as winners of 11 SVK 1 Tatran Presov 12 NOR 1 Elverum Handball Herrer B + A Group of Winners 2 + 16 Last League Champions EHF VELUX of Winners 6 13 AUT 1 ALPLA HC Hard 14 BIH 1 RK Borac m:tel the Winner of Winner of tournament 15 NED 1 OCI/Lions Qualification

1 group with 4 teams 4th placed team of CL Qualification Tournament goes to EHF 1st and 2nd placed team of CL Group Phase Group C Cup Qualification Rd 2, and D play Group KO matches. Winners of these 2nd and 3rd placed team of CL Qualification Tornament go to matches qualify for L16 EHF Cup Qualification Rd 3

status: 24.06.2015 EHF Champions League information

New ways to follow the VELUX EHF Champions League Accreditation for Group Phase

When Elverum Handball Herrer face OCI-Lions in the opening semi- The written media and photographer’s accreditation procedure in the final of the VELUX EHF Champions League Qualification Tournament Group Phase is entirely in the responsibility of the participating clubs. on Saturday at 17:30 CET, the live stream on ehfTV.com will not be TV and Radio accreditations are subject to approval by EHF Marketing the only way fans can follow the action. GmbH – please contact Miguel Mateo Marcellán.

The tournament in Banja Luka will be covered on a variety of Online information platforms, ensuring that anyone interested will not miss a beat, wherever they are. www.ehfCL.com www.ehfTV.com The EHF Live Ticker will track the scores of all four matches this www.ehfFINAL4.com weekend and for the rest of the season. Every goal, missed shot Regulations of the VELUX EHF Champions League and yellow card will be documented and live statistics made Twitter:@ehf , @ehfcl available online for the first time at this stage of Europe’s elite club Facebook: ehf.champions.league competition.

EHF Live launched Official name

The EHF’s social media channels will provide a very different view of The official name of the competition is: VELUX EHF Champions the chase for the final group phase place. League. The full name of the competition should always be used. VELUX and the three letter abbreviation for the European Handball As well as the coverage on the EHF Champions League Facebook page Federation should always be displayed in capital letters before the and Instagram EHF journalist Nemanja Savic will be on site to launch name of the competition. coverage of the matches, reserved typically for the final weekends of major competitions, on two new channels. Please note: If the season is required, it has to be positioned after “Champions League” e.g. VELUX EHF Champions League 2014/15. The This season fans can follow the @EHF_Live Twitter account to keep up wording “Champions League” should be written with a capital letter to date with all aspects of the event and add EHF_Live on Snapchat at the beginning of each word, i.e. Champions League. The remaining for a behind the scenes look. Team line-ups and match reports letters should be in lower case. The word Champions does not have an apostrophe after the ‘s’. Online match reports

From the opening matches of the season, the complete team line-up is available online at eurohandball.com and available to download as a PDF document. The change has been made possible thanks to the introduction of a new online solution, which sees the EHF match delegate complete the final team line-up immediately after the technical meeting. This development means that team line-ups are available for commentators and reporters hours before each match throws-off.

A further change means that a short time after each match, a completed match report will also be available online with details such as goal scorers and number of spectators.

Team line-ups and match reports can be viewed by clicking on a particular match on the eurohandball.com or ehfCL.com websites. The online system is also under further development with the ultimate aim being to provide live scores and statistics from EHF competitions and to be available on the EHF website.

11 Hol Dir Sky und freu Dich auf die VELUX EHF Champions League.

Erlebe alle Spiele der deutschen Teams sowie das VELUX EHF FINAL4 live, exklusiv und in HD. sky.de/sports

VELUX EHF FINAL4 Champions League, outdoor stände © Philipp Guelland

POS_Anz_Handball_A4.indd 1 03.09.15 14:00 TV stations to broadcast matches all over the world

The matches of the upcoming season will be shown live or delayed almost all over the world. Not less than 47 TV stations will broadcast matches live or delayed.

Only in Europe fans will be able to watch matches in 30 countries, but also the handball TV audience in America (USA and Brazil), Asia and Africa (countries of Middle East and North Africa, Malaysia and Singapore) can look forward to a television coverage.

See the list of TV stations and countries below:

EUROPE • ISR Sport / Sport 1 • SRB • BEL Eleven Sports • ITA sportitalia • SUI Teleclub • BIH Arena Sport • MKD MKRTV • SVK/CZE Sport 1 • BLR BYRBCT 5 • MKD Arena Sport • SWE Viasat 10 • CRO HRT • MNE Arena Sport • TUR Dsmart • CRO Arena Sport • NOR Viasat Sport • UKR Xsport • DEN DR • POL NC+ AMERICA • BRA Esporte Interactivo • ESP TV3 Catalunya • POR Sport TV Portugal • USA beIN Sports USA • ESP TVE/ teledeporte • POR Porto TV ASIA • FRA beIN Sports 1/ 3 • ROU Digisport Romania • MENA beIN Sports MENA • GER Sky Germany • ROU Dolce Sport • MYS Eleven Sports • GRE OTE • RUS NTv+ Sport • SGP Eleven Sports • HUN sport1/2 • SLO Sport TV • ISL STod2 • SRB RTS

13 Important regulations

Scoring of the matches and ranking

General Group Phase KO matches

All matches of the VELUX EHF Champions League shall be played in 2 If, after the completion of the two matches, both clubs have won x 30 minutes with a half-time break of 10 minutes. The EHF reserves the same number of points (no extra time will be played), the teams’ the right to extend the half-time break in special circumstances to 15 standings shall be determined by the following criteria: minutes. a) goal difference b) higher number of plus goals scored in away match The matches shall be scored as follows: c) penalty throws a) win = 2 points b) draw = 1 point Rules of execution of penalty throws c) loss = 0 points - Prior to the penalty throws, each team shall name five players Teams’ rankings are obtained by adding up the number of points won. 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 Group Phase with their opponents. Each team is free to determine the sequence in which throwers take their throws. If two or more teams have scored the same number of points, the ranking will be determined as follows: - The goalkeepers may be freely selected from the match report and exchanged in accordance with the Rules of the Game. Goalkeepers During the Group Phase: may take throws and throwers may perform as goalkeepers. a) higher goal difference in all matches; b) higher number of plus goals in all matches; - The referees shall choose the goal at which throws are taken. The team taking the first penalty throw shall be determined by the After completion of the Group Phase if two teams have scored the referees by drawing lots. The team winning the draw may choose same number of points: whether it wishes to throw first or last. a) number of points in matches of the two teams directly involved; b) goal difference in matches of the two teams directly involved; - If the scores are equal after the first round of penalty throws, it c) higher number of goals scored in the away match of the two shall be continued until a decision is reached. In the second round, teams directly involved; the other team shall start. Again five players shall be named who are d) goal difference in all matches of the group; eligible to play (the players named before may be named once again). e) higher number of plus goals in all matches of the group; - In the second round, a decision is reached when a goal difference After completion of the Group Phase if three or more teams have arises after both teams have taken one throw each. scored the same number of points: a) number of points in matches of all teams directly involved; - Eligible players are players entered in the match report that have b) goal difference in matches of all teams directly involved; not been disqualified or suspended at the time of the final whistle. c) higher number of plus goals in matches of all teams directly involved; - Serious infractions committed during penalty throws shall be d) goal difference in all matches of the group; sanctioned by disqualification. If a thrower is disqualified or suffers an e) higher number of plus goals in all matches of the group; injury, an eligible substitute player shall be named.

If the ranking of one of these teams is determined, the criteria are - While the throws are being taken, only the player taking the throw, consecutively followed until the ranking of all teams is determined. the current goalkeeper and the referees may enter the respective half of the playing court. If no ranking can be determined, a decision shall be obtained by drawing lots. Lots shall be drawn by the EHF, if possible in the - If the number of eligible players falls below five, players may be presence of a representative of each club. named to take a second throw in the same round.

14 Relaunch

>> Compatible with smartphones and tablets >> New design and user-friendly menu >> All matches of the VELUX EHF Champions League and Women’s EHF Champions League live and on-demand >> Additional matches from EHF competitions incl. EHF EURO events

ehfTV.com VELUX EHF FINAL4 countdown

The VELUX EHF FINAL4 is the culmination of the European club millions of fans at home watched four unforgettable handball games handball season. The two-day event sees the best four men’s teams and a unique entertainment show. in Europe playing to decide the ultimate winner of the VELUX EHF Champions League. Tickets for the 2015 edition of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 went on sale on the opening day of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 2014. Now, eight months Introduced in the 2009/10 season and to be played until at least 2020 before the participating teams are known, only a very limited number in the LANXESS arena, Cologne, the decision to create a new format of tickets remain. for the final phase of the VELUX EHF Champions League was seen as crucial for the growth of handball across Europe. The success of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 is also thanks to the commitment of a great number of volunteers who have been active The aim was to create a flagship event, one that could compete on on the weekend of the event. The application procedure for next the international sports market and make the Europe’s leading club edition has already started and applications are invited also in the competition even more attractive to fans, partners and sponsors. area of media.

The success of the first six editions of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 showed Full information at: www.ehfFINAL4.com that this new format was the right strategy. It has set new standards in organisation and entertainment: it is not just four games played VELUX EHF FINAL4 Media Accreditation over two days but a true entertainment event. The accreditation procedure of media representatives for the VELUX Yet again the 2015 VELUX EHF FINAL4 was the season’s highlight in EHF FINAL4 will start in March 2016. European handball – 20,000 spectators in the LANXESS arena and

16 ATMOSPHERE · SHOW · EXCITEMENT · YOUR THRILLING EXPERIENCE

The VELUX EHF FINAL4 is the most popular handball event for fans from all over Europe – 19,750 spectators are again expected in Cologne in May 2016. VELUX EHF Do you want to be part of this gigantic event? Book your personal VIP arrangement via phone +43 1 80 151 216 FINAL4 2016 or via email 28 / 29 May 2016 LANXESS arena Cologne [email protected].

@ehfcl und #EHFFINAL4 www.facebook.com/ehf.champions.league www.ehfFINAL4.com VELUX EHF FINAL4 travel and ticket partners announced

With over 12,000 tickets already sold for the next edition of the VELUX EHF FINAL4, those unlucky enough not yet to have secured their place in the LANXESS arena, Cologne on 28/29 May 2016 have been waiting for a chance to buy their ticket.

The event’s organiser, EHF Marketing GmbH, has released details of the first of its official travel and ticket partners, through which fans will be able to purchase not just tickets but also hotel and travel packages.

The first nine official partners covering Germany, France, , Denmark, Hungary and Switzerland have been announced, and will be offering complete packages for fans wanting to travel to Cologne in May 2016.

Additional official ticket partners will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans wanting to make a booking with one of the official travel partners should contact one of the following companies direct:

Vietentours Treff AG The well-known German sports travel specialist, Vietentours, has Official travel partner for the Swiss market for a number of years been a partner of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 since 2010 and offers Contact: travel packages to all major handball and sports events worldwide. +41 32 387 00 87 Contact: [email protected] +49 211 17 7000 [email protected] OPProductions (OlliP) www.vietentours.com. Partner for both Swedish and Danish markets (Travel packages available from October) Handbollsresor.nu Contact: Official partner for both the Swedish and Danish markets and has [email protected] been a partner for several years. www.opproductions.se Contact: +46 70-524 10 20 Tensi Kft [email protected] Partner for the second time and covering the Hungarian market www.handbollsresor.nu. Contact: Tel: +36 30 686 9407 Hemispheres Voyages www.tensi.hu A new partner, Hemispheres Voyages is the exclusive travel partner for the French market. Specialising in sports travel, the Ticket2Final company has been organising travel arrangements to major rugby, A partner for several years, offering unique reservation packages, football, tennis and handball events for the past 18 years. which entitle you to tickets should your team qualify. Contact: Contact: + 33 4 38 37 22 21 +44 2033180475 [email protected] [email protected] www.hemispheres-voyages.fr www.ticket2final.com

Travel Sense A/S TF travels Travel partner for the Danish market and official partner of the A long-standing partner covering the Swedish market. VELUX EHF FINAL4 for the second time is Travel Sense A/S. The [email protected] company has tickets available in all categories. Contact: + 45 70 23 06 44 [email protected] www.travelsense.dk

Kagan’s Turist Aps Travel partner for the Danish market Contact: +45 24 41 93 50 [email protected] www.busudlejning.dk www.koncertbussen.dk

18 Qualification Tournament review

Qualification Tournament Group D Elverum Handball Herrer (NOR) HC Metalurg (MKD) OCI-Lions (NED) Skjern Handbold (DEN) Alpla HC Hard (AUT) HC Motor Zaporozhye (UKR) RK Borac m:tel (BIH) Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI) HCM Baia Mare (ROU) Elverum Handball Herrer (NOR)

nd Playing hall 2 ranked team - Alpla HC Hard - EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 rd Sportska Dvorana “Borik” 3 ranked team - OCI-Lions - EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 th Aleja Svetog Save 48 4 ranked team - RK Borac m:tel - EHF Cup, Qualification Round 2 vs Winner of Round 1: 78000 Banja Luka HB Dudelange (LUX)/Haslum Handballklubb (NOR) Bosnia Herzegovina Capacity: 3,500

Review: Elverum qualify for group phase It was literally a two-man show in the Borik Hall, as Stegavik and Elverum Handball Herrer ended a long five-year barren spell for Lindboe scored 13 of their team’s 15 goals in the first half, the Norwegian clubs by reaching the VELUX EHF Champions League former leading the way with eight. group phase after winning the qualification tournament in grand style. As Alpla pressed hard after the break, Lindboe took over and scored his eighth to keep the Norwegian outfit 18:15 ahead in the 35th Having tamed Dutch rivals OCI-Lions in Saturday’s semi-final, minute. Elverum overpowered Austrian outfit Alpla HC Hard in the final on Sunday thanks to majestic performances by centre back Steffen Clearly missing some fuel in the tank after Saturday’s strength- Stormo Stegavik and left wing Andre Lindboe. RK Metalurg, Skjern sapping encounter with Borac, Alpla looked deflated in the next few Handbold, Kadetten Schaffhausen, Motor Zaporozhye and HCM Baia minutes and allowed Elverum to pull away to 21:16. Mare await them in Group D of the European top flight. Alpla were not to be trampled, however, and they hauled The Lions finished third after a well deserved win over tournament themselves back into the contest with a 3:0 run which forced hosts RK Borac m:tel in the day’s curtain raiser, as both teams joined Elverum to call a time-out midway through the second half. Alpla in the EHF Cup preliminary rounds. With Stegavik and Lindboe tightly marked and stifled out in the last VELUX EHF Champions League Qualification Tournament quarter of the game, the support cast stepped up to keep Elverum Final: ahead as Alpla launched a fierce fightback. Elverum Handball Herrer (NOR) vs Alpla HC Hard (AUT) 28:25 (15:11) Lindboe scored Elverum’s final goal to put the icing on the cake Elverum made proud after capping a memorable weekend for the determined Norwegian side, who can now look forward to in Banja Luka with a decisive victory against battling Alpla HC mixing it with Europe’s best in the forthcoming months. Hard in the qualifying tournament’s final, which fully lived up to expectations. Alpla’s consolation is a berth in the EHF Cup third qualifying round and the Austrian club can head home with their heads high Buoyed by Saturday’s dramatic extra-time win over Borac, Alpla after leaving at all on the court against a pair of more heralded made the brighter start and took an early 4:2 lead after Roland opponents. Schlinger scored three quick goals for the Austrian team. Third place match: But the Norwegian side’s playmaker Steffen Stormo Stegavik quickly OCI-LIONS (NED) vs RK Borac m:tel (BIH) 33:29 (16:14) outshone his counterpart, rifling in one goal after another to put Elverum in the driving seat and give them a 9:6 advantage midway Semi-finals match: through the first half. Elverum Handball Herrer (NOR) vs OCI-Lions (NED) 35:30 (14:15) Alpla HC Hard (AUT) vs RK Borac m:tel (BIH) 35:33 AET (30:30, 17:14) He scored five of his team’s opening six goals and when Andre Lindboe joined the party, Elverum scored four without reply in the closing stages of the opening period to give themselves a comfortable cushion at the interval.

19 Facts and figures of the group phase 200 matches on the road to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 To celebrate the return of the VELUX EHF Champions League, was Hungarian record champions Veszprem in 2015. here are the most important facts and figures of the upcoming 6 times with three different clubs (Celje, Ciudad Real/3, group phase and beyond: Barcelona/2) Belarusian Siarhei Rutenka won the EHF Champions League and thus is the most successful active player, 0 times since the inauguration of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in 2010 ahead of (Paris Saint-Germain), who the trophy has the champions defended their title. The last team to do so four times (Montpellier, Kiel/3). If Rutenka and Barcelona win was BM Ciudad Real in 2009. again, he joins all-time record winner Andrej Xepkin (six trophies with Barcelona, one with Kiel). 1 draw only will be held this season - the one for the VELUX EHF FINAL4 semi-finals in Cologne. Due to the new playing system, 6 pairings will compose the Last 16 this season. Those teams on all pairings of the Last 16 and quarter-finals are set by the the positions 2-6 of Groups A and B and those teams winning rankings of the groups phase. the qualification matches of Groups C and D will face in the first knock-out stage. 1 coach led two different teams to the EHF Champions League trophies: Icelandic born Alfred Gislason (2002 SC Magdeburg, 7 former or current top scorers of the VELUX EHF Champions 2010 and 2012 THW Kiel) League are still playing in the 2015/16 season: Momir Ilic (2014/15 - 114 goals, 2013/14 - 103 goals, Veszprem), Mikkel 1 person won the EHF Champions League as a player and a Hansen (2011/12 - 98 goals for AG Kobenhavn, now PSG), Uwe coach: . The current coach of Vive Tauron Gensheimer (2010/11- 118 goals, Rhein Neckar Löwen), Filip Kielce won the competition in 1994 as a player of Santander Jicha (2008/09- 99 goals, and 2009/10 - 119 goals for Kiel, (ESP) and 2006, 2008 and 2009 as a coach of Ciudad Real. now Barcelona), (2007/08 - 96 goals for Zagrab Veszprem coach Ortega was close to becoming and 2005/06 - 85 goals for Veszprem, now Barcelona), Nikola number 2 on 31 May 2015, but failed in the final against his Karabatic (2006/07 - 89 goals for Kiel, now PSG), Siarhei former club Barcelona, with which he took the title six times as Rutenka (2003/04 - 103 goals, 2004/05 - 85 goals for Celje, now a player. Barcelona).

2 winners of Groups A and B for the first time skip the Last 16 8 times (1995-2000, 2011, 2015) record winners FC Barcelona and directly qualify for the quarter-finals due to the new playing have won the EHF Champions League. system. 8 former or current IHF World Handball Players of the Year are 4 teams are debutants of the VELUX EHF Champions League part of the 28 squads of this Champions League season, four Group Phase: Baia Mare (ROU), Kristianstad (SWE), Vojvodina of them are contracted by PSG: (2005/Vardar), (SRB) and Elverum (NOR), winner of the qualification Nikola Karabatic (2007, 2014/PSG), Thierry Omeyer (2008/PSG), tournament) Slawomir Szmal (2009/Kielce), Filip Jicha (2010/Barcelona), (2011/PSG), (2012/PSG) and 4 (which means all) participants of the VELUX EHF FINAL 2015 (2013/Kiel). Kielce coach Talant Dujshebaev have qualified for the group phase again: Barcelona, Veszprem, was awarded twice (1994, 1996). Kielce and Kiel. 11 years ago, was the last time, a club not from Germany or 4 countries are represented by the previous 22 EHF Champions Spain won the EHF Champions League: RK Pivovarna Lasko Celje League champions: Spain (14 titles), Germany (6), Slovenia and (Slovenia). France (each 1). 14 times Spanish teams have won the EHF Champions League 4 cross matches of the two best ranked teams of Groups C and D - Barcelona (8), Ciudad Real (3), Santander, Irun and Portland in March will decide the two Last 16 spots of those groups. (each 1).

5 times have Barcelona and Kiel each qualified for the VELUX 14 rounds will be played in Groups A and B, Groups C and D will EHF FINAL4. Both won the trophy twice in Cologne’s LANXESS play 10 rounds. arena. 20 nations are represented by the 28 group phase participants. 5 former or current EHF Champions League champions with a Germany have three clubs, Spain, France, Denmark, Hungary, collection of 14 trophies are part of the 2015/16 group phase: FYR Macedonia and Poland each two. In the 2014/16 season Barcelona, Kiel, Flensburg, Montpellier and Celje. (with 24 participating teams) it had only been 15 different nations. 5 times only Spanish and/or German teams had qualified for the finals of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 (2010 Kiel vs Barcelona, 2011 21 teams, which had been part of the 2014/15 group phase, Barcelona vs Madrid, 2012 Kiel vs Madrid, 2013 Hamburg vs have qualified for this stage again. Barcelona, 2014 Flensburg vs Kiel). The first and only exception

20 22 Champions League participations in 23 years since the start 204 matches will be carried out in the 2015/16 season of the of the competition in the 1993/94 season make RK Zagreb VELUX EHF Champions League - a large increase on the 160 last become the record holder ahead of Veszprem and Celje (21 season. After the four qualification matches, which took place participations). already, 172 group matches, four Group C/D cross matches, 12 Last 16 matches, eight quarter-finals and four matches at the 22 goals in the 43:21 quarter-final clash of Barcelona against VELUX EHF FINAL4 will follow. Zagreb was the biggest margin of all matches in the 2014/15 season. 408 goals were conceded by Barcelona in their 16 matches of the 2014/15 season - the best defensive record. 25 players - an all-time record - left Macedonian runners-up Metalurg before the 2015/16 season. 527 goals were scored by Barcelona in their 16 matches of the 2014/15 season - the best attacking record. 28 teams are part of the new look group phase, split into eight teams each in Groups A and B and six teams each in Groups C 8,989 goals were scored the 2014/15 VELUX EHF Champions and D. League season, 657 in the qualification tournaments, 6816 in the group phase, 850 in the Last 16 matches, 442 in the quarter- 29 points in 16 matches was FC Barcelona’s record during their finals and 224 at the VELUX EHF FINAL4. successful 2014/15 VELUX EHF Champions League campaign (14 wins, one draw and one defeat). 15,200 spectators attended the quarter-final Zagreb vs Barcelona - the record attendance of the 2014/15 season prior 56.18 goals were scored in average in all 160 matches of the to the VELUX EHF FINAL4. 2014/15 VELUX EHF Champions League season.

Teams by age average Teams by weight average Teams by height average

HC Vardar 28,74 HC Vardar 97,74 Orlen Wisla Plock 195,9 HCM Baia Mare 28,25 Orlen Wisla Plock 96,48 Naturhouse La Rioja 194,88 KS Vive Tauron Kielce 28,24 HC Meshkov Brest 95,7 THW Kiel 194,14 HC Meshkov Brest 28,05 Besiktas JK 95,48 FC Barcelona Lassa 193,26 FC Barcelona Lassa 28 Naturhouse La Rioja 95,35 KS Vive Tauron Kielce 193,14 SG Flensburg-Handewitt 27,78 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 95,29 HC Motor Zaporozhye 193,11 HC Motor Zaporozhye 27,55 THW Kiel 94,91 HC Vardar 193 Naturhouse La Rioja 27,41 KS Vive Tauron Kielce 94,19 HC Meshkov Brest 192,7 Besiktas JK 26,96 TATRAN Presov 94,19 TATRAN Presov 192,64 TATRAN Presov 26,76 FC Barcelona Lassa 93,35 HC PPD Zagreb 192,48 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn 26,67 Elverum Handball Herrer 92,94 Vojvodina 192,29 Orlen Wisla Plock 26,57 HCM Baia Mare 92,63 Futebol Clube do Porto 192,16 Kadetten Schaffhausen 26,52 IFK Kristianstad 92,19 Besiktas JK 191,83 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 26,29 HC Motor Zaporozhye 92 HC Metalurg 191,8 Paris Saint-Germain Handball 26,29 Futebol Clube do Porto 92 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 191,29 THW Kiel 26,27 MVM Veszprém 91,93 Chekhovskie Medvedi 191,26 Elverum Handball Herrer 26,11 HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb 91,91 Paris Saint-Germain 191,07 MVM Veszprém 25,68 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn 91,79 Kadetten Schaffhausen 190,9 HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb 25,26 Kadetten Schaffhausen 91,62 Montpellier HB 190,64 Skjern Handbold 25,1 Montpellier HB 91,56 MVM Veszprém 190,57 Futebol Clube do Porto 24,89 HC Metalurg 91,44 Skjern Handbold 190,52 Vojvodina 24,81 SG Flensburg-Handewitt 91,17 MOL-Pick Szeged 190,49 Montpellier HB 24,76 MOL-Pick Szeged 90,77 Elverum Handball Herrer 190,47 IFK Kristianstad 23,95 Paris Saint-Germain Handball 90,21 HCM Baia Mare 190,26 MOL-Pick Szeged 23,92 Vojvodina 89,90 IFK Kristianstad 190,24 Chekhovskie Medvedi 23,11 Skjern Handbold 89,81 SG Flensburg-Handewitt 189,61 HC Metalurg 22,86 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko 89,21 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn 189,04 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko 22,21 Chekhovskie Medvedi 86,41 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko 187,89 CL average 25,9 CL average 92,37 CL average 191,56

21 Facts and figures of the group phase

shortest vs tallest SG Flensburg-Handewitt SWE 168 Dainis Kristopans HC Meshkov Brest LAT 213 Tadej Matijasic HC Metalurg SLO 174 Angel Montoro Cabello Orlen Wisla Plock ESP 213 Adam Arokszallasi MOL-Pick Szeged HUN 174 Mateusz Piechowski Orlen Wisla Plock POL 210 Balazs Molnar MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 175 FC Barcelona Lassa CRO 210 Davor Palevski HC Metalurg MKD 175 Peshevski HC Metalurg MKD 209 Rene T. Rasmussen Skjern Handbold DEN 176 Josip Sandrk HC PPD Zagreb CRO 209 Ugur Coban Besiktas MOGAZ HT TUR 177 Alberto Val Sancho Naturhouse La Rioja ESP 208 Eljub Alagic RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 177 Laszlo Nagy MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 208 Gal Marguc RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 177 Sergii Burka HC Motor Zaporozhye UKR 208 Victor Tomas FC Barcelona Lassa ESP 178 Ivan Ivkovic TATRAN Presov CRO 207 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 178 Michal Kasal Futebol Clube do Porto CZE 207 Sergio Muggli Kadetten Schaffhausen SUI 178 Milan Vuckovic Vojvodina SRB 207 Ivan Cupic KS Vive Tauron Kielce CRO 178 FC Barcelona Lassa POL 206 Hugo Delgado Futebol Clube do Porto POR 178 Aleksander Borresen Elverum Handball Herrer NOR 206 Benedek Szakaly MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 178 HC Motor Zaporozhye RUS 205 HC PPD Zagreb CRO 179 Rogerio Ferreira Moraes THW Kiel BRA 204 Luka Rakovic HC PPD Zagreb CRO 179 Marco Oneto Orlen Wisla Plock ITA 204

lightest vs heaviest Timofei Maslennikov Chekhovskie Medvedi RUS 60 Dainis Kristopans HC Meshkov Brest LAT 135 Benedek Szakaly MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 65 Strahinja Milic HC Vardar SRB 132 Adam Arokszallasi MOL-Pick Szeged HUN 66 Rafael Baena Rhein-Neckar ESP 128 Artem Kozakevych HC Motor Zaporozhye UKR 68 Andrej Petro Tatran Presov SVK 127 Simon Opstrup Skjern Handbold DEN 70 Kamil Syprzak FC Barcelona Lassa POL 120 Balazs Molnar MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 70 Zbigniew Kwiatkowski Orlen Wisla Plock POL 120 Roland Selmeczi MOL-Pick Szeged HUN 70 Arpad Sterbik Capar HC Vardar ESP 119 Davor Palevski HC Metalurg MKD 70 Rogerio Ferreira Moraes THW Kiel BRA 118 Michal Daszek Orlen Wisla Plock POL 70 Josip Buljubasic Besiktas CRO 118 Hugo Delgado Futebol Clube do Porto POR 70 Tolga Özbahar Besiktas TUR 118 Eduardo Cadarso Naturhouse La Rioja ESP 71 Marco Oneto Orlen Wisla Plock ITA 117 Kyllian Villeminot Montpellier HB FRA 72 Viachaslau Shumak HC Meshkov Brest BLR 116 Lukas Blohme SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 72 Akizu Vive Tauron Kielce ESP 116 Gal Marguc RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 72 Blaz Blagotinsek Celje SLO 116 Martin Varju MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 73 IFK Kristianstad SWE 116 Anze Dobovicnik RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 73 Francisco Garcia Rubio La Rioja ESP 115 Tilen Dobovicnik RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 73 Montpellier HB SLO 115

youngest vs oldest Luka Savanovic RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko BIH 16.1.2001 Alexandr Radcenko Presov CZE 5.7.1973 Bence Gödör MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 9.10.1999 Jesper Larsson Kristianstad SWE 27.7.1973 Eduardo Cadarso Naturhouse La Rioja ESP 13.2.1999 Ljubomir Vranjes Flensburg SWE 3.10.1973 Adam Dimovics MOL-Pick Szeged HUN 23.1.1999 Ibrahim Demir Besiktas TUR 4.10.1975 Martin Nagy MOL-Pick Szeged HUN 9.1.1999 Kasper Hvidt KIF DEN 6.2.1976 Grega Ocvirk RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 5.12.1998 Nikola Marinovic Kadetten AUT 29.8.1976 Gasper Dobaj RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 13.11.1998 Thierry Omeyer PSG FRA 2.11.1976 Eljub Alagic RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 10.6.1998 Torsten Jansen THW Kiel GER 23.12.1976 Barnabas Nagy MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 8.6.1998 Maik Machulla Flensburg GER 9.1.1977 Anze Dobovicnik RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 3.6.1998 Petar Angelov HC Vardar MKD 8.3.1977 Todor Jandric Vojvodina SRB 2.6.1998 Danijel Saric FC Barcelona Lassa BIH 27.6.1977 Tilen Dobovicnik RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 29.5.1998 Gurutz Aguinagalde La Rioja ESP 26.10.1977 Kyllian Villeminot Montpellier HB FRA 20.5.1998 Thomas Klitgaard Skjern DEN 10.12.1977 Jakub Bulski KS Vive Tauron Kielce POL 29.4.1998 Lars Jorgensen KIF DEN 3.2.1978 Stefan Trkulja Vojvodina SRB 28.4.1998 Radoslav Antl Presov SVK 2.3.1978 Branko Vujovic KS Vive Tauron Kielce MNE 20.4.1998 Mattias Andersson Flensburg SWE 29.3.1978 Zoltan Szita MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 10.2.1998

22 ehf TV.com

All matches of new season live After a big premiere in Mannheim, Germany where he will follow the first steps of the defending champions on their title-defence path as Handball fans across Europe will not miss a single match in the FC Barcelona Lassa undergo a more than challenging opening test new season of both elite European club competitions. All matches with the hosts Rhein-Neckar Löwen. starting from Group Phase of the VELUX EHF Champions League and Group Matches of the Women´s EHF Champions League will be Matches in Veszprem, Hungary (Round 2), Montpellier, France (Round broadcast live on ehfTV.com and the videos of all matches will be 3), Skopje, FYR Macedonia (Round 4), Kielce, Poland (Round 5) will also on demand. Furthermore, like in the past season fully produced follow. The first stage of the European top flight will culminate in Paris highlights magazine - “Rewind - the handball show” will feature in Round 6 as the home star-studded team of Paris Saint-Germain stories and highlights from all Men´s top matches will be played out Handball receive last season’s runners-up from Veszprem. on Monday 7:00 / 8:00 GMT after each playing round. Matches of the Week in Rounds 1-6 The complete coverage of all matches means that only during the group stage of both competitions handball fans will be spoilt by 176 Round 1 men’s and 84 women’s matches. Together with men´s knockout Sunday, 20 September 2015 (19:30 hrs), SAP Arena (Mannheim, GER) stage, respectively women’s main round and knockout stage this is Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs FC Barcelona Lassa supposed to create this season more than 260 hours of live handball on ehfTV.com. Round 2 Saturday, 26 September 2015 (17:30 hrs), Veszprem Arena (Veszprem, New look ehfTV relaunches HUN) Veszprem Handball Club vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt The EHF Champions League Draw in Vienna on Friday, 26 June signaled the start of the 2015/16 season and with it came a new look Round 3 for the video streaming platform, ehfTV. Sunday, 4 October 2015 (17:00 hrs), Palais des Sports Rene Bougnol (Montpellier, FRA) Based on feedback from fans, the platform has been given a fresh Montpellier HB vs KIF Kolding Kobenhavn face and new features have been added to make the site much easier to navigate. Round 4 Saturday, 11 October 2015 (18:00 hrs), SC Jane Sandanski (Skopje, The new web page will offer a responsive design, with viewers able MKD) to stream all of the content from the platform, both live matches and HC Vardar vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen on-demand videos, direct to their mobile devices. Round 5 ehfTV already offers a plethora of handball video content including Saturday, 17 October 2015 (18:00 hrs), MOSIR Hala Legionow (Kielce, magazine shows, features and interviews as well as each and every POL) match from the VELUX EHF Champions League and Women’s EHF KS Vive Tauron Kielce vs FC Barcelona Lassa Champions League. Round 6 Additionally, the platform offers streaming from other EHF Sunday, 25 October 2015 (17:00 hrs), Halle George Carpentier (Paris, competitions including European Cups and the European FRA) Championships. Paris Saint-Germain Handball vs Veszprem Handball Club

In the new season there will also be a renewed focus on coverage All times are local. of top league competitions, with selected matches from both the German Handball Bundesliga and Spain’s Asobal. *Note that live matches will be geo-blocked in some territories.

First six stops of MOTW announced

The Match of the Week has become already a traditional feature on ehfTV.com and all handball fans can already look forward to a new series as the schedule for the first six rounds of the VELUX EHF Champions League 2015/16 has been announced.

The ehfTV commentator Tom O’Brannagain, who guides the viewers through the MOTW games with his unique way of commentating, will not be able to complain for a lack of adventure as he is to visit six handball arenas in five countries in just a five-week span.

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V11944-045-004_EHF_Ad_loeber_A4_urls_English_2015.indd 1 28-08-2015 14:54:38 Group A preview

RUKOMETNI KLUB PRVO PLINARSKO DRUŠTVO ZAGREB

EUROPEAN HEAVYWEIGHTS CONGREGATE

“The strongest group ever in the history of the competition”, the Kiel manager says and many agree.

One half of Group A are aiming for the VELUX EHF FINAL4, the others are ‘merely’ aiming for the knock-out stages, and with even six teams proceeding from the new playing system, two will miss out on their goals. “This group is the strongest ever in the history of the EHF Champions League,” said Sabine Holdorf-Schust, director of THW Kiel after the draw event in Vienna, and this was all before PSG Paris had started their shopping spree. There’s no lack of star power, with five former of current IHF World Handball Players of the year and three former or current Champions League top scorers among the Group A teams. In terms of transfers, the French champions did all they could to push themselves to Cologne: Noka Serdarusic as the new coach and the Karabatic brothers carry all the hopes of this star-studded team. “If not now, then when?” said TV expert Francois-Xavier Houlet, when asked if Paris would make it to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 for the first time after missing out on it twice in a row.

Both times, MVM Veszprem was, where it ended for the Parisians, now they have the chance to take revenge in the group phase. The 2015 Champions League finalist and SEHA Liga winner from Hungary have boosted their squad particularly with Icelandic playmaker Aron Palmarsson (MVP of the 2014 VELUX EHF FINAL4). Palmarsson is the third former Kiel player after Momir Ilic and Christian Zeitz to have made the move to Hungary. And those three will face their ex-club again. If we look at their transfers, Kiel has lost power, despite signing goalkeeper Niklas Landin from Löwen. But losing Palmarsson, (to Flensburg) and Filip Jicha to Barcelona means a setback for the back court axis, in which Domagoj Duvnjak and Joan Canellas will have to carry more responsibility, as young new arrival will need some time to adapt. And in the left wing position, and Torsten Jansen are currently out due to injuries. And Flensburg? The 2014 Champions League winners have bolstered their squad not only with Lauge, but with three arrivals from Hamburg: , Petar Djordjic and Kentin Mahe - but the French playmaker (MVP of the EHF Cup Finals 2015) will miss the start of the Champions League due to an ankle injury. From the width of the squad, Flensburg even seem to be stronger than Kiel and openly speak about the possible qualification for Cologne.

Those four are seen to be ‘seeded’ for the Last 16 or the quarter-final, for which the group winner qualifies directly. Zagreb, Celje, Besiktas and Plock will fight for the two remaining spots for the knock-out stage. Zagreb again lost some key players, but coach Veselin Vujovic is confident that his rejuvenated team can do it all again in their 22nd appearance in the EHF Champions League. Last season, Zagreb managed to cause major upsets on home ground by beating Kiel, Paris and Kolding. Celje (like Veszprem are for the 21st time part of the Champions League) have the same structure in their team, composed by highly skilled Slovenian talents. Coach Brank Tamse can count on some experienced players too - as Celje have proved in the previous seasons, when they beat Kiel and Hamburg at home, however, their away performances are much weaker than at home. The same holds true for the Oilers from Plock, who were the only team in the 2014/15 season, which managed to beat Barcelona. With some new arrivals and Manuel Cadenas as their coach they should be able to make it to the Last 16 again.

So Besiktas Istanbul - in their second ever appearance in the group phase - seems to be the big underdog, after the Turkish champions had only won one of ten matches in the previous season. And from the names of their mostly Serbian internationals added to the squad the chance of any upset does not seem too likely.

Björn Pazen

25 Group A head-to-heads

Historic encounters of the Group A opponents in the EC THW Kiel vs MVM Veszprém 6-0-5 (326:318) 12:10 24.01.1996 THW Kiel vs Fotex Veszprém SE, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 28:25 (17:15) 13.02.1996 Fotex Veszprém SE vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 23:21 (11:9) 25.10.2002 THW Kiel vs Fotex KC Veszprém, European Championship for Club Teams – Semi-final 23:31 (11:15) 24.02.2007 MKB Veszprém KC vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 39:36 (19:20) 01.03.2007 THW Kiel vs MKB Veszprém KC, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 39:32 (22:15) 18.10.2012 MKB Veszprém KC vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 31:30 (14:15) 17.02.2013 THW Kiel vs MKB Veszprém KC, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 32:21 (17:13) 21.04.2013 THW Kiel vs MKB Veszprém KC, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 32:31 (15:16) 27.04.2013 MKB Veszprém KC vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 28:29 (14:12) 31.05.2014 MKB-MVM Veszprém vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League FINAL4 – Semi-final 26:29 (13:13) 30.05.2015 THW Kiel vs MKB-MVM Veszprém, VELUX EHF Champions League FINAL4 – Semi-final 27:31 (13:13)

THW Kiel vs Paris Saint-Germain Handball 6-0-0 (198:160) 12:0 14.12.2003 THW Kiel vs Paris Handball, EHF Cup – Last 16 34:27 (19:12) 21.12.2003 Paris Handball vs THW Kiel, EHF Cup – Last 16 30:32 (14:19) 04.12.2005 Paris Handball vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 21:28 (11:13) 10.12.2005 THW Kiel vs Paris Handball, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 44:28 (22:12) 16.11.2014 Paris Saint-Germain Handball vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 25:27 (13:12) 22.11.2014 THW Kiel vs Paris Saint-Germain Handball, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 33:29 (14:15)

THW Kiel vs RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko 4-0-2 (202:176) 8:4 28.11.2004 THW Kiel vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, European Championship for Club Teams – Final 29:30 (17:15) 21.10.2007 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs THW Kiel, Champions Trophy – Final 34:38 (17:23) 17.10.2010 HC Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 28:34 (10:18) 27.02.2011 THW Kiel vs HC Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 43:27 (23:16) 17.11.2012 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 31:28 (12:12) 21.11.2012 THW Kiel vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 30:26 (13:12)

THW Kiel vs Orlen Wisla Plock 5-0-1 (199:160) 10:2 08.10.2005 Wisla Plock SSA vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group E 32:31 (16:15) 22.10.2005 THW Kiel vs Wisla Plock SSA, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group E 37:22 (17:12) 14.03.2012 Orlen Wisla Plock vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 24:36 (12:14) 18.03.2012 THW Kiel vs Orlen Wisla Plock, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 27:24 (15:10) 22.09.2013 Orlen Wisla Plock vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 33:34 (14:14) 01.12.2013 THW Kiel vs Orlen Wisla Plock, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 34:25 (16:11)

THW Kiel vs HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb 5-3-4 (325:309) 13:11 15.03.1997 THW Kiel vs Badel 1862 Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Semi-final 23:23 (8:11) 23.03.1997 Badel 1862 Zagreb vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Semi-final 25:23 (12:14) 19.03.2000 THW Kiel vs Badel 1862 Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Semi-final 32:21 (14:11) 25.03.2000 Badel 1862 Zagreb vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Semi-final 22:13 (8:7) 24.11.2002 RK Zagreb vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 23:28 (8:15) 14.12.2002 THW Kiel vs RK Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 24:28 (14:10) 29.03.2009 HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 28:28 (13:12) 04.04.2009 THW Kiel vs HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 31:27 (17:11) 21.04.2012 Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 31:31 (15:12) 29.04.2012 THW Kiel vs Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 33:27 (16:16) 28.09.2014 HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 27:25 (9:13) 26.11.2014 THW Kiel vs HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 34:27 (16:16)

26 Group A head-to-heads

Historic encounters of the Group C opponents in the EC THW Kiel vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt 6-1-3 (292:275) 13:7 18.04.1998 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs THW Kiel, EHF Cup – Final 25:23 (12:9) 22.04.1998 THW Kiel vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, EHF Cup – Final 26:21 (16:9) 28.10.2001 THW Kiel vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, European Championship for Club Teams – Place 3/4 33:31 (17:14) 28.02.2006 THW Kiel vs SG Flensburg Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 28:32 (13:12) 04.03.2006 SG Flensburg Handewitt vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 32:34 (16:17) 22.04.2007 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Final 28:28 (10:12) 29.04.2007 THW Kiel vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Final 29:27 (15:10) 01.06.2014 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League FINAL4 – Final 30:28 (14:16) 15.03.2015 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs THW Kiel, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 21:30 (9:16) 22.03.2015 THW Kiel vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 33:28 (16:10)

MVM Veszprém vs Paris Saint-Germain Handball 3-1-0 (117:104) 7:1 19.04.2014 PSG Handball vs MKB-MVM Veszprém, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 26:28 (14:12) 26.04.2014 MKB-MVM Veszprém vs PSG Handball, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 31:26 (12:12) 12.04.2015 Paris Saint-Germain Handball vs MKB-MVM Veszprém, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 24:24 (10:12) 19.04.2015 MKB-MVM Veszprém vs Paris Saint-Germain Handball, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 34:28 (16:12)

MVM Veszprém vs RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko 8-1-1 (260:231) 17:3 09.10.1994 Fotex Veszprem vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Qualification Round 2 22:18 (8:9) 15.10.1994 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs Fotex Veszprem, VELUX EHF Champions League – Qualification Round 2 21:24 (12:10) 29.09.2007 MKB Veszprém KC vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group F 24:24 (14:11) 18.11.2007 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs MKB Veszprém KC, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group F 28:23 (15:14) 29.09.2012 MKB Veszprém KC vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 32:22 (16:11) 01.12.2012 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs MKB Veszprém KC, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 19:24 (9:11) 17.11.2013 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs MKB-MVM Veszprém, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 26:31 (14:15) 23.11.2013 MKB-MVM Veszprém vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 27:26 (13:10) 18.10.2014 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs MKB-MVM Veszprém, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 21:24 (9:14) 15.02.2015 MKB-MVM Veszprém vs RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 29:26 (15:10)

MVM Veszprém vs Orlen Wisla Plock 3-0-1 (132:109) 6:2 09.11.2002 Wisla Plock SSA vs Fotex KC Veszprém, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 25:30 (9:13) 08.12.2002 Fotex KC Veszprém vs Wisla Plock SSA, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 38:24 (20:14) 23.03.2014 Orlen Wisla Plock vs MKB-MVM Veszprém, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 34:33 (16:16) 29.03.2014 MKB-MVM Veszprém vs Orlen Wisla Plock, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 31:26 (16:11)

MVM Veszprém vs HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb 4-1-3 (206:201) 9:7 24.01.1995 Badel Zagreb vs Fotex Veszprem, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 30:18 (16:8) 15.02.1995 Fotex Veszprem vs Badel Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 23:23 (11:12) 06.12.1998 Fotex KC Veszprém vs Badel 1862 Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 27:25 (14:14) 09.01.1999 Badel 1862 Zagreb vs Fotex KC Veszprém, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 19:18 (14:8) 19.02.2000 Fotex KC Veszprém vs Badel 1862 Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 27:25 (13:12) 27.02.2000 Badel 1862 Zagreb vs Fotex KC Veszprém, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 30:26 (16:12) 20.10.2013 HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb vs MKB-MVM Veszprém, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 22:33 (8:15) 15.02.2014 MKB-MVM Veszprém vs HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 34:27 (19:11)

Veszprém vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt 1-0-3 (100:113) 2:6 24.02.2001 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs Fotex KC Veszprém, Cup Winners’ Cup – Quarter-final 31:22 (13:12) 03.03.2001 Fotex KC Veszprém vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, Cup Winners’ Cup – Quarter-final 20:22 (9:10) 05.10.2008 MKB Veszprém KC vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group F 29:28 (14:14) 16.11.2008 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs MKB Veszprém KC, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group F 32:29 (15:15)

Paris Saint-Germain Handball vs RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko 0-0-2 (42:57) 0:4 09.11.1996 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs PSG Asnières Hand-Ball, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 31:22 (11:10) 11.01.1997 PSG Asnières Hand-Ball vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 20:26 (11:13)

27 Group A head-to-heads

Historic encounters of the Group C opponents in the EC

Paris Saint-Germain Handball vs HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb 1-0-1 (51:47) 2:2) 05.10.2014 Paris Saint-Germain Handball vs HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 27:22 (11:9) 09.12.2014 HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb vs Paris Saint-Germain Handball, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 25:24 (14:13)

Paris Saint-Germain Handball vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt 1-0-1 (68:57) 2:2) 15.10.2005 SG Flensburg Handewitt vs Paris Handball, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group H 37:24 (17:13) 13.11.2005 Paris Handball vs SG Flensburg Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group H 33:31 (16:16)

RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs Orlen Wisla Plock 2-0-0 (61:53) 4:0 16.10.2004 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs Wisla Plock SSA, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 29:23 (15:10) 31.10.2004 Wisla Plock SSA vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 30:32 (16:16)

RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb 6-1-7 (311:335) 13:15 27.09.1992 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs RK Zagreb, Champions Cup – Qualification Round 2 18:17 (6:9) 03.10.1992 RK Zagreb vs RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko, Champions Cup – Qualification Round 2 26:17 (13:7) 11.11.1995 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs Croatia Banka Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Qualification Round 3 25:21 (11:9) 18.11.1995 Croatia Banka Zagreb vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Qualification Round 3 25:20 (14:11) 04.01.1998 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs Badel 1862 Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 26:21 (13:8) 31.01.1998 Badel 1862 Zagreb vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 26:22 (14:10) 22.03.1998 Badel 1862 Zagreb vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Semi-final 27:20 (14:10) 28.03.1998 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs Badel 1862 Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Semi-final 25:24 (10:10) 26.11.2000 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs Badel 1862 Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 29:26 (12:12) 16.12.2000 Badel 1862 Zagreb vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 22:22 (12:11) 21.02.2009 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 2 22:25 (11:16) 07.03.2009 HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 2 31:18 (14:6) 21.09.2013 HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 24:21 (13:10) 30.11.2013 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 26:20 (14:11)

RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt 4-1-5 (301:305) 9:11 08.11.2003 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group F 29:29 (14:14) 30.11.2003 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group F 29:28 (12:17) 18.04.2004 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Final 34:28 (17:13) 24.04.2004 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Final 30:28 (15:15) 02.12.2006 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 41:31 (21:14) 08.12.2006 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 36:26 (20:12) 27.03.2010 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, EHF Cup – Quarter-final 33:29 (15:12) 03.04.2010 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, EHF Cup – Quarter-final 32:35 (16:15) 23.03.2014 Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 26:25 (13:12) 29.03.2014 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs Celje Pivovarna Lasko, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 30:27 (15:14)

Orlen Wisla Plock vs HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb 0-0-2 (41:61) 0:4 12.10.2008 HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb vs Wisla Plock SA, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group H 34:17 (15:7) 08.11.2008 Wisla Plock SA vs HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group H 24:27 (12:16)

Orlen Wisla Plock vs Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu 2-0-0 (61:49) 4:0 27.09.2014 Orlen Wisla Plock vs Besiktas MOGAZ HT, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 28:19 (13:7) 29.11.2014 Besiktas MOGAZ HT vs Orlen Wisla Plock, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 30:33 (14:15)

Orlen Wisla Plock vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt 2-0-2 (120:111) 4:4 08.12.2001 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs Orlen SSA Plock, Cup Winners’ Cup – Last 16 33:27 (19:12) 15.12.2001 Orlen SSA Plock vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, Cup Winners’ Cup – Last 16 25:23 (10:9) 08.10.2014 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs Orlen Wisla Plock, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 35:28 (21:16) 22.02.2015 Orlen Wisla Plock vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 31:29 (14:13)

28 Group A head-to-heads

Historic encounters of the Group C opponents in the EC HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt 3-0-7 (269:286) 6:14 15.02.2004 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs RK Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 30:27 (17:15) 22.02.2004 RK Zagreb vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 26:28 (13:12) 04.12.2005 RK Zagreb vs SG Flensburg Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 25:23 (11:8) 10.12.2005 SG Flensburg Handewitt vs RK Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 28:24 (14:12) 28.09.2006 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs RK Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 35:28 (14:12) 05.11.2006 RK Zagreb vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 21:23 (11:13) 24.02.2008 HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 3 29:25 (12:15) 16.03.2008 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb, VELUX EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 3 36:29 (16:15) 21.11.2010 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs HC Croatia Osiguranje ZAGREB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 32:29 (19:15) 28.11.2010 HC Croatia Osiguranje ZAGREB vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 31:26 (14:12)

Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt 0-0-2 (47:58) 0:4) 16.10.2014 Besiktas MOGAZ HT vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 20:27 (11:11) 11.02.2015 SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs Besiktas MOGAZ HT, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 31:27 (15:14)

No previous encounters in European competitions THW Kiel vs Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu Veszprém HC vs Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu Paris Saint-Germain Handball vs Orlen Wisla Plock Paris Saint-Germain Handball vs Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb vs Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu

29 GROUP A THW Kiel (GER)

It is the biggest transition of the past decade for THW Kiel - but still the German record champions (with 20 titles) hope to court a team, which can make it to Cologne again. Since the inauguration of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in the LANXESS Arena in 2010, Kiel have qualified five times, only missing the event in 2011. The team of Alfred Gislason (who extended his contract to 2019) has won the trophy twice (2010 and 2012), and in 2015 they missed out on making it to the final after a defeat to Veszprem.

Three top players (Aron Palmarsson/Veszprem, Filip Jicha/Barcelona, Rasmus Lauge/Flensburg) and three goalkeepers (Johan Sjöstrand, Kim Sonne and ) have left THW prior to the start of the season. Kiel’s biggest transfer was Danish goalie Niklas Landin, who arrived from Rhein-Neckar Löwen. In addition, some young players like German Christian Dissinger or Brazilian Rogerio Ferreira have arrived in Kiel, but THW have also signed experience, in the transfer of left wing Torsten Jansen (from Hamburg) and Norwegian left back Erlend Mamelund (from Haslum), who arrives as one of the successors of Jicha.

Preparation for the new VELUX EHF Champions League season was anything but easy for Gislason and his squad. Jicha was injured and left the club in the middle of August, Jansen got injured, Dominik Klein is still out until October after a rupture to his cruciate ligament, Landin was injured and started his preparation only middle of July - so Gislason never had his full squad for any test match or training session, and some clear defeats like against Veszprem or Barcelona were only expected.

“We are in the second year of a major transition, but still we hope to make it to Cologne again Playing hall - and to fight for all domestic trophies,” says manager Thorsten Storm, adding: “It is important Sparkassen-Arena-Kiel for us to be part of the Champions League, to compete with the best of the best and to be part Europaplatz 1, of the competition as long as possible.” 24103 Kiel Germany New team captain (successor of Filip Jicha) comments: “This group is simply Capacity: 10,000 tough. Kiel, Paris, Veszprem, Flensburg, Celje, Zagreb, Plock and Istanbul are all fighting to win. There’s nothing better for the fans, and we want to win every match. But again our final dream is to make it to Cologne,” says the THW line player. Club Address: THW Kiel Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Ziegelteich 30 Champions League: German champions Past achievements 24103 Kiel Germany VELUX EHF Champions League Coach: Alfred Gislason (since 2008) Participations (including 2015/16 Captain: Rene Toft Hansen Media contact: season): 19 Christian Robohm Winners (3): 2006/07, 2009/10, 2011/12 Newcomers: +49 1635306300 Runners-up (4): 1999/2000, 2007/08, Niklas Landin (Rhein-Neckar Löwen) [email protected] 2008/09, 2013/14 Nikolas Katsigiannis (HC Erlangen) Semi-final (4): 1996/1997, 2000/01, Christian Dissinger (TuS N-Lübbecke) Online information: 2012/13, 2014/15 Torsten Jansen (HSV Hamburg) Website: www.thw-provinzial.de Quarter-final (5): 1998/99, 2002/03, Alexander Williams (THW youth academy) Facebook:thwhandball 2004/05, 2005/06, 2010/11 Rogerio Ferreira (VO Manoel Tubino/Brazil) Twitter:@thw_handball Group phase (2): 1994/95, 1995/96 Erlend Mamelund (Haslum HK) Dominik Plaue (THW youth academy) Other Kit colours EHF Cup: Winners 1997/98, 2001/02, Left the club: 2003/04 Light Aron Palmarsson (Veszprem HC) German league: 20 titles (1957, 1962, Player shirt: white Johan Sjöstrand (MT Melsungen) 1963, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, Player short: white Andreas Palicka (Aalborg Handbold) 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, Goalkeeper shirt: black Fynn Ranke (VfL Bad Schwartau) 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) Dark Rasmus Lauge (SG Flensburg-Handewitt) German Cup winners: 9 times Player shirt: black Kim Sonne (GWD Minden) Player short: black Filip Jicha (FC Barcelona (ESP)) Goalkeeper shirt: red

30 THW Kiel (GER)

Biggest win: 26:50 (13:24) v Banik OKD Karvina CZE (a), 22.10.2006 Biggest defeat 22:13 (12:8) v Badel 1862 Zagreb CRO (a), 25.03.2000 Longest winning run 11 matches (2.10.2014 – 22.03.2015) Longest unbeaten run 17 matches (22.10.2011 – 11.10.2012) Longest losing run 3 matches (07.02.1996 – 19.03.1996) Longest run without win 3 matches (07.02.1996 – 19.03.1996) Most goals 50 v Banik OKD Karvina CZE 26:50W (a), 22.10.2006 Most goals opponent 44 v FC Barcelona ESP 44:37L (a), 13.04.2008 Most goals both teams 81 v FC Barcelona ESP 44:37L (a), 13.04.2008 Fewest goals 13 v Badel 1862 Zagreb CRO 22:13L (a), 25.03.2000 Fewest goals opponent 15 v SKA Minsk BLR 15:27W (a), 10.11.1996 15 v SKA Minsk BLR 21:15W (h), 12.01.1997 Fewest goals both teams 35 v Badel 1862 Zagreb CRO 22:13L (a), 25.03.2000

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

1994/95 THW Kiel GER 6 3 0 3 137:136 +1 6:6 2nd Gr. B 1995/96 THW Kiel GER 6 3 0 3 151:148 +3 6:6 2nd Gr. A 1996/97 THW Kiel GER 10 6 1 3 247:211 +36 13:7 1/2-finals 1998/99 TKW Kiel GER 8 7 0 1 229:199 +30 14:2 1/4-finals 1999/00 THW Kiel GER 12 7 1 4 319:283 +36 15:9 Runner-up 2000/01 THW Kiel GER 10 5 1 4 279:255 +24 11:9 1/2-finals 2002/03 THW Kiel GER 8 4 1 3 234:211 +23 9:7 1/4-finals 2004/05 THW Kiel GER 10 8 0 2 336:274 +62 16:4 1/4-finals 2005/06 THW Kiel GER 10 8 0 2 346:293 +53 16:4 1/4-finals 2006/07 THW Kiel GER 14 11 1 2 517:420 +97 23:5 Winner 2007/08 THW Kiel GER 16 13 0 3 533:462 +71 26:6 Runner-up 2008/09 THW Kiel GER 16 12 1 3 548:461 +87 25:7 Runner-up 2009/10 THW Kiel GER 16 14 1 1 534:444 +90 29:3 Winner 2010/11 THW Kiel GER 14 9 2 3 456:393 +63 20:8 1/4-finals 2011/12 THW Kiel GER 16 12 3 1 496:414 +82 27:5 Winner 2012/13 THW Kiel GER 16 11 0 5 518:457 +61 22:10 4th Place 2013/14 THW Kiel GER 16 13 1 2 491:427 +64 27:5 Runner-up 2014/15 THW Kiel GER 16 12 0 4 498:421 +77 24:8 4th Place Total: 220 158 13 49 6869:5909 +960 329:111

31 THW Kiel (GER)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

28 Malte Abelmann-Brockmann GER Left Wing 11.6.1995 Kiel, GER 183 76 27 Thies Bergemann GER Right Back 19.1.1996 Kiel, GER 188 80 21 Joan Cañellas Reixach ESP Centre Back 30.9.1986 St. Maria de Palau, ESP 197 95 23 GER Left Wing 10.4.1993 Kiel, GER 189 81 15 Christian Dissinger GER Left Back 15.11.1991 Ludwigshafen, GER 202 102 4 Domagoj Duvnjak CRO Centre Back 1.6.1988 Dakovo, CRO 198 100 18 SWE Right Wing 23.12.1988 Ystad, SWE 191 89 6 Rogerio Ferreira Moraes BRA Line Player 11.1.1994 Abaetetuba, BRA 204 118 26 Lucas Firnhaber GER Right Back 23.4.1997 Buxtehude, GER 200 93 5 Torsten Jansen GER Left Wing 23.12.1976 Adenau, GER 185 86 33 Dominik Klein GER Left Wing 16.12.1983 Miltenberg, GER 190 86 9 Erlend Mamelund NOR Left Back 1.5.1984 Bærum, NOR 197 99 11 Christian Sprenger GER Right Wing 6.4.1983 Ludwigsfelde, GER 190 94 7 Rene Toft Hansen DEN Line Player 1.11.1984 Rybjerg, DEN 200 110 41 SRB Right Back 7.12.1984 Backa Palanka, SRB 201 104 13 GER Right Back 19.7.1986 Fuerth, GER 191 100 17 GER Line Player 22.3.1989 Duisburg, GER 200 108 25 Alexander Williams GER Left Back 15.8.1996 Hamburg, GER 187 95

1 DEN Goalkeeper 19.12.1988 Soborg, DEN 201 102 29 Nikolas Katsigiannis GER Goalkeeper 17.9.1982 Werne, GER 195 104 12 Dominik Plaue GER Goalkeeper 14.7.1995 Bad Homburg, GER 196 87 32 Fynn Malte Schröder GER Goalkeeper 12.2.1997 Bremen, GER 186 79

Average: 26,27 194,1 94,9

Alfred Gislason coach • won nine German championships (with Magdeburg and Kiel), four German cup titles, five European club titles • five times “coach of the year” in Germany • his first job on the bench was in his home town Akureyri, before taking over Hameln, Magdeburg and Gummersbach in Germany • joined Kiel in 2008 as the successor of Noka Serdarusic – to lead THW to 15 trophies to date EC trophies: CL 2002, 2010, 2012 (as coach), EHF Cup 2001 (as coach)

32 Niklas Landin Rune Dahmke goalkeeper left wing • joined Kiel in the summer of 2015 after three • only Kiel-born player in the THW squad seasons with bundesliga rivals Rhein-Neckar Löwen and was in his younger days sitting on the stands cheering for his idols • successor of legendary Kasper Hvidt in the Danish national team broke through during the 2011 • got his first professional contract in December WCh 2013 after being part of the THW youth teams • played also for Gudme in Denmark, where he • his father Frank Dahmke was THW player and was number 1 already at the age of 20 now is member of the club board • best goalkeeper at the 2013 WCh, the EHF • at least until October 2015 replacement for EURO 2014 and the 2013/14 CL Dominik Klein who tore his cruciate ligament in the previous season EC trophies: EHF Cup 2013 WCh: S 2011, 2013, EURO: G 2012, S 2014

Domagoj Duvnjak Joan Canellas centre back centre back • THW’s top signing before the 2014/15 season • scored 50 goals in eight matches on the way to • 2013 IHF World Handball Player of the Year the top goal scorer title of the EHF EURO 2014 • arrived from Hamburg, where he played since • fits perfectly with Domagoj Duvnjak, with 2009 whom he played in Hamburg in 2013/14 • not just a typical playmaker he is also a scorer • with Barcelona and Ciudad Real Spanish and is an essential part of defence champion and cup winner • best Bundesliga player in 2013 • twice (2011, 2012) CL finalist with Ciudad Real and Atletico Madrid – the club with which he also • started his career in Zagreb won the IHF Super Globe twice (2010, 2012)

EC trophies: CL 2013 WCh G 2013, B 2011, EURO: B 2014 OG: B 2012, WCh: S 2009, B 2013, EURO: S 2010, B 2012

Rene Toft Hansen Steffen Weinhold line player right back • even better in defence than on the line in • one of the most prominent players in current attack, but after Marcus Ahlm’s departure in 2013, German handball the learning period in attack is over for him • after the 2008 junior WCh, the Bavarian • new captain since Jicha’s departure changed from Fürth to HSG Nordhorn winning the EHF Cup in his first season • EHF EURO 2012 All-Star Team member • after signing for TV Großwallstadt he was in • in the CL since 2007 with former clubs KIF the focus of the national team coach Heiner Brand Kolding and AG Kobenhavn • made the next step in his career, signing for SG • his brother Henrik is playing for Flensburg, his Flensburg-Handewitt in 2012 and joined THW just brother Allan for Mors-Thy and his sister Majbritt for weeks after Flensburg beat them in the 2014 CL final Skive – and all four are line players WCh: S 2011, 2013, EURO: G 2012, S 2014 EC trophies: CL 2014, EHF Cup 2008 Men’s 20 EHF EURO: G 2006, Junior WCh: S 2008

Marko Vujin Niclas Ekberg right back right wing • in 2012 the Serbian shooter arrived to fill the • spotted and signed by AG Kobenhavn in 2010 gap after the departure of to KIF • tall winger from Ystad has large variety of • top scorer of the 2013/14 Bundesliga (248 shots, also effective on counterattacks and reliable goals) on penalty throws • won seven consecutive national • these qualities have also earned him more championships with Veszprém and Kiel than 90 internationals for Sweden • in the national team he is one of the stalwarts • joined Kiel in 2012 after AG went bankrupt and who were key to silver at the EHF EURO 2012 after he experienced his first VELUX EHF FINAL4 • started his international career in Dunaferr • top scorer of the London Olympics 2012 with (Hungary), then played five years in Veszprem 50 goals

EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2008 OG: S 2012 EURO: S 2012

33 GROUP A MVM Veszprém (HUN)

Antonio Carlos Ortega has a dream - to become the second man in handball to win the VELUX EHF Champions League as a coach and a player after he has raised the trophy six times as part of the ‘golden’ FC Barcelona team in the 1990’s. He has led Veszprem twice consecutively to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne in 2014 and 2015 - and in May he even made it to the final against his former club FC Barcelona.

The fans of the Hungarian record champions are confident too - shown by long queues in front of the ticket counter for the 2016 FINAL4 event in May 2015. Most of the coaches and experts have Veszprem also on their list to go all the way to Cologne again, this is mainly due to the fact that the club from Lake Balaton signed two top-class players to strengthen their squad again: Croatian top star Ivan Sliskovic from Celje and playmaker Aron Palmarsson - the third former THW Kiel player to sign after the Champions League top scorer Momir Ilic and right back Christian Zeitz both put pen to paper for the Hungarian side.

With only having left Veszprem, the well-balanced and well-rehearsed squad is expected to be on a high this season. “We are out to qualify for the VELUX EHF FINAL4 again,” that is the clear message given by club director Csaba Hajnal.

As Veszprem is also competing in the multi-national SEHA Liga (which they won in 2015), team captain Laszlo Nagy expects “a long and difficult season. But we hope to achieve great results in all competitions.” Nagy – two-time Champions League winner with FC Barcelona - believes that PSG are the strongest team in their group, but also estimates the two German sides as Playing hall main contenders for Veszprem in the fight for a top position. Veszprém Arena Külso Kadartai ut In preparation Veszprem already clashed with some of Europe’s top teams at the tournaments 8200 Veszprém in Ehingen (Germany) and Strassbourg (France) in order to be right on top for the start of the Hungary season. Just a few days before the season’s start they made their premiere trip to the IHF Capacity: 5,020 Super Globe and yet again they had to settle with the runners-up position after losing 27:28 to Füchse Berlin in extra-time.

Club Address: Past achievements MVM Veszprém Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Marcius 15. ut 5 Champions League: Hungarian champions VELUX EHF Champions League 8200 Veszprém Participations (including 2015/16 Hungary Coach: Antonio Carlos Ortega (since 2012) season): 21 Captain: Laszlo Nagy Final (2): 2001/02, 2014/15 Media contact: Semi-final (3): 2002/03, 2005/06, Zsolt Sevinger Newcomers: 2013/14 +36 305024547 Aron Palmarsson (THW Kiel) Quarter-final (9): 1997/98, 1998/99, [email protected] Ivan Sliskovic (RK Celje) 1999/00, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2012/13 Online information: Left the club: Last 16 (3): 1993/94, 2010/11, 2011/12 Website: www.mkbveszprem.eu Iman Moorchegani Jamali (IFK Kristianstad) Group Phase (3): 1994/95, 1995/96, Facebook: mkbveszprem 2007/08 Twitter:@mkbveszpremkc Other Cup Winners‘ Cup: Winners 2007/08, Runners-up 1996/97 Kit colours Light SEHA-league: 1 title (2015) Player shirt: white Player short: white Hungarian league: 23 titles (1985, 1986, Goalkeeper shirt: grey 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, Dark 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, Player shirt: red 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, Player short: red 2013, 2014, 2015) Goalkeeper shirt: black Hungarian Cup winner: 24 times

34 MVM Veszprém (HUN)

Biggest win: 38:17 (18:9) v HC LTU (h), 06.11.2004 Biggest defeat: 30:18 (16:8) v Badel Zagreb CRO (a), 24.01.1995 Longest winning run: 11 matches (11.10.2009 – 03.04.2010) Longest unbeaten run: 11 matches (11.10.2009 – 03.04.2010) Longest losing run: 3 matches (16.01.1996 – 08.02.1996) Longest run without win: 4 matches (09.01.1999 – 31.10.1999) Most goals: 46 v MSK SIRS Povazska Bystrica SVK 46:26W (h), 07.10.2006 46 v MSK SIRS Povazska Bystrica SVK 30:46W (a), 21.10.2006 Most goals opponent: 39 v THW Kiel GER 39:32L (a), 01.03.2007 Most goals both teams: 76 v MSK SIRS Povazska Bystrica SVK 30:46W (a), 21.10.2006 Fewest goals: 15 v TEKA Santander ESP 25:15L (a), 15.03.1995 Fewest goals opponent: 13 v SO Chambery FRA 29:13W (h), 18.11.2001 13 v Panellinios AC GRE 19:13W (h), 17.11.2002 Fewest goals both teams: 32 v Panellinios AC Athens GRE 19:13W (h), 17.11.2002

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

1994/95 Fotex Veszprem HUN 6 2 2 2 131:147 –16 6:6 3rd Gr. A 1995/96 Fotex Veszprem HUN 6 3 0 3 147:144 +3 6:6 3rd Gr. A 1997/98 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN 8 5 1 2 228:204 +24 11:5 1/4-finals 1998/99 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN 8 3 1 4 200:188 +12 7:9 1/4-finals 1999/00 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN 8 4 0 4 203:202 +1 8:8 1/4-finals 2001/02 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN 12 9 0 3 310:267 +43 18:6 Runner-up 2002/03 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN 10 8 0 2 276:238 +38 16:4 1/2-finals 2003/04 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN 10 7 0 3 306:276 +30 14:6 1/4-finals 2004/05 Fotex KC Veszprém HUN 10 7 0 3 317:259 +58 14:6 1/4-finals 2005/06 MKB Veszprém KC HUN 12 9 0 3 373:318 +55 18:6 1/2-finals 2006/07 MKB Veszprém KC HUN 10 7 0 3 338:288 +50 14:6 1/4-finals 2007/08 MKB Veszprém KC HUN 6 2 2 2 184:171 +13 6:6 3rd Gr. F 2008/09 MKB Veszprém KC HUN 12 8 0 4 351:320 +31 16:8 1/4-finals 2009/10 MKB Veszprém KC HUN 14 11 0 3 419:368 +51 22:6 1/4-finals 2010/11 MKB Veszprém KC HUN 12 9 0 3 373:338 +35 18:6 Last 16 2011/12 MKB Veszprém KC HUN 12 7 0 5 321:322 -1 14:10 Last 16 2012/13 MKB Veszprém KC HUN 14 11 0 3 410:348 +62 22:6 1/4-finals 2013/14 MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 16 11 1 4 477:410 +67 23:9 4th Place 2014/15 MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 16 13 1 2 480:423 +57 27:5 Runner-up Total 202 136 8 58 5844:5231 +613 280:124

35 MVM Veszprém (HUN)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

34 David Fekete HUN Left Back 12.10.1996 Budapest, HUN 180 82 35 Daniel Füzi HUN Line Player 9.8.1996 Veszprém, HUN 186 88 3 Peter Gulyas HUN Right Wing 4.3.1984 Veszprem, HUN 200 100 13 Momir Ilic SRB Left Back 22.12.1981 Andrelovac, SRB 200 104 4 Gergö Ivancsik HUN Left Wing 30.11.1981 Györ, HUN 190 87 66 Mate Lekai HUN Centre Back 16.6.1988 Budapest, HUN 190 83 24 Gasper Marguc SLO Right Wing 20.8.1990 Celje, SLO 180 74 Balazs Molnar HUN Left Wing 25.6.1997 Veszprem, HUN 175 70 19 Laszlo Nagy HUN Right Back 3.3.1981 Szeged, HUN 208 113 18 Andreas Nilsson SWE Line Player 12.4.1990 Trelleborg, SWE 197 110 24 Aron Palmarsson ISL Centre Back 19.7.1990 Reykjavik, ISL 193 100 25 Jose Maria Rodriguez Vaquero ESP Centre Back 5.1.1980 Palencia, ESP 185 91 37 Peter Schmid HUN Centre Back 6.8.1996 Veszprém, HUN 189 90 5 Istvan Timuzsin Schuch HUN Line Player 5.6.1985 Nagyatad, HUN 197 105 19 Ivan Sliskovic CRO Left Back 23.10.1991 Split, CRO 197 98 33 Renato Sulic CRO Line Player 12.10.1979 , CRO 192 109 Benedek Szakaly HUN Right Wing 7.9.1997 Budapest, HUN 178 65 Erik Szeitl HUN Line Player 18.7.1997 Tapolca, HUN 194 98 Zoltan Szita HUN Left Back 10.2.1998 Veszprem, HUN 196 88 30 Mirsad Terzic BIH Left Back 12.7.1983 Priboj, BIH 196 103 Attila Toth HUN Right Back 17.3.1997 Budapest, HUN 192 84 23 Garcia ESP Left Wing 19.10.1987 Barcelona, ESP 186 80 38 Martin Varju HUN Right Wing 3.1.1996 Szekszard, HUN 185 82 20 Christian Zeitz GER Right Back 18.11.1980 Heidelberg, GER 186 103

16 HUN Goalkeeper 20.9.1984 Dunaujvaros, HUN 190 100 32 Mirko Alilovic CRO Goalkeeper 15.9.1985 Ljubuski, CRO 200 110 Barnabas Nagy HUN Goalkeeper 8.6.1998 Veszprem, HUN 190 87 Bence Gödör HUN Goalkeeper 9.10.1999 Veszprem, HUN 186 79

Average: 25,68 190,6 91,3

Antonio Carlos Ortega coach • six time CL champion, 14 different cup titles in Spain • as a player for Barcelona he won every possible title at least three times • in 2005 started his coaching career in Antequera • in 2012 left Spain for the first time to take on the challenge in Veszprém and in his second year he steered them to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 for the first time

EC trophy: CL 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, Cup Winers’ Cup 1995, EHF Cup 2003 OG: B 2000, EURO: S 1998, B 2000

36 Roland Mikler Mirko Alilovic goalkeeper goalkeeper • 2005 All-Star goalkeeper of the junior world • like his predecessor Dejan Peric belongs to the championship elite class of goalkeepers who can send the audience to their feet and inspire his teammates • Hungarian national team goalkeeper is quick, compact and excellent at directing the defence • Croatian national team member and his medal tally consists of three silver medals and two bronze • as a teenager Mikler reached the semi-final of the EHF Cup over a decade ago, with Dunaferr in • recorded 11 goal assists during the 2013 WCh 2003 • very familiar with the Spanish contingent in • joined Veszprem in 2014 after the EHF Cup Veszprém as he played for five years in the ASOBAL success with Szeged

EC trophy: EHF Cup 2014 OG: B 2012, EURO: S 2008, 2010, WCh: S 2009, B 2013

Cristian Ugalde Momir Ilic left wing left back • brought up by Barcelona and played regularly • top scorer and only player passing 100 goals in the first team since he was 18 (103) in the 2013/14 CL season and again top scorer in 2014/15 (114 goals) • excelled at international level in the 2007/08 season with his 34 goals and participation in the • joined THW Kiel in 2009 from VfL national team Gummersbach and won seven titles during his four years with the club, including two CL titles • won every possible title with Barca – some of them multiple times • led to their first medal as an independent nation at EHF EURO 2012 • found a new challenge in Veszprém altering with Gergö Iváncsik, who is one of the best players • MVP of EHF EURO 2012 in this position according to Ugalde • 2013/14 All-star team left back

EC trophies: CL 2005, 2011 EC trophies: CL 2010, 2012 EURO: B 2014, WCh: B 2011 EURO: S 2012

Aron Palmarsson Renato Sulic centre back line player • before joining Veszprem in summer 2015 the • at his second stint in Veszprém, in the 2004/05 versatile and tactically as well as technically skilled season he did not have a chance to play as he was playmaker was with Kiel for six years injured in a car incident before his first match • one of the biggest signing in the whole • came back to Veszprém after several years in competition before the 2015/16 season followed Zagreb and Celje the steps of two other former Kiel players Ilic and • 2013/14 and 2014/15 All-star team line player Zeitz • shares his time on the court with the • after the departure of Momir Ilic and Daniel defensive specialist Timuzsin Schuh and Andreas Narcisse, the 2012 Olympics All-Star become more Nilsson of an influential figure of Kiel on court EC trophies: CL 2010, 2012 EURO: S 2008, WCh: G 2003 EURO: B 2010

Laszlo Nagy Gasper Marguc right back right wing • started his career as a basketball player and • took part in the WCh in Spain 2013, where was close to a move to the USA at the age of 13 Slovenia placed fourth • in the end he decided for handball and • came to Veszprem from Celje where he was became one of the best right backs of the world playing since 2009 • transferred from Szeged to Barcelona in 2006 • in the 2012/13 season played his best season and became the captain despite being a foreigner so far and became Slovenia’s top scorer in the CL, netting 72 times (10th overall) • All-Star team right back of the 2013 WCh • played two amazing matches against THW Kiel • All-Star team right back of the 2012/13 CL in 2012/13, scoring 18 times from 18 shots against season the legendary Thierry Omeyer EC trophies: CL 2005, 2011, EHF Cup 2003

37 GROUP A Paris Saint-Germain Handball (FRA)

Having set the bar high in the transfer market this summer, Paris Saint-Germain Handball’s thoughts can only be on a serious challenge for the VELUX EHF Champions League trophy this season. Veszprem brought an end to their challenge at the quarter-final stage two years in a row, but this season nothing less than a trip to Cologne will suffice.

These high hopes are based heavily on the arrival of two names: Karabatic and Serdarusic. The “family reunion” of the two brothers (Nikola and Luka) and the highly successful coach make the Parisians one of the competition’s favourites despite their placement in a daunting Group A alongside Kiel, Veszprem, Celje, Plock, Zagreb, Besiktas and Flensburg. After winning the VELUX EHF FINAL4 with FC Barcelona and becoming the MVP of the final tournament, expectation follows Nikola Karabatic wherever he goes, while Noka Serdarusic (2007 CL winner with Kiel and arriving from Aix) replaces Philippe Gardent, who now coaches Toulouse.

Although the message from within the club may be one of confidence this summer, manager Bruno Martini is a little more humble: “Every year we try to build a team being able to challenge the best clubs in Europe. We will begin this new campaign with big hopes, belief in our strengths, with humility and a huge respect of our opponents. Our first aim is to improve our results in the Champions League.”

“We want to do better than in previous years,” is the straightforward goal of team captain Daniel Narcisse, knowing that potential banana skins await early on: “With the new format of Playing hall competition, we will have hard games to play in the toughest group. We know that each game Halle Georges Carpentier will be a fight.” 81 boulevard Massena 75013 Paris Leaving the club this summer were Marko Kopljar (Barcelona) and (Berlin) France as well as Mladen Bojinovic. In addition to the Karabatic brothers’ arrival, two strong back Capacity: 4,800 court shooters moved to the French capital: Henrik Mollgaard (Skjern Handbold) and Sergiy Onufryienko (Motor Zaporozhye). Despite this bolstered squad manager Bruno Martini expects “only hard games in the group phase, as the competition will be very tight up until the last game.”

Club Address: Martini is certain that these top opponents will raise the interest from fans and the general Paris Saint-Germain Handball public alike: “It’s very important for Paris Saint-Germain to show the best of handball to its 82 avenue Georges Lafont fans. The VELUX EHF Champions League, especially with the new format of competition, offers 75016 Paris only high level games. We think that it’s the best way to improve the interest of the public for France handball.

Media contact: Louise Cosnard Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF +33 675 591 939 Past achievements Champions League: French champions [email protected] VELUX EHF Champions League Coach: Noka Serdarusic (since 2015, successor Online information: Participations (including 2015/16 of Philippe Gardent) Website: www.psghand.fr season): 4 Captain: Daniel Narcisse Facebook: PSGHand Quarter-final (2): 2013/14, 2014/15 Twitter:@PSG_HANDBALL Last 16 (1): 2005/06 Newcomers: Nikola Karabatic (FC Barcelona) Other Luka Karabatic (Aix en Provence) EHF Cup: Quarter-finals 2006/07, Last Kit colours Henrik Mollgaard (Skjern Handbold) 16 2003/04 Light Sergiy Onufryienko (Motor Zaporozhye) Player shirt: white French league: 2 titles (2013, 2015) Player short: red Left the club: French cup: 2 titles Goalkeeper shirt: red Philippe Gardent (coach Toulouse) Dark Marko Kopljar (FC Barcelona) Player shirt: blue Jakov Gojun (Füchse Berlin) Player short: blue Zacharia N’Diaye (Chartres) Goalkeeper shirt: yellow Mladen Bojinovic (Banja Luka)

38 Paris Saint-Germain Handball (FRA)

Biggest win: 38:24 (22:11) v Wacker Thun SUI (h), 23.11.2013 Biggest defeat: 44:28 (22:12) v THW Kiel GER (a), 10.12.2005 Longest winning run: 4 matches (17.11.2013 – 08.02.2014) 4 matches (28.09.2014 - 19.10.2014) Longest unbeaten run: 4 matches (17.11.2013 – 08.02.2014) 4 matches (28.09.2014 - 19.10.2014) Longest losing run: 4 matches (23.11.1996 – 18.01.1997) Longest run without win: 4 matches (23.11.1996 – 18.01.1997) Most goals: 38 v Wacker Thun SUI 38:24W (h), 23.11.2013 Most goals opponent: 44 v THW Kiel GER 44:28L (a), 10.12.2005 Most goals both teams: 72 v THW Kiel GER 44:28L (a), 10.12.2005 Fewest goals: 20 v Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 20:26L (h), 11.01.1997 20 v Caja Santander ESP 26:20L (a), 18.01.1997 Fewest goals opponent: 18 v HC Banik Karvina CZE 21:18W (h), 09.10.2005 Fewest goals both teams: 39 v HC Banik Karvina CZE 21:18W (h), 09.10.2005

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

1996/97 PSG Asnières FRA 6 1 0 5 131:161 –30 2:10 4th Gr. D 2005/06 Paris Handball FRA 8 4 1 3 212:229 -17 9:7 Last 16 2013/14 PSG Handball FRA 14 7 1 6 429:402 +27 15:13 1/4-finals 2014/15 Paris Saint-Germain Handball FRA 14 8 1 5 395:367 +28 17:11 1/4-finals Total 42 20 3 19 1167:1159 +8 43:41

39 Paris Saint-Germain Handball (FRA) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

19 Luc Abalo FRA Right Wing 6.9.1984 Creteil, FRA 182 80 6 FRA Left Back 8.4.1988 Cannes, FRA 194 94 20 Ludwig Appolinaire FRA Centre Back 27.5.1994 Kourou, FRA 190 97 14 Xavier Barachet FRA Right Back 19.11.1988 Nice, FRA 195 95 48 Clement Branco FRA Left Wing 25.8.1996 Perpignan, FRA 190 85 13 Paul Correia FRA Right Back 12.2.1997 Nantes, FRA 191 85 95 Kevin Durosier FRA Line Player 14.5.1994 Paris, FRA 187 90 17 Dylan Garain FRA Left Back 22.8.1996 Les Abymes, FRA 192 86 18 Robert Gunnarsson ISL Line Player 22.5.1980 Reykjavik, ISL 191 100 24 Mikkel Hansen DEN Centre Back 22.10.1987 Helsingor, DEN 192 93 34 Samuel Honrubia FRA Left Wing 5.7.1986 Beziers, FRA 180 75 22 Luka Karabatic FRA Line Player 19.4.1988 Strasbourg, FRA 202 90 44 Nikola Karabatic FRA Centre Back 11.4.1984 Nis, SRB 196 102 29 Adama Keita FRA Left Wing 5.6.1997 Paris, FRA 183 77 11 Benoit Kounkoud FRA Right Wing 19.2.1997 Versailles, FRA 188 78 7 Janus Lapajne SLO Centre Back 3.3.1995 Sampeter pri Gorici, SLO 192 93 90 Jeffrey M’tima FRA Left Wing 16.7.1991 Schlitighelm, FRA 188 80 4 Fahrudin Melic MNE Right Wing 22.7.1984 Prijepolje, MNE 183 90 5 Henrik Møllgaard Jensen DEN Left Back 2.1.1985 Bramming, DEN 195 97 25 Daniel Narcisse FRA Centre Back 16.12.1979 St Dennis-Reunion, FRA 189 92 33 Sergiy Onufryienko UKR Right Back 31.1.1985 Zaporozhye, UKR 190 95 3 Axel Rosier FRA Left Back 20.2.1994 PARIS, FRA 192 90 21 Jonathan Troudart FRA Line Player 15.1.1996 FORT DE FRANCE, FRA 194 82 9 CRO Line Player 20.9.1980 Zagreb, CRO 203 114

16 Thierry Omeyer FRA Goalkeeper 2.11.1976 Mulhouse, FRA 191 92 1 Patrice Annonay FRA Goalkeeper 17.5.1979 La Trinite, FRA 192 96 39 Jordy Jacoby-Koaly FRA Goalkeeper 8.2.1995 Pointe a Pitre, FRA 191 91 70 Clement Gaudin FRA Goalkeeper 13.3.1997 Martigues, FRA 197 87 Average: 26,29 191,1 90,2

Noka Serdarusic coach • born in Yugoslavia, became a German citizen in 2008 • came out of retirement two years ago to coach Aix, then moved to PSG this summer • does not speak French, only German, but since many players in PSG have played in Germany before it seems to be no problem • his previous coaching experience includes eleven seasons with THW Kiel and three with SG Flensburg-Handewitt • almost a honourary member of the Karabatic family EC Trophies : CL 2007, EHF Cup 1998, 2002, 2004

40 Thierry Omeyer Samuel Honrubia goalkeeper left wing • crowned best goalkeeper in history by the IHF • joined PSG at the start of the 2012/13 season after having played in Montpellier for more than a • returned to Montpellier for the 2013/14 decade season, reached the EHF Cup final and decided to move on to PSG in the summer of 2014 • immediately showed what he is capable of and why is he is regarded as one of the best left wings • at 39 has no intention of retiring and extended in Europe his contract for another season recently • very efficient at scoring from fast breaks and • awarded the best goalkeeper and the MVP at in one-on-one situations the WCh 2015 in Qatar

EC trophies: CL 2003, 2007, 2010, 2012 OG: G 2012, EURO: G 2014, WCh: G 2011, 2015 OG: G 2008, 2012, EURO: G 2006, 2010, 2014, B 2008 WCh: G 2001, 2009, 2011, 2015, B 2003, B 2005

Mikkel Hansen Nikola Karabatic left back centre back / left back • 2011 IHF World Handball Player of the Year • 2007 & 2014 World Handball Player of the Year • reached the VELUX EHF FINAL4 with AG • one of Barcelona transfer coups with Kiril Kobenhavn in 2012 Lazarov before the 2013/14 season and arguably the biggest transfer of the 2015 summer • son of former Danish international Flemming Hansen; having grown into a top class player at • won everything there is to win, as he has GOG, played for Barcelona for two seasons before triumphed at , WChs and EHF EUROs joining AG in 2011 with the French national team and thrice the CL (with Montpellier, Kiel and Barcelona) • arrived in PSG before the 2012/13 season; his headbands have now become a collector item • one of the most complete handball players among PSG fans with strengths both in attack and defence EC trophies: CL 2003, 2007, 2015 EURO: G 2012, S 2014, WCh: S 2011, 2013 OG: G 2008, 2012, WCh: G 2009, 2011, 2015, B 2003, 2005 EURO: G 2006, 2010, 2014, B 2008

Daniele Narcisse Luka Karabatic centre back line player • might well go down in history as one of the • was a national-level tennis player until he was most decorated French players 19, only then turned his back on the yellow ball and chose handball • 2012 IHF World Handball Player of the Year • began in Montpellier, then moved to Aix and • nicknamed “Air France” because of his finally to PSG in the summer of 2015 jumping skills • on the CL list of Montpellier in six seasons, • now reunited with former Kiel teammate but did not enjoy too much playing time (in total 22 Thierry Omeyer to fulfill his goal of winning the CL goals) title • PSG is the third club where he reunites with his brother Nikola EC trophies: CL 2010, 2012 OG: G 2008, 2012, EURO: G 2006, 2010, 2014, B 2008 ECh : G 2014, WCh : G 2015 WCh: G 2001, 2009, 2015, B 2003, 2005

Xavier Barachet Luc Abalo right back right wing • returned to France in the 2013/14 season • spectacular right wing returned to France to play with Saint Raphaël after playing only one from Spanish side Atletico Madrid in 2012 season in Spain • immediately showed how much progress he • moved on to PSG before the 2014/15 season has made • formed in Chambéry, the left-hander has • during his four seasons in Spain reached the already an impressive CL experience final of the CL in 2011 and 2012 • injured a lot over the past seasons and due to • regular fixture in the national team as well a shoulder injury, has only focused on defending • with his high jumps and all the tricks a winger • thanks to surgery, he has now recovered and must have in their bag, he is one of the best at his should be able to be dangerous in the attack too position

OG: G 2012, EURO: G 2010, WCh: G 2009, 2011, 2015 EC trophies: CL 2009 OG: 2008, 2012, EURO: G 2006, 2010, 2014, WCh: 2009, 2011

41 GROUP A RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO) It has been 11 years since their triumph, but RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko are still the last team not from Spain or Germany to have won the EHF Champions League. The 19-time Slovenian champions are back in European handball’s elite club competition for an astonishing 21st time, joining Veszprem in second place on the all-time participation list, behind Zagreb’s tally of 22.

After winning all domestic matches in the Slovenian league and cup competitions, the “Brewers” aim for their historic 20th title in the new season and try to make it to the Last 16 of the VELUX EHF Champions League. Celje are continuing on their way of promoting Slovenian talents with the likes of Miha Zarabec, Blaz Blagotinsek and Blaz Janc making the grade last term. The success of the Slovenian youth programme (Youth Olympic Games winner 2014, U21 World Championship 2015 and EYOF 2015 silver medalists) is partly built upon the work in Celje. “We are sure that some new players from RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko will show their talent in the new season,” says manager Gregor Planteu.

In contrast to previous years, only one key player has left Celje prior to the start of this season: Ivan Sliskovic, who transferred to 2015 finalists Veszprem. Among their newcomers, goalkeeper Ivan Gajic is a valuable addition in terms of experience. With an average age of 24 years, the Celje squad has gained more international experience last season and improved from match to match, but just missed out on the Last 16. The task this season is no easier for the record Slovenian champions in Group A against 2015 finalists Veszprem, three-time winners Kiel, 2014 champions Flensburg, Paris, Zagreb, Plock and Besiktas.

The club’s objective is clearly set: to qualify for the knock-out stage, for which they at least have to finish in the top six positions. For team captain Luka Zvizej it is hard to predict, which team will win their group, as “PSG, Kiel, Veszprem, Flensburg are even stronger than last year.” Playing hall Dvorana Zlatorog Zvizej hopes for some good games with Wisla, Zagreb and Besiktas: “If we get the chance to Opekarinska cesta 15 qualify for the Last 16, we will grab it.” 3000 Celje Slovenia Team captain and manager hope for strong support from the stands: “Last season we had an Capacity: 5,830 average of more than 4,100 fans per Champions League match, now we are trying to improve this number. With a good atmosphere in the Zlatorog Arena and the passion of our players, we are able to upset big teams,” says Planteu. Club Address: Celje Pivovarna Lasko Opekarniska Cesta 15 Past achievements 3000 Celje Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Slovenia Champions League: Slovenian champions VELUX EHF Champions League Participations (including 2015/16 Media contact: Coach: Branko Tamse (since December 2013) season): 20 Nejc Ajdnik Captain: Luka Zvizej Winner (1): 2003/04 +386 40687766 Semi-final (6): 1996/97, 1997/98, [email protected] Newcomers: 1998/99, 1999/2000, 2000/01, 2004/05 Ivan Gajic (Al Ahli/Qatar) Quarter-final (2): 2001/02, 2005/06 Online information: Ziga Mlakar (RK Maribor Branik) Last 16 (3): 1995/96, 2006/07, 2012/13, Website: www.rk-celje.si Luka Dobelsek (RK Gorenje Velenje) 2013/14 Facebook: rkceljepivovarnaLasko Povilas Babarskas (Bregenz) Main round (2): 2007/08, 2008/09 Twitter:@RKCPL Gregor Potocnik (RK Trimo Trebnje) Group phase (4): 1993/94, 1994/95, Lucijan Fizuleto (RK Sevnica) 2010/11, 2014/15 Kit colours Arthur Malburg Patrianova (Villa de Aranda) Qualification (1): 2009/10 Light Player shirt: yellow-blue Left the club: Other Player short: blue Ivan Sliskovic (Veszprem) Cup Winners‘ Cup: Semi-finals 2002/02, Goalkeeper shirt: black David Miklavcic (Tremblay) 2011/12 Dark Matevz Skok (N-Lübbecke) Slovenian league: 19 titles (1992, 1993, Player shirt: blue Rok Zuran (Jeruzalem Ormoz) 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, Player short: blue 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, Goalkeeper shirt: red 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2015) Slovenian cup: 18 times

42 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO)

Biggest win: 37:17 (16:09) v Redbergslids IK SWE (h), 18.11.2000 Biggest defeat: 43:27 (23:16) v THW Kiel GER (a), 27.02.2011 Longest winning run: 6 matches (23.03.1997 – 24.01.1998) 6 matches (25.03.2000 – 09.12.2000) Longest unbeaten run: 8 matches (31.10.2004 – 02.04.2005) Longest losing run: 4 matches (16.02.2008 – 08.03.2008) 4 matches (14.02.2009 – 07.03.2009) 4 matches (02.10.2010 – 21.11.2010) 4 matches (27.02.2011 – 06.10.2012) Longest run without win: 6 matches (16.02.2008 - 05.10.2008) Most goals: 44 v HC ‘Granitas-Karys’ LTU 44:27W (h), 22.11.2008 Most goals opponent: 44 v FC Barcelona Borges ESP 44:33L (a), 09.10.2010 Most goals both teams: 77 v FC Barcelona Borges ESP 44:33L (a), 09.10.2010 Fewest goals: 17 v UHK West Wien AUT 18:17L (a), 06.04.1994 Fewest goals opponent: 16 v SG Wallau-Massenheim GER 23:16L (h), 13.02.1994 16 v Redbergslids Göteborg SWE 31:16W (h), 14.11.1998 Fewest goals both teams: 35 v UHK West Wien AUT 18:17L (a), 06.04.1994

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

1993/94 Celje ‘Pivovarna Lasko’ SLO 6 2 0 4 120:116 +4 4:8 4th Gr. A 1996/97 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 10 7 1 2 254:213 +41 15:5 1/2-finals 1997/98 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 10 8 0 2 268:234 +34 16:4 1/2-finals 1998/99 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 10 7 1 2 290:245 +45 15:5 1/2-finals 1999/00 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 10 7 0 3 294:250 +44 14:6 1/2-finals 2000/01 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 10 6 1 3 292:254 +38 13:7 1/2-finals 2001/02 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 8 6 0 2 232:217 +15 12:4 1/4-finals 2003/04 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 14 10 2 2 447:398 +49 22:6 Winner 2004/05 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 12 8 1 3 360:327 +33 17:7 1/2-finals 2005/06 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 10 7 0 3 311:273 +38 14:6 1/4-finals 2006/07 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 8 6 0 2 272:237 +35 12:4 Last 16 2007/08 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 12 4 2 6 342:344 -2 10:14 4th MR Gr. 4 2008/09 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 10 4 0 6 296:287 +9 8:12 4th MR Gr. 2 2010/11 HC Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 10 3 0 7 300:332 -32 6:14 5th Gr. A 2012/13 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 12 5 0 7 305:324 –19 10:14 Last 16 2013/14 Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 12 5 1 6 322:327 -5 11:13 Last 16 2014/15 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 10 3 0 7 284:293 -9 6:14 5th Gr. C Total 174 98 9 67 4989:4671 +318 205:143

43 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

2 Eljub Alagic SLO Line Player 10.6.1998 Celje, SLO 177 77 7 Povilas Babarskas LTU Left Back 13.12.1988 Kaunas, LTU 202 103 3 Blaz Blagotinsek SLO Line Player 17.1.1994 Celje, SLO 202 116 4 Tobias Cvetko SLO Left Back 10.1.1997 Celje, SLO 192 86 30 Luka Dobelsek SLO Centre Back 12.1.1983 Celje, SLO 190 86 6 Anze Dobovicnik SLO Right Wing 3.6.1998 Celje, SLO 180 73 13 Tilen Dobovicnik SLO Left Wing 29.5.1998 Celje, SLO 179 73 26 Lucijan Fizuletto SLO Centre Back 23.2.1994 Celje, SLO 186 84 14 Matic Groselj SLO Right Back 22.9.1997 Trbovlje, SLO 194 90 5 Sime Ivic CRO Right Back 21.1.1993 Split, CRO 195 90 8 Blaz Janc SLO Right Wing 20.11.1996 Brezice, SLO 184 85 25 SLO Left Wing 14.5.1994 Celje, SLO 190 89 15 Arthur Malburg Patrianova BRA Left Back 22.4.1993 Itajausc, BRA 188 97 11 Gal Marguc SLO Right Wing 16.11.1996 Celje, SLO 177 72 55 Ziga Mlakar SLO Right Back 16.5.1990 Celje, SLO 191 98 10 Grega Ocvirk SLO Centre Back 5.12.1998 Celje, SLO 188 89 35 Zivan Pesic SRB Line Player 7.7.1993 Novi Sad, SRB 194 105 15 SLO Line Player 5.4.1991 Celje, SLO 193 105 21 Gregor Potocnik SLO Left Back 22.8.1992 Celje, SLO 196 105 9 David Razgor SLO Centre Back 13.7.1989 Celje, SLO 181 82 17 Luka Savanovic BIH Right Back 16.1.2001 Banja Luka, BIH 186 82 18 Jan Sivka SLO Left Wing 12.7.1997 Celje, SLO 183 76 23 Miha Zarabec SLO Centre Back 12.10.1991 Novo Mesto, SLO 178 78 77 Luka Zvizej SLO Left Wing 9.12.1980 Celje, SLO 185 86

16 Ivan Gajic SRB Goalkeeper 17.5.1979 Nis, SRB 191 105 1 SLO Goalkeeper 24.8.1990 Celje, SLO 188 95 12 Tilen Leben SLO Goalkeeper 7.1.1997 Cele, SLO 186 86 66 Gasper Dobaj SLO Goalkeeper 13.11.1998 Slovenj Gradec, SLO 185 85 Average: 22,21 187,9 89,2

Branko Tamse coach • former player and coach of Celje’s arch rivals from Velenje

• took over the club in December 2014, just 48 hours after Vladan Matic and Celje announced the termination of their contract

• major task of the former youth and junior national team player was to rebuild a young team with talents and create a competitive force to keep up with the pace of the more renowned rivals in the group.

44 Ivan Gajic Luka Zvizej goalkeeper left wing • started his handball career in his birthplace • competed at the 2004 Olympics in Athens with RK Zeleznicar Nis in 1997 • listed among the top ten goal scorers at the • played five seasons (2008-2013) for Celje’s 2012 EHF EURO, also part of the national team at the biggest rival RK Gorenje Velenje, under current WCh 2013, where Slovenia finished fourth Celje coach Branko Tamse, won three Slovenian • moved from his home team to Spain in 2003 champions title with them – first to CB Cantabria and then to FC Barcelona, where he won the CL in 2005 and ASOBAL in 2006 • vast club-level experience playing at Hannover, Frisch Auf Göppingen, Silkeborg, • before moving back to Celje had a second stint Tremblay as well as for a season each at Cantabria and spent three years with Pick Szeged

• represented Serbia at the World EC trophies: CL 2005 Championship in Spain 2013

Arthur Malburg Patrianova Luka Dobelsek left back centre back • signed for Celje in the summer of 2015 • joined Celje in the summer of 2015 after he helped the league rivals Velenje to reach the EHF • despite his young age (22) has been member Cup Finals in the previous season of the Brazilian national team for some years and played both at the WCh 2013 in Spain and WCh 2015 • one of the most experienced players of the in Qatar squad with a dozen of EC seasons under his belt • came from Villa de Aranda, ASOBAL team, • played abroad in Germany (Lübbecke, before he played in Naturhouse la Rioja, but longed Emsdetten) and Poland (Wisła Płock) before for more minutes on the court returning to his boyhood club Velenje in 2013 replacing Nikola Manojlovic • can play in the centre back position too • played his first international matches with • in March 2015 suffered a knee injury and had Velenje already in 2001 to undergo a surgery

Miha Zarabec Vid Poteko centre back line player • joined Celje in the summer of 2014 from • member of Celje since 2010, now a key part of another Slovenian club RK Maribor Branik, where he Celje’s defence experienced the EHF Cup Group Phase in 2012/13 • known as a true fighter, who never gives up • after Sebastian Skube and Mate Lekai left the • part of the Slovenian team playing in Mersin club, Zarabec took over attacking duties at the Mediterranean games 2013 together with • his main strenghts are speed, explosivity and Gasper Marguc, Urban Lesjak and Borut Mackovsek his vision of play • after Alem Toskic left Celje for Vardar Skopje in • in his first season in the CL he became the top 2013, he gets more minutes in the offensive play scorer of his team with 54 goals • sharing his position with talented Blaz Blagotinsek, together they combined for 34 goals (16+18) in the 2014/15 season

Sime Ivic Blaz Janc right back right wing • joined Celje in 2014 from Nexe Nasice (Croatia) • one of the biggest talents in history of Slovenian handball • in Nexe top a very important role, as he was the second best scorer of the team and overall 7th • teenager already in his 4th season in the first scorer in 2013/14 SEHA league team making his debut in the CL at 15 years old • in his first season with Celje scored 20 goals • after Gasper Marguc’s departure to Veszprem in 2014 he used his extended playing time to • his main positive characteristics are his agility become the third best Celje’s scorer (44 goals) and ability to play well in both attack and defence. • best right back in the previous Men’s 20 EHF EURO 2014 and Junior WCh 2015 where he was playing with players two years older than him • best right back and top scorer of Youth WCh 2015

45 GROUP A Orlen Wisla Plock (POL)

Following a spirited challenge against Vive Tauron Kielce for the Polish title and becoming the only team to beat eventual VELUX EHF Champions League winners FC Barcelona last season, there is plenty to be positive about in the Wisla Plock camp as they head into another European campaign.

The Polish runners-up are ready for a new challenge after three cornerstones of Manuel Cadenas’ squad left Plock for other Champions League participants. joined Kielce, towering line player Kamil Syprzak made it to the defending champions FC Barcelona Lassa and Alexander Tioumentsev now plays for Meshkov Brest.

On the other hand, Plock signed two international experienced players: Chilean Marco Oneto (former Barcelona player), Bartosz Konitz and Russian talent Dmitrii Zhitnikov. These newcomers keep the flames of hope burning for Cadenas despite the tough group they were drawn in with Kiel (three-time champions), Veszprem (2015 finalist), talent-laden Paris, 2014 champions Flensburg, Celje, Zagreb and Besiktas.

“At first it is our main goal to qualify for the Last 16 and we want to be a tough opponent for all our competitors,” Cadenas looks ahead. For the coach of the Spanish national team Barcelona, Kiel and Kielce are the favourites to win the competition.

For him, the chance to be in a group like this means a great honour: “To be part of the Playing hall Champions League is important for the city, the club and the fans - who can watch the best Orlen Arena teams in the world in the Orlen Arena.” Pl. Celebry Papieskiej 1 09-400 Płock Poland Capacity: 5,467

Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Club Address: Past achievements Orlen Wisła Płock Champions League: Polish runners-up Plac Celebry Papieskiej 1 VELUX EHF Champions League 09-400 Płock Coach: Manuel Cadenas (since 2013) Participations (including 2015/16 Poland Captain: Adam Wisniewski season): 11 Last 16 (4): 1995/96, 2011/12, 2013/14, Media contact: Newcomers: 2014/15 Tomasz Bauman Marco Oneto (GWD Minden) Group Phase (5): 2002/03, 2004/05, Tel: +48 723 100 787 Bartosz Konitz (Szczecin) 2005/06, 2006/07, 2008/09 [email protected] Dmitrii Zhitnikov (Chekhovskie Medvedi) Qualification (1): 2012/13

Online information: Left the club: Other Website: www.sprwislaplock.pl Mariusz Jurkiewicz (Kielce) EHF Cup: Quarter-finals 1993/94, Group Facebook: sprWisla Alexander Tioumentsev (Meshkov Brest) Phase: 2012/13 Twitter:@SPRWisla Kamil Syprzak (Barcelona) Polish league: 7 titles (1995, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011) Kit colours : 10 titles Light Player shirt: whiteblue Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: yellow Dark Player shirt: blue Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: red

46 Orlen Wisla Plock (POL)

Biggest win: 42:26 (19:11) v Crvena Zvezda Beograd SCG (h), 13.11.2004 Biggest defeat: 35:18 (19:04) v KIF Kolding Elite A/S DEN (a), 07.10.2006 34:17 (15:07) v HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb CRO (a), 12.10.2008 Longest winning run: 5 matches (29.11.2014 – 14.03.2015) Longest unbeaten run: 6 matches (23.11.2014 – 14.03.2015) Longest losing run: 6 matches (05.10.2008 – 20.11.2008) Longest run without win: 6 matches (05.10.2008 – 20.11.2008) Most goals: 42 v Crvena Zvezda Beograd SCG 42:26W (h), 13.11.2004 Most goals opponent: 40 v Sportclub Magdeburg GER 40:32L (a), 16.11.2002 Most goals both teams: 72 v Sportclub Magdeburg GER 40:32L (a), 16.11.2002 Fewest goals: 13 v Chambery Savoie HB FRA 21:13L (a), 15.10.2006 Fewest goals opponent: 19 v Crvena Zvezda Beograd SRB 31:19W (h), 28.09.2006 19 v HCM Constanta ROU 19:34W (a), 09.02.2012 19 v Besiktas MOGAZ HT TUR 28:19W (h), 27.09.2014 Fewest goals both teams: 34 v Chambery Savoie HB FRA 21:13L (a), 15.10.2006

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2002/03 Wisla Plock SSA POL 6 1 0 5 167:195 –28 2:10 3rd Gr. A 2004/05 Wisla Plock SSA POL 6 1 0 5 159:177 -18 2:10 4th Gr. D 2005/06 Wisla Plock SSA POL 6 2 0 4 155:182 -27 4:8 3rd Gr. E 2006/07 Wisla Plock SA POL 6 2 0 4 141:170 –29 4:8 3rd Gr. C 2008/09 Wisla Plock SA POL 6 0 0 6 122:188 -66 0:12 4th Gr. H 2011/12 Orlen Wisla Plock POL 12 4 1 7 321:332 -11 9:15 1/8-finals 2013/14 Orlen Wisla Plock POL 12 5 0 7 335:341 -6 10:14 1/8-finals 2014/15 Orlen Wisla Plock POL 12 7 1 4 340:337 +3 15:9 Last 16 Total 66 22 2 42 1740:1922 –182 46:86

47 Orlen Wisla Plock (POL) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

34 Lukasz Calujek POL Left Back 25.7.1994 Zawadzkie, POL 202 104 3 Michal Daszek POL Right Wing 27.6.1992 Tczew, POL 180 70 15 Valentin Marian Ghionea ROU Right Wing 29.4.1984 Baia Mare, ROU 197 90 27 Bartosz Konitz POL Left Back 30.12.1984 Oborniki Wlkpl., POL 197 97 2 Zbigniew Kwiatkowski POL Line Player 2.4.1985 Mlawa, POL 202 120 25 Angel Montoro Cabello ESP Right Back 10.4.1989 Toledo, ESP 213 105 23 Jakub Moryn POL Left Wing 17.11.1996 Plock, POL 186 80 77 Ivan Nikcevic SRB Left Wing 11.2.1981 Niksic, MNE 182 80 29 Marco Antonio Oneto Zuniga ITA Line Player 3.6.1982 Vina del mar, CHI 204 117 18 Mateusz Piechowski POL Line Player 1.3.1995 Plock, POL 210 110 13 Miljan Pusica SRB Left Back 30.6.1991 Prijepolje, SRB 199 101 7 Dan Emil Racotea ROU Back 21.7.1995 Brasov, ROU 202 98 17 POR Line Player 17.10.1985 S. Paio Oleiros, POR 196 104 14 Maciej Skibinski POL Right Wing 28.4.1996 Ciechanów, POL 186 82 26 Marko Tarabochia BIH Centre Back 28.11.1988 Zagreb, BIH 192 92 10 Adam Wisniewski POL Left Wing 24.10.1980 Plock, POL 192 100 24 Nemanja Zelenovic SRB Right Back 27.2.1990 Knin, SRB 194 93 89 RUS Centre Back 20.11.1989 Zvolen, RUS 193 90

12 POL Goalkeeper 17.2.1980 Zabrze, POL 193 100 36 Rodal ESP Goalkeeper 24.2.1991 Cangas, ESP 201 99 16 Adam Morawski POL Goalkeeper 17.10.1994 Ciechanów, POL 193 94 Average: 26,57 195,9 96,5

Manolo Cadenas coach • before he signed to Orlen in 2013 he made a short return to Leon, where he had been the coach also from 1995 to 2007, in their “golden era” • led Ademar to their only national championship title in 2001, two cup titles and victories in the European arena • joined Plock in a difficult period facing a challenge of building the team from the scratch • besides Plock also coaches the Spanish national team EC Trophies: Cup Winner’s Cup 1989, 1999, 2005 EURO: B 2014

48 Rodrigo Corrales Rodal Marcin Wichary goalkeeper goalkeeper • coming to Plock in 2014 seems to be one of • depite his inconspicuous look, while standing the best decision made by the Spaniard who had between the posts he turns into a beast been in the shadow of other keepers in FC Barcelona • came to Plock in 2004 and since that moment • landed under wings, which he has become a true Oiler, beloved by the local fans soon made the experts call him the future of • in his WCh debut in 2013 he impressed with a Spanish handball 50% save efficiency in the group phase • talented, hard-working and dynamic player • his best achievement to date remains the 5th soon gained hearts of the local fans with incredible place in the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing and the saves in crucial moments of the games bronze medal from the WCh 2015 in Qatar

EC Trophies: CL 2011 WCh: B 2015

Ivan Nikcevic Miljan Pusica left wing left back • experienced winger with many titles • among six players that reinforced the ranks of Wisla before the 2014/15 season • raised in Crvena Zvezda , he moved to Spain in 2005 where he played for the likes of San • in 2014 on the left side replaced his Antonio and Cuatro Rayas countryman, Petar Nenadic, who joined Füchse Berlin • achieved his best European performance with San Antonio in the Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final in • with his previous team, RK Vojvodina, he 2010 failed in the qualification tournament in the 2013/14 season • also an important Serbian national team player scoring over 450 goals

EURO: S 2012

Dmitry Zhitnikov Tiago Rocha centre back line player • comes from Krasnodar, and his first coach at • the first Portuguese player in Polish league; the local handball school was his father a hard-working player aware of his physical assets, despite his huge dimensions possesses a good • at the age of 16, the talented boy was invited coordination to Chekhov where he played five seasons in the reserve team • after spending twelve years in FC Porto he made his first step abroad joining Płock in 2014 • as he matured and experienced players left, Zhitnikov began to play a more prominent role at • became a cornerstone of the team until the Medvedi metacarpus injury in March 2015 put him out of action both in domestic and European contest • member of the Russian national team joined Plock in the summer of 2015 • after the departure of Kamil Syprzak to Barcelona in the summer of 2015 he shares his position with a newcomer Marco Oneto

Nemanja Zelenovic Valentin Ghionea right back right wing • another representative of the young guns of • Romanian Handballer of the Year in 2008 and Plock two-time top scorer in Romania (2005, 2007) • arrived in the summer of 2014 from Celje • joined Wisla Plock in 2012 and during his first season, he showed his great goalscoring ability • with Serbian Red Star, his first club, he experienced the CL debut in the 2007/08 season and • quickly became a very important Wisla player still as a teenager he scored 18 goals next season and his team’s top scorer • currently the first choice in right back position • in the 2013/14 season he scored 226 goals in and a member of Serbian national team 43 appearances including 48 goals in the CL • with his speed he is an important part of Manolo Cadenas’s philosophy of the game

49 GROUP A HC PPD Zagreb (CRO)

The was a true fortress last season and a continuation of this is important for RUKOMETNI KLUB PRVO PLINARSKO DRUŠTVO RK PPD Zagreb ahead of the new VELUX EHF Champions League season. One season ago, Kiel, ZAGREB Paris and Kolding all stumbled into the home of the Croatian record champions, who are part of the Champions League for the 22th time – more than any other team. Since Veselin Vujovic (now also Slovenian national team coach) took over Zagreb in October 2014, the pool of talents improved like no other Champions League team. But as expected, some of those talents were on the shopping list of other clubs: Teo Čorić (TV Bittenfeld), Ilija Brozović (HSV Hamburg), Duško Čelica (Eisenach) and Mario Vuglač all bid farwell to Zagreb.

The club has continued signing home grown talents, as again Zagreb’s squad only consists of players from Croatia. After an unexpectedly successful 2014/15 season, club manager Ante Ančić is aware that it will be hard to continue this way.

“Last season we went through to the quarter-finals. Repeating that would be a huge success for our young and home grown team. With the new playing system reaching the quarter-final again will be much harder than before. So our realistic goal is to make it to the Last 16.”

Zagreb will have to face huge hurdles in the group phase, playing against Kiel, Veszprem, PSG, Flensburg, Plock and Besiktas in Group A - in addition Zagreb strive again for the final tournament of the SEHA Liga, which they won in 2013. “In reality we will fight with Celje, Plock and Besiktas for the positions 5 and 6. We managed to create some pretty interesting upsets last season and will for sure give our best to shock some of the ‘giants’ in our group again this year,” Ančić hopes for. Playing hall Arena Zagreb Two players will definitely miss the start of the Champions League season: Stipe Mandalinić, Laniste b.b., who is out for six months after a knee surgery, and Josip Valčić, out with a femoral injury. 10000 Zagreb Croatia Capacity: 15,200

Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Past achievements Club Address: Champions League: Croatian champions HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb VELUX EHF Champions League Veprinecka 16 Coach: Veselin Vujovic (since October 2014) Participations (including 2015/16 10000 Zagreb Captain: Zlatko Horvat season): 22 Croatia Final (4): 1994/95, 1996/97, 1997/98, Newcomers: 1998/99 Media contact: Igor Vujić (Istres) Semi-final (1): 1999/00 Goran Roknić Stanko Sabljić (Erlangen) Quarter-final (6): 2000/01, 2002/03, +385 95 9999 334 Tin Kontrec (Grk Varaždin) 2003/04, 2008/09, 2011/12, 2014/15) glasnogovornik@rk‐zagreb.hr Marko Vukić (Marina Kaštela) Last 16 (3): 2005/06, 2009/10, 2010/11 Josip Šandrk (Dinamo Bukurešt) Main Round (1): 2007/08 Online information: Group Phase (4): 1993/94, 2004/05, Website: www.rk-zagreb.hr Left the club: 2006/07, 2012/13 Facebook: RK-Zagreb Teo Čorić (TV Bittenfeld) Twitter:@RKZagreb Ilija Brozović (HSV Hamburg) Other Duško Čelica (Eisenach) EHF Cup: Runners-up 2004/05 Kit colours Mario Vuglač Cup Winners‘ Cup: Semi-finals 2006/07 Light Player shirt: white SEHA League: 1 title (2013) Player short: white Goalkeeper shirt: orange Croatian league: 25 titles (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, Dark 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, Player shirt: blue 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, Player short: blue 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) Goalkeeper shirt: yellow Croatian Cup winner: 22 times

50 HC PPD Zagreb (CRO) Biggest win 34:15 (16:8) v HC Bosna Sarajevo BIH (h), 04.12.2010 Biggest defeat: 21:43 (10:23) v FC Barcelona ESP (a), 18.04.2015 RUKOMETNI KLUB PRVO PLINARSKO DRUŠTVO Longest winning run: 6 matches (12.12.1998 – 27.02.1999) ZAGREB Longest unbeaten run: 6 matches (09.11.1996 – 18.01.1997) 6 matches (12.12.1998 – 27.02.1999) 6 matches (30.10.1999 – 05.12.1999) 6 matches (04.10.2008 – 22.11.2008) Longest losing run: 7 matches (11.10.2012 – 16.02.2013) Longest run without win: 8 matches (04.10.2012 – 16.02.2013) Most goals: 38 v Kadetten Schaffhausen SUI 38:30W (h), 23.02.2013 Most goals opponent: 43 v FC Barcelona ESP 43:21L (a), 18.04.2015 Most goals both teams: 69 v FC Barcelona Borges ESP 36:33L (a), 03.04.2010 Fewest goals: 15 v Portland San Antonio ESP 31:15L (a), 22.10.2005 Fewest goals opponent: 13 v THW Kiel GER 22:13W (h), 25.03.2000 13 v Pelister Bitola MKD 37:13W (h), 16.10.2005 Fewest goals both teams: 36 v ZTR Zaporozhye UKR 18:18D (a), 20.11.1999 36 v HC Metalurg MKD 19:17W (h), 11.10.2014 VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

1993/94 Badel 1862 Zagreb CRO 6 0 2 4 135:147 –12 2:10 4th Gr. A 1994/95 Badel Zagreb CRO 8 5 1 2 203:203 0 11:5 Runner-up 1995/96 Croatia Banka Zagreb CRO 6 2 1 3 138:144 -6 5:7 3rd Gr. B 1996/97 Badel 1862 Zagreb CRO 12 6 3 3 310:294 +16 15:9 Runner-up 1997/98 Badel 1862 Zagreb CRO 12 7 0 5 300:287 +13 14:10 Runner-up 1998/99 Badel 1862 Zagreb CRO 12 8 1 3 288:269 +19 17:7 Runner-up 1999/00 Badel 1862 Zagreb CRO 10 7 1 2 260:230 +30 15:5 1/2-finals 2000/01 Badel 1862 Zagreb CRO 8 4 1 3 195:192 +3 9:7 1/4-finals 2002/03 RK Zagreb CRO 8 3 2 3 209:216 -7 8:8 1/4-finals 2003/04 RK Zagreb CRO 10 4 0 6 273:258 +15 8:12 1/4-finals 2004/05 RK Zagreb CRO 6 3 0 3 165:170 -5 6:6 3rd Gr. B 2005/06 RK Zagreb CRO 8 5 1 2 212:194 +18 11:5 Last 16 2006/07 RK Zagreb CRO 6 3 0 3 153:148 +5 6:6 3rd Gr. D 2007/08 HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb CRO 12 5 1 6 339:344 -5 11:13 3rd MR Gr. 3 2008/09 HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb CRO 12 7 3 2 357:313 +44 17:7 1/4-finals 2009/10 HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb CRO 12 6 0 6 351:335 +16 12:12 Last 16 2010/11 HC Croatia Osiguranje ZAGREB CRO 12 6 3 3 358:319 +39 15:9 Last 16 2011/12 Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb CRO 14 9 1 4 391:359 +32 19:9 1/4-finals 2012/13 HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb CRO 10 2 1 7 266:284 –18 5:15 5th Gr. D 2013/14 HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb CRO 10 4 0 6 267:282 -15 8:12 5th Gr. A 2014/15 HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb CRO 14 7 0 7 328:356 -28 14:14 1/4-finals Total 208 103 22 83 5498:5344 +154 228:188

51 HC PPD Zagreb (CRO) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

18 Zlatko Horvat CRO Right Wing 25.9.1984 Zagreb, CRO 179 87 51 Arijan Jovic CRO 18.6.1996 Zagreb, CRO 184 82 9 Tin Kontrec CRO Line Player 9.9.1989 Nasice, CRO 196 95 77 Antonijo Kovacevic CRO Left Wing 21.5.1987 Zagreb, CRO 190 90 27 Stipe Mandalinic CRO Left Back 9.9.1992 Split, CRO 195 90 48 Petar Medic CRO 12.6.1996 Zagreb, CRO 187 80 4 Lovro Mihic CRO Left Wing 25.8.1994 Zagreb, CRO 180 74 37 Sandro Obranovic CRO Centre Back 18.10.1992 Karlovac, CRO 194 83 94 Domagoj Pavlovic CRO Left Back 21.3.1993 Zagreb, CRO 189 82 17 Luka Rakovic CRO Right Wing 6.6.1988 Zagreb, CRO 179 86 7 Stanko Sabljic CRO Line Player 28.1.1988 Mostar, BIH 202 108 20 Josip Sandrk CRO Left Back 27.4.1987 Zagreb, CRO 209 100 14 Luka Sebetic CRO Right Back 26.5.1994 Bjelovar, CRO 197 93 11 Lovro Sprem CRO Left Wing 26.1.1990 Zagreb, CRO 186 88 7 Luka Stepancic CRO Right Back 20.11.1990 Pula, CRO 200 104 19 Leon Susnja CRO Line Player 5.8.1993 Siroki Brijeg, BIH 204 113 22 Josip Valcic CRO Centre Back 21.4.1984 Zadar, CRO 190 97 24 Tonci Valcic CRO Left Back 9.6.1978 Zadar, CRO 194 100 45 Jakov Vrdoljak CRO 1.11.1996 Zagreb, CRO 189 85 4 Stefan Vujic CRO Centre Back 6.7.1991 Rijeka, CRO 192 91 14 Marko Vukic CRO Left Back 24.2.1993 Split, CRO 202 90

16 Filip Ivic CRO Goalkeeper 30.8.1992 Zagreb, CRO 196 95 12 Ivan Stevanovic CRO Goalkeeper 18.5.1982 Rijeka, CRO 193 101 Average: 25,26 192,5 91,9

Veselin Vujovic coach • hired by Zagreb right before the beginning of the 2014/15 CL campaign • one of the best players ever, worked as a head-coach in Ciudad Real, Vardar, Yugoslavian national team, Serbia and (fourth place the OG in Sydney 2000) and is in charge of Slovenia now • with Vardar won the regional SEHA League title in its first season • known as an outstanding specialist but also as an impulsive coach

EC: Champions Cup 1985, 1986, 1991 (as player) OG: G 1984, WCh: G 1986 (as player)

52 Filip Ivic Lovro Sprem goalkeeper left wing • home-grown goalkeeper from Zagreb’s school • well-known surname in Croatian handball, his older brother Goran won many medals with Croatia • won European gold and was fourth in the world as the captain of Croatian junior national team • Goran’s copy in speed, aggresiveness and rhythm • in the 2013/14 season he was given a chance in Zagreb’s first team • became the junior world champion in Tunisia in 2009 • used the opportunity to open gates of senior handball in great style through some great saves • very skillful at counter attacks and playing out front in a 5-1 defence • in his first senior season he also made it to the national team and backed Mirko Alilović on the way to bronze at the 2013 WCh WCh: B 2013 WCh: B 2013

Domagoj Pavlovic Tonci Valcic left back left back • born in Ivanic, where he began playing • made a debut for Zagreb in 1999, currently handball before joining RK Dubrava – club where playing his ninth season for the club. he rose to prominence, which took him to HC PPD Zagreb in 2014 • older brother to Zagreb and Croatia teammate Josip Valcic • came through all Croatian youth selections, before establishing himself as the key member of • defensive specialist, known for his great junior national team anticipation of player movement in 6-0 zone • playing his second season for HC PPD Zagreb, • made Croatia national team debut in 2003 and alongside Croatian youth selection teammates Filip has since made 109 appearances scoring 189 goals Ivic, Sandro Obranovic and Stipe Mandalinic • Enjoys working with Veselin Vujovic, who is WCh: G 2003, S 2009, EURO: S 2008, S 2010 said to give him great confidence

Sandro Obranovic Stanko Sabljic left/centre back line player • having started handball as a member of RK • born in Mostar (Bosnia Herzogovina) began his Karlovac youth squad, working his way up to the path in the youth ranks of HRK Izvidjac Ljubuski first team and the Challenge Cup berth • changed three clubs between 2007 and 2010 • joined Zagreb in 2013, from Croatian vice- (Bosna Sarajevo, RK Sloga and RK Metkovic) champions and the EHF Cup outfit RK NEXE Nasice • garnered a valuable SEHA league experience • flourished under guidance of Veselin Vujovic in the shirt of Borac m:tel in 2010/11 and 2011/12 in the 2014/15 season, becoming one of the key players for Zagreb coming off the bench • three seasons of Bundesliga experience, representing the German sides Bergischer HC (2012- • awarded best left back of the 2015 SEHA 2014) and HC Erlangen (2014-2015) League Final tournament • replacement in 2015 for Ilija Brozovic who went in the opposite direction to Bundesliga (HSV)

Luka Stepancic Zlatko Horvat right back right wing • one of the most exciting Zagreb players and • captain and speedy wing is a counter-attack one of the most wanted on the European player’s specialist, but he is an important part of defence at market the same time • more than two meters tall left handed with a • had his debut in the national team in 2006 and great jump shot and ability to play in defence since then he has won four medals • member of Croatian national team and • played in Zagreb from the beginning of his already has a bronze medal from the WCh 2013 in career and has already 13 campaigns in the CL under Spain his belt • at the 2009 Junior WC in Tunisia won the gold • in the 2010/11 season the third top scorer with 94 goals WCh: B 2013 OG: B 2012, EURO: B 2012, WCh: S 2009, B 2013

53 GROUP A Besiktas JK (TUR) It was a landmark in their club’s history despite not ending successfully: After failing six straight times in the qualification for the VELUX EHF Champions League, Besiktas Mogaz made it to the group phase last season as the first Turkish team ever. Beating Swedish side Alingsas they wrote further history with their first ever group phase win, and even though it was also their last one, Besiktas took huge experience from this highlight in their international year. For the 2015/16 season, they were even seeded among the top groups - and though the Turkish champions were drawn in Group A with more experienced squads like Veszprem, Kiel, PSG, Flensburg, Celje, Plock and Zagreb, they are aiming for the Last 16 qualification. To make it that far, Besiktas need to finish among the six best teams of the group. After seven straight titles in the Turkish league, the team of Mufit Arin was strengthen by some international experienced players, but one had to leave to his home country (Croatia) due to injury and family problems: Vedran Zrnic. Another newcomer, Serbian Darko Djukic, has substituted him. The biggest loss for Besiktas was the transfer of former Chilean international Emil Feuchtmann, who signed for former German champions TBV Lemgo. The biggest name among the new arrivals is Nemanja Pribak, the Macedonian international, who arrives from Vardar Skopje. For team captain Ibrahim Demir the increase in experience could be the key to future successes: “We learned a lot and we have new players. At first we want to get used to playing Champions League matches and with more experience comes more success.” Playing hall Sinam Erdem Spor Salonu Zuhuratbaba Mh, Bakritköy Past achievements 34147 Istanbul Turkey VELUX EHF Champions League Capacity: 15,000 Participations (including 2015/16 season): 9 Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Group Phase (1): 2014/15 Champions League: Turkish champions Qualification (7): 2005/06, 2007/08, 2009/10, 2010/2011, 2011/12, 2012/13, Club Address: Coach: Mufit Arin (since 2004) 2013/14 Besiktas JK Captain: Ibrahim Demir Suleyman Seba Cd. No. 48 Other 34357 Besiktas - Istanbul Newcomers: EHF Cup: Last 16 1998/99, 2005/06, Turkey Nemanja Pribak (Vardar Skopje) 2010/11 Miroslav Kocic (Vojvodina) Challenge Cup: Semi-final Media contact: Mehmet Demirezen (Ankara BSB Spor) 2008/09, Quarter-final 2002/03 Berk Karahan Darko Djukic (Metalurg Skopje) Tel: +90-535-358-8747 Turkish league: 11 titles (1981, 1982, [email protected] Left the club: 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, Bulent Erkol (Trabzonspor) 2013, 2014, 2015) Online information: Oguzhan Buyuk (Bahcesehir SK) : 11 titles www.bjk.com.tr Viktor Ladyko (end of career) Twitter:@BJKHentbol Erwin Jan Feuchtmann Perez (Lemgo) Facebook: Besiktas Yunus Ozmusul (Bittenfeld)

Kit colours Light Player shirt: white Player short: black Alternative playing hall Goalkeeper shirt: yellow Kocaeli Sehit Polis Recep Topaloglu Dark Spor Salonu Player shirt: black Yahya Kaptan Mah.Kizilay Sok No: Player short: black 41050 Arasta, Izmit Goalkeeper shirt: blue Turkey Capacity: 4,776

54 Besiktas JK (TUR) Biggest win 28:26 (13:15) v Alingsas HK SWE (h), 16.11.2014 Biggest defeat: 35:25 (19:12) v FC Barcelona ESP (a), 12.10.2014 Longest winning run: 1 match (16.11.2014) Longest unbeaten run: 1 match (16.11.2014) Longest losing run: 5 matches (20.11.2014 – 21.02.2015) Longest run without win: 5 matches (20.11.2014 – 21.02.2015)

Most goals: 31 v KIF Kolding Kobenhavn DEN 34:31L (a), 07.12.2014 Most goals opponent: 35 v FC Barcelona ESP 35:25L (h), 12.10.2014 Most goals both teams: 65 v KIF Kolding Kobenhavn DEN 34:31L (a), 07.12.2014 Fewest goals: 19 v Orlen Wisla Plock POL 28:19L (a), 27.09.2014 Fewest goals opponent: 26 v Alingsas HK SWE 28:26W (h), 16.11.2014 Fewest goals both teams: 47 v Orlen Wisla Plock POL 28:19L (a), 27.09.2014 47 v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 20:27L (h), 16.10.2014

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2014/15 Besiktas MOGAZ HT TUR 10 1 0 9 253:303 –50 2:18 6th Gr. B Total 10 1 0 9 253:303 –50 2:18

55 Besiktas JK (TUR) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

7 Ömer Ozan Arifoglu TUR Right Back 20.8.1989 Zonguldak, TUR 196 102 15 Ercan Asikoglu TUR Right Wing 4.1.1983 Kırcaali, BUL 190 95 13 Muhammed Taha Ayar TUR Line Player 12.6.1996 Istanbul, TUR 186 80 10 Senol Boyar TUR Centre Back 8.5.1984 Bursa, TUR 185 85 11 Josip Buljubasic CRO Left Back 11.7.1988 Metkovic, CRO 202 118 6 Volkan Caliskan TUR Centre Back 3.11.1990 Ankara, TUR 190 95 34 Ugur Coban TUR Left Wing 10.11.1988 Bolu, TUR 177 80 25 Predrag Dacevic SRB Left Back 21.7.1986 Belgrade, SRB 197 98 14 Mehmet Demirezen TUR Line Player 3.8.1988 Ankara, TUR 193 100 45 Darko Djukic SRB Right Wing 11.12.1994 Nis, SRB 196 90 53 Ramazan Döne TUR Right Back 10.7.1981 Rize, TUR 192 106 36 Berkay Gulyurt TUR Centre Back 3.3.1997 Istanbul, TUR 192 90 37 Yigit Ilgin TUR Left Wing 1.2.1997 Istanbul, TUR 186 86 2 Ömer Mercan TUR Right Back 10.4.1997 Istanbul, TUR 194 87 27 Ivan Nincevic CRO Left Wing 27.10.1981 Zadar, CRO 185 82 20 Tolga Özbahar TUR Line Player 24.4.1984 Aydın, TUR 197 118 8 Nemanja Pribak MKD Centre Back 26.3.1984 Nis, SRB 190 103 99 David Rasic SRB Left Back 4.12.1986 Barac, SRB 196 93 18 Kubilay Yilmaz TUR Right Wing 22.3.1997 Istanbul, TUR 187 80

26 Ibrahim Demir TUR Goalkeeper 4.10.1975 Eskisehir, TUR 194 105 81 Miroslav Kocic SRB Goalkeeper 3.7.1981 Leskovac, SRB 200 96 1 Tolga Kirli TUR Goalkeeper 28.3.1993 Istanbul, TUR 192 102 22 Mesut Cebi TUR Goalkeeper 6.9.1991 Ankara, TUR 195 105 Average: 26,96 191,8 95,5

Mufit Arin coach • had plenty of success as a coach with Besiktas JK, dominating the Turkish domestic league over the past ten years • eight-time Turkish league champion, six-time Turkish cup winner, six-time Turkish Super Cup winner • reached the Challenge Cup semi-final in the 2008/09 season • notable playing achievement is winning the Turkish league with Arcelik HK in 1983, but nothing can be compared to the premiere of Turkish handball in the CL group phase in the 2014/15 season

56 Ibrahim Demir Ivan Nincevic goalkeeper left wing • won more than 15 national championships (8 • Croatian national team’s left winger was a big times with Besiktas - 7 times in a row), and the same reinforcement for Turkish champions right before number of Turkish Cups and Super Cups their first CL season in 2014/15 • played more than 250 games for Turkey, • built his name in Germany - from the second retired from the national team last year, still captain division Stralsunder, as a top scorer he has earned a of beach handball national team transfer to Füchse Berlin • graduated from two universities as an • played also in Dinamo Minsk and later anesthesiologist and a teacher accepted Beskitas’ call • at one point forced to play a back court in • outstanding scorer and a good defensive Besiktas due to many injuries player able to motivate the whole team

OG: B 2012, EURO: B 2012, WCh: S 2009, B 2013

David Rasic Nemanja Pribak left back centre back • father Djordje is a coach, and a legendary • very intelligent player, known for his excellent goalkeeper, a two-time CL winner with Sabac court vision, assists and playmaking ability • David made his name playing for Sabac, • started playing handball in his hometown Maccabi Tel Aviv, Kolubara and San Antonio of Nis, for RK Zeleznicar before joining HC Vardar, following a stint at RK Trimo Trebnje • has the CL experience playing in the group phase with Crvena Zvezda in 2008/09 • made a debut for Serbia at the WCh 2011, but opted to play for the FYR Macedonia in 2013 • having missed the EHF EURO 2012 through injury, he rediscovered his form at Besiktas • current Macedonian national team stalwart, having made his debut in 2013, and represented the • brother to former Serbian basketball national country at the EHF EURO 2014 team player Aleksandar Rasic • joined Besiktas in 2015 after five seasons for HC Vardar, where he is considered a club legend

Tolga Özbahar Ramazan Döne line player right back • came to Besiktas in 2010 and is recognised as • joined Besiktas in 2006 from Cankaya one of Turkey’s best players in his position Belediyesi • over 60 international matches for Turkey • became the top scorer of the Challenge Cup in 2005/06 (66 goals in 7 games) as well as the top • awarded the best line player in the Turkish scorer of the Turkish league in 2005/06, 2006/07 league several times and 2009/10 • in the 2012/13 season, when Besiktas reached • in the 2012/13 season he helped Besiktas to the EHF Cup Group Phase, he was the second best reach the EHF Cup Group Phase and was their top scorer (27) scorer with 30 goals • first Turkish player nominated for the All-Star • awarded the best right back in the Turkish Team in 2014/15 (received almost 5,000 votes) league several times and has played over 150 international matches for Turkey so far.

Ozan Arifoglu Ercan Asıkoglu right back right wing • as a one of the earliest members of Besiktas • ‘The Speed of a Black Eagle’ is one of the most always plays with his heart experienced player at Besiktas • has been a vital part of senior team for five • his handball life began in Bursa Nilüfer after he years moved on to Turkey from Bulgaria • won four league titles, four cup titles and • being a high profile handball player, on the several other domestic trophies other hand also a sport scholar who graduated from Uludag Universty Sport Academy • has a bright future in Turkish national Team, Ozan wore the red-white jersey more than 120 • especially with his professionalism and family times life, he is a proper role-model for young eagles of Besiktas

57 GROUP A SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER)

It was the biggest “flensation” in the history of the VELUX EHF Champions League, when SG Flensburg-Handewitt took the trophy at the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in 2014 after beating Kiel and Barcelona in Cologne. In the previous season, the team of head coach Ljubomir Vranjes was hit hard by a series of long-term injuries and was eliminated by their Northern German rival THW Kiel in the Last 16.

Before the season throws off, Flensburg have seen changes in their squad with some skilled signings putting pen to paper, and now are among the favourites in all competitions again. “Flensburg are stronger than us this season,” Kiel coach Alfred Gislason said, even though his team beat Flensburg in the German Super Cup 27:26 in the middle of August.

Four top players - mainly for the back court positions - joined Flensburg prior to the new season, and the 25th anniversary of the club: Rasmus Lauge (Kiel) and the former Hamburg trio Henrik Toft Hansen, Kentin Mahe (MVP of the EHF Cup Finals) and Petar Djordjic.

As (to EHF Cup participant Göppingen) and Drasko Nenadic (to Hamburg) are the only big names to leave and as they are currently not suffering from major injuries, Flensburg can rely on an impressive roster. “Our philosophy in all competitions is quite easy: we want to win all games,” Vranjes (IHF World coach of the year 2014) looks ahead to the upcoming season. He showed his commitment to the club by signing a new contract to keep in Playing hall at SG until 2020. Flens Arena Campusallee 2 “All the teams are strong, but Kiel, Paris and Veszprem are the favourites to win the group,” 24943 Flensburg says manager Dierk Schmäschke: “Everyone in Flensburg is looking forward to the group phase Germany this season. Our goal in the VELUX EHF Champions League - like in all domestic competitions - is Capacity: 6,000 clearly set: to go all the way.”

Team captain and defence specialist Tobias Karlsson commented: “We want to build a good base for the Last 16 from our group - and then hopefully proceed to the quarter-finals. Club Address: But straight away we are coming up against huge names - with no exception. My personal SG Flensburg-Handewitt favourites are Paris and Veszprem. We are really looking forward to 14 top matches.” Schiffbrücke 66 24939 Flensburg Germany

Media contact: Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Sandra von Wallis Champions League: third ranked in Germany Past achievements +49 4611609625 VELUX EHF Champions League [email protected] Coach: Ljubomir Vranjes (since 2010) Captain: Tobias Karlsson Participations (including 2015/16 season): 11 Online information: Winners (1): 2013/14 Website: www.sg-flensburg-handewitt.de Newcomers: Final (2): 2003/2004, 2006/2007 Facebook: SGFleHa Kentin Mahe Semi-final (1): 2005/2006 Twitter:@SGFleHa Henrik Toft Hansen Petar Djordjic (all HSV Hamburg) Quarter-final (4): 2004/2005, Rasmus Lauge Schmidt (THW Kiel) 2008/2009, 2010/2011, 2012/2013 Last 16 (1): 2014/15 Main round (1): 2007/2008 Kit colours Left the club: Jakob Macke (ASV Hamm-Westfalen) Light Ahmed Elahmar (El-Zamalek/EGY) Other Player shirt: blue-orange Lars Kaufmann (Frisch Auf! Göppingen) Cup Winners’ Cup: Winners 2000/2001 Player short: blue Drasko Nenadic (HSV Handball) 2011/2012 Goalkeeper shirt: yellow EHF Cup: Winners 1996/1997 Dark City Cup: Winners 1998/1999 Player shirt: white Player short: blue German league: 1 title (2004) Goalkeeper shirt: black German cup: 4 titles

58 SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER)

Biggest win: 43:24 (23:12) v RK Metalurg Skopje MKD (h), 19.10.2006 Biggest defeat: 36:22 (16:10) v Montpellier HB FRA (a), 06.03.2005 24:38 (8:19) v Renovalia Ciudad Real ESP (h), 21.04.2011 21:35 (13:19) v KIF Kolding Kobenhavn DEN (a), 28.09.2014 Longest winning run: 6 matches (13.03.2005 – 05.11.2005) 6 matches (02.12.2010 – 03.04.2011) Longest unbeaten run: 7 matches (24.04.2004 – 14.11.2004) 7 matches (25.11.2012 – 23.03.2013) Longest losing run: 3 matches (04.03.2006 - 01.04.2006) 3 matches (22.02.2015 - 22.03.2015) Longest run without win: 5 matches (10.02.2008 – 08.03.2008) Most goals: 44 v Redbergslids IK SWE 44:33W (h), 22.11.2003 Most goals opponent: 41 v Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 41:31L (a), 02.12.2006 Most goals both teams: 80 v FC Barcelona ESP 39:41W (a), 31.05.2014 Fewest goals: 19 v Renovalia Ciudad Real ESP 27:19L (a), 22.09.2010 Fewest goals opponent: 18 v HC Bosna Sarajevo BIH 25:18W (h), 02.03.2011 Fewest goals both teams: 43 v Montpellier HB FRA 22:21W (h), 01.03.2009 43 v HC Bosna Sarajevo BIH 25:18W (h), 02.03.2011 43 v Renovalia Ciudad Real ESP 21:22W (a), 01.05.2011

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2003/04 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 14 10 1 3 450:401 +49 21:7 Runner-up 2004/05 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 10 7 1 2 319:270 +49 15:5 1/4-finals 2005/06 SG Flensburg Handewitt GER 12 7 0 5 372:326 +46 14:10 1/2-finals 2006/07 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 14 8 1 5 437:398 +39 17:11 Runner-up 2007/08 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 12 4 2 6 355:356 -1 10:14 4th MR Gr. 3 2008/09 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 12 8 0 4 360:329 +31 16:8 1/4-finals 2010/11 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 14 11 0 3 394:354 +40 22:6 1/4-finals 2012/13 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 14 9 3 2 416:384 +32 21:7 1/4-finals 2013/14 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 16 12 1 3 489:441 +48 25:7 Winner 2014/15 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 12 6 0 6 337:340 -3 12:12 Last 16 Total 130 82 9 39 3929:3599 +330 173:87

59 SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

2 Lukas Blohme GER Right Wing 7.11.1994 Flensburg, GER 188 72 17 Petar Djordjic SRB Left Back 17.9.1990 Sabac, SRB 197 102 7 DEN Left Wing 14.5.1982 Aarhus, DEN 179 77 9 GER Right Back 30.3.1983 Osnabrück, GER 195 90 24 SWE Centre Back 2.9.1992 Ystad, SWE 190 95 21 Jacob Heinl GER Line Player 9.10.1986 Hamburg, GER 195 101 19 Johan Mikael Jakobsson SWE Right Back 12.2.1987 Lundby, SWE 195 89 3 Tobias Karlsson SWE Line Player 4.6.1981 Karlskrona, SWE 196 102 4 Maik Machulla GER Centre Back 9.1.1977 Greifswald, GER 189 95 22 Kentin Mahe FRA Centre Back 22.5.1991 Paris, FRA 185 81 10 DEN Centre Back 30.1.1983 Odder, DEN 187 100 17 Michael Nicolaisen GER Left Back 6.5.1995 Husum, GER 195 100 41 Bogdan Radivojevic SRB Right Wing 2.3.1993 Beograd, SRB 192 80 19 Rasmus Lauge Schmidt DEN Centre Back 20.6.1991 Randers, DEN 193 96 11 Lasse Svan DEN Right Wing 31.8.1983 Stevns, DEN 184 84 15 Henrik Toft Hansen DEN Line Player 18.12.1986 Skive, DEN 200 108 40 Ljubomir Vranjes SWE Centre Back 3.10.1973 Göteborg, SWE 168 80 14 SWE Left Wing 10.12.1993 Lundby, SWE 184 84 22 DEN Line Player 4.9.1991 Sonderborg, SWE 192 96

1 Mattias Andersson SWE Goalkeeper 29.3.1978 Malmö, SWE 185 93 77 Thore Jöhnck GER Goalkeeper 28.7.1995 Flensburg, GER 184 84 32 Andreas Meyer Ejlersen DEN Goalkeeper 28.6.1997 Horsens, DEN 188 85 16 Kevin Möller DEN Goalkeeper 20.6.1990 Tonder , DEN 200 103 Average: 27,78 189,6 91,2

Ljubomir Vranjes coach • former Swedish national team player, still on the players’ list of Flensburg • became club manager in 2009 and coach in November 2010 • after winning the CL in the 2014/15 season he declined the number of top offers from PSG and the German national team • led Serbia to the 2014 EHF EURO in Denmark in a caretaker role, but did not continue • highly creative photographer in his spare time and just started to write his memoirs

EC trophies: CL 2014 (as coach), Cup Winners’ Cup 2012 (as coach) OG: S 2000, WCh: G 1999, EURO: G 1998, 2000 and 2002

60 Mattias Andersson Anders Eggert goalkeeper left wing • awarded “best player of the Bundesliga • had big shoes to fill in Flensburg as successor season 2011/12” of legendary Lars Christiansen • already in the younger age categories part of • top scorer of the German Bundesliga in 2011 all All-Star teams and became member of the senior (248 goals) and top scorer of the 2013 WCh in Spain national team (55 goals) • played at Kiel (2001-08), TV Großwallstadt • started his career at Gudme, in his ninth before signing in Flensburg season in Flensburg after intermediately being on loan at Skjern Handball • his saves at the 2014 FINAL4 were the major keys to win his last missing EC trophy • also famous for one of the highest percentages in the CL from the penalty throws EC trophies: CL 2007, 2014, EHF Cup: 2002, 2004, Cup Winners’ Cup: 2012 EC trophies: CL 2014, Cup Winners’ Cup: 2012 OG: S 2012, EHF EURO: G 2000 WCh: S 2011, 2013, EURO: G 2008, 2012, silver medallist 2014

Kentin Mahe Thomas Mogensen centre back centre back • joined Flensburg in 2015 after spells with HSV • highly experienced playmaker with more than Hamburg, VfL Gummersbach and Bayer Dormagen 1,000 goals for his club and long list of silverware (coached by his father Pascal in Dormagen) • since 2007 playing for Flensburg – his first stop • MVP and top scorer (49 goals) of the Men’s 20 outside his home country Denmark EHF EURO 2010 and MVP of the 2015 EHF Cup Finals • before played for Viborg and Svendborg, • in 2010 a debut in the French national team becoming Danish champion and cup winner twice • reached the Cup Winners’ Cup final with • to focus only on SG he quit his career in the Gummersbach in 2011/12 and EHF Cup final with Danish national team after the EHF EURO 2014 HSV in 2014/15

WCh: G 2015 EC trophies: CL 2014, Cup Winners’ Cup 2012 WCh: S 2011, 2013, EURO: G 2012, S 2014

Henrik Toft Hansen Tobias Karlsson line player line player • his girlfriend Ulrike Agren is playing for the • typical powerful Scandinavian defence Swedish national team and German club Buxtehude specialist, who – together with - build the Swedish middle block in the last years • his whole family is involved in handball: brothers Rene (also a line player of THW Kiel) and • team captain, a great honour after legendary Allan (Mors-Thy) and sisters Majbritt (Skive) and Lars Christiansen left SG Jeanette top players in the Danish league • Swedish champion three times with • part of AG Kobenhavn, which eliminated Hammarby IF Barcelona on the way to 2012 VELUX EHF FINAL4 • best defence player at the EHF EURO 2014 • transferred to Aalborg, before he joined Hamburg in 2013 and then Flensburg in 2015 EURO: G 2012, WCh: S 2013 EC trophies: CL 2014, Cup Winners’ Cup: 2012 OG: S 2012

Holger Glandorf Lasse Svan right back right wing • left-handed shooter and one of two German • one of the fastest wing players in the CL 2007 world champions in the Flensburg roster • same qualities as Eggert on the other side: fast • despite some injury breaks, the right back counter-attacks and a high scoring efficiency always returned to a high level of performance • another task in his team: motivation and • has the full set of three major European Cup relaxing – as his business is mental coaching competitions titles on his tally, with Nordhorn and Flensburg • after four seasons at GOG Svendborg he moved to Flensburg in 2008 • in August 2014 retired from the German national team to only focus on his club now • in addition to all his merits and trophies in handball, he was also a billiard’s champion in his home region Seeland

EC trophies: CL 2014, EHF Cup: 2008, 2010, Cup Winners’ Cup: 2012 EC trophies: CL 2014, Cup Winners’ Cup: 2012 WCh: G 2007 WCh: S 2011, 2013, EURO: G 2012, S 2014

61 Control the Game at home

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V11944-045-06_VELUX_INTEGRA_ad_A4.indd 1 28-08-2015 12:55:00 Group B preview

BARCELONA LEAD STAR-STUDDED FIELD IN TOUGHEST ACTION

The defending champions of Europe’s premier club handball competition should add extra gloss to a wildly entertaining Group B featuring several other heavyweights.

The eagerly awaited new season in the VELUX EHF Champions League gets underway when Swedish newcomers IFK Kristianstad take on their Scandinavian opponents, Denmark’s KIF Kolding Kobenhavn. It will be an appetiser for a six-month extravaganza in a mouth- watering section including holders Barcelona Lassa and last season’s third-place finishers KS Vive Tauron Kielce, with both teams again being the strong favourites to advance into the knockout rounds.

The reformatted competition means there will be even more spectacular games and that is certainly what fans will be expecting when the big names of European club handball lock horns.

Having won the title emphatically with a 28:23 defeat of Hungary’s Veszprem in May, Barcelona head into the new season with a largely unchanged roster although two top performers were added to replace a key player who left. Prolific Czech left back Filip Jicha was signed from former champions THW Kiel and Croatian right back Marko Kopljar arrived from Paris Saint-Germain Handball, while inspirational French playmaker Nikola Karabatic went the other way to the city of lights. With FYR Macedonia’s Kiril Lazarov and Belarus powerhouse Siarhei Rutenka also in the roster, Barcelona still appear to have by some way the strongest back court in the competition.

Having reached the FINAL4 for the second time last season for a creditable third-place finish, Kielce will have another shot at glory this term with a squad based largely on homegrown talent. Michal Jurecki, Croatian Ivan Cupic and evergreen goalkeeper Slawomir Szmal continue to be the backbone of Poland’s seemingly perennial champions, who will relish the challenge of reaching giddy heights for a second successive season.

Macedonian champions Vardar will have the same ambitions, as they attempt to reach the FINAL4 after suffering two successive quarter-final exits in 2014 and 2015. Several fringe players have left the club and whereas others have joined to fill the gaps, most notably Serbian line player Mijajlo Marsenic from HC Partizan Belgrade and Luka Cindric from Skopje rivals HC Metalurg, who are competing in Group C.

Rhein-Neckar Löwen will have to cope with the loss of one of the world’s top goalkeepers, Niklas Landin, who joined fellow German rivals and Bundesliga champions THW Kiel. Landin has been replaced by Serbian Darko Stanic as the Lions aim to bounce back from last season’s exit in the Last 16, when they were soundly beaten by MOL-Pick Szeged 65:59 on aggregate. The Lions will once again clash with the Hungarian outfit after they were pitted in the same group and Szeged will also head into the new season with the highest ambitions.

They will aim to at least emulate last term’s achievement of reaching the last eight, hoping to surpass it and get on the same par with Veszprem, having been overshadowed by their compatriots in Europe’s top flight. To boost their firepower, Szeged signed Brazilian sharpshooter Thiagus Petrus from Spanish side Naturhouse La Rioja and he made an immediate impact by scoring three goals in a tight 26:24 defeat to Veszprem in a recent Hungarian Super Cup final, the curtain-raiser to the new domestic season.

Zoran Milosavljevic

63 Group B head-to-heads

Historic encounters of the Group B opponents in the EC FC Barcelona Lassa vs KS Vive Tauron Kielce 3-1-0 (122:105) 7:1 20.11.2010 KS Vive Targi Kielce vs FC Barcelona Borges, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 26:33 (11:18) 27.11.2010 FC Barcelona Borges vs KS Vive Targi Kielce, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 28:28 (15:12) 01.06.2013 KS Vive Targi Kielce vs FC Barcelona Intersport, VELUX EHF Champions League FINAL4 – Semi-final 23:28 (10:13) 30.05.2015 FC Barcelona vs KS Vive Tauron Kielce, VELUX EHF Champions League FINAL4 – Semi-final 33:28 (16:14)

FC Barcelona Lassa vs HC Vardar 7-1-0 (262:188) 15:1 18.10.2003 FC Barcelona vs Vardar Vatrost. Skopje, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 41:19 (19:8) 16.11.2003 Vardar Vatrost. Skopje vs FC Barcelona, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 27:35 (16:14) 09.10.2004 FC Barcelona vs Vardar Vatrost. Skopje, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 31:22 (16:12) 06.11.2004 Vardar Vatrost. Skopje vs FC Barcelona, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 12:26 (8:15) 11.11.2009 HC Vardar PRO – Skopje vs FC Barcelona Borges, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 28:35 (17:16) 21.11.2009 FC Barcelona Borges vs HC Vardar PRO – Skopje, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 35:28 (15:13) 21.09.2013 HC Vardar – Skopje vs FC Barcelona, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 29:29 (15:19) 30.11.2013 FC Barcelona vs HC Vardar – Skopje, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 30:23 (14:11)

FC Barcelona Lassa vs KIF Kolding Kobenhavn 3-2-0 (168:141) 8:2 20.12.1997 FC Barcelona vs Kolding IF, European Championship for Club Teams – Semi-final 37:26 (20:14) 17.10.2009 FC Barcelona Borges vs KIF Kolding, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 46:36 (23:19) 06.03.2010 KIF Kolding vs FC Barcelona Borges, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 25:25 (10:12) 19.10.2014 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn vs FC Barcelona, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 27:27 (14:16) 15.02.2015 FC Barcelona vs KIF Kolding Kobenhavn, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 33:27 (19:11)

FC Barcelona Lassa vs MOL-Pick Szeged 11-0-3 (384:324) 22:6 1977/1978 Szegedi SC vs FC Barcelona, Cup Winners’ Cup – Last 16 27:22 (0:0) 1977/1978 FC Barcelona vs Szegedi SC, Cup Winners’ Cup – Last 16 15:13 (0:0) 23.03.1994 Pick Szeged vs FC Barcelona, Cup Winners’ Cup – Semi-final 22:24 (8:13) 06.04.1994 FC Barcelona vs Pick Szeged, Cup Winners’ Cup – Semi-final 19:14 (10:8) 08.02.1997 SC Pick Szeged vs FC Barcelona, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 25:26 (12:12) 15.02.1997 FC Barcelona vs SC Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 40:17 (19:5) 23.10.2004 SC Pick Szeged vs FC Barcelona, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 22:21 (11:13) 13.11.2004 FC Barcelona vs SC Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 35:26 (19:11) 08.10.2005 FC Barcelona-Cifec vs SC Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 27:20 (13:13) 22.10.2005 SC Pick Szeged vs FC Barcelona-Cifec, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 26:28 (12:17) 23.02.2008 Pick Szeged vs FC Barcelona, VELUX EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 4 28:33 (15:14) 15.03.2008 FC Barcelona vs Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 4 28:32 (13:16) 18.11.2012 Pick Szeged vs FC Barcelona Intersport, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 28:33 (15:18) 24.11.2012 FC Barcelona Intersport vs Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 33:24 (16:13)

FC Barcelona Lassa vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen 2-1-2 (160:159) 5:5 25.09.2010 FC Barcelona Borges vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 30:31 (13:14) 20.02.2011 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs FC Barcelona Borges, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 38:38 (22:17) 28.05.2011 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs FC Barcelona Borges, VELUX EHF Champions League FINAL4 – Semi-final 28:30 (12:12) 20.04.2014 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs FC Barcelona, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 38:31 (22:14) 26.04.2014 FC Barcelona vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 31:24 15:11)

FC Barcelona Lassa vs Montpellier HB 3-1-2 (167:143) 7:5 11.11.2000 Montpellier HB vs FC Barcelona, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 25:25 (11:13) 10.12.2000 FC Barcelona vs Montpellier HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 24:17 (13:8) 03.12.2006 Montpellier HB vs FC Barcelona-Cifec, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 28:25 (13:10) 09.12.2006 FC Barcelona-Cifec vs Montpellier HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 29:23 (15:9) 18.03.2012 Montpellier Agglomeration HB vs FC Barcelona Intersport, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 30:28 (17:11) 25.03.2012 FC Barcelona Intersport vs Montpellier Agglomeration HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 36:20 (17:8)

64 Group B head-to-heads

Historic encounters of the Group B opponents in the EC

KS Vive Tauron Kielce vs HC Vardar 2-0-0 (55:51) 4:0 11.04.2015 HC Vardar vs KS Vive Tauron Kielce, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 20:22 (11:11) 19.04.2015 KS Vive Tauron Kielce vs HC Vardar, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 33:31 (16:14)

KS Vive Tauron Kielce vs KIF Kolding Kobenhavn 0-0-2 (49:55) 0:4 17.11.2013 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn vs KS Vive Targi Kielce, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 29:24 (17:12) 24.11.2013 KS Vive Targi Kielce vs KIF Kolding Kobenhavn, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 25:26 (15:15)

KS Vive Tauron Kielce vs MOL-Pick Szeged 3-0-1 (121:111) 6:2 17.03.2013 Pick Szeged vs KS Vive Targi Kielce, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 26:25 (15:14) 24.03.2013 KS Vive Targi Kielce vs Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 32:27 (14:11) 04.10.2014 KS Vive Tauron Kielce vs MOL-Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 37:32 (18:17) 06.12.2014 MOL-Pick Szeged vs KS Vive Tauron Kielce, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 26:27 (11:14)

KS Vive Tauron Kielce vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen 2-2-3 (198:201) 6:8 08.10.2009 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs KS Vive Targi Kielce, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 29:29 (17:15) 13.02.2010 KS Vive Targi Kielce vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 32:35 (19:15) 17.10.2010 KS Vive Targi Kielce vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 23:23 (12:12) 27.02.2011 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs KS Vive Targi Kielce, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 29:27 (11:13) 04.09.2011 KS Vive Targi Kielce vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Qualification Tournament Group W 32:30 (13:11) 22.03.2014 KS Vive Targi Kielce vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 32:28 (17:13) 31.03.2014 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs KS Vive Targi Kielce, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 27:23 (16:14)

KS Vive Tauron Kielce vs Montpellier HB 1-0-1 (60:58) 2:2 15.03.2015 Montpellier Agglomeration HB vs KS Vive Tauron Kielce, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 25:29 (13:16) 21.03.2015 KS Vive Tauron Kielce vs Montpellier Agglomeration HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 31:33 (14:15)

HC Vardar vs KIF Kolding Kobenhavn 0-0-2 (46:60) 0:4 03.10.2009 HC Vardar PRO – Skopje vs KIF Kolding, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 25:32 (10:13) 20.02.2010 KIF Kolding vs HC Vardar PRO – Skopje, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 28:21 (15:9)

HC Vardar vs MOL-Pick Szeged 0-1-1 (42:49) 1:3) 16.10.2004 Vardar Vatrost. Skopje vs SC Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 24:24 (9:10) 30.10.2004 SC Pick Szeged vs Vardar Vatrost. Skopje, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 25:18 (13:8)

HC Vardar vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen 2-0-0 (63:53) 4:0 12.10.2014 HC Vardar vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 28:25 (13:13) 21.02.2015 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs HC Vardar, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 28:35 (13:20)

HC Vardar vs Montpellier HB 1-1-0 (64:60) 3:1 19.10.2014 Montpellier Agglomeration HB vs HC Vardar, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 34:34 (19:17) 14.02.2015 HC Vardar vs Montpellier Agglomeration HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 30:26 (18:13)

KIF Kolding Kobenhavn vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen 1-0-1 (50:51) 2:2 24.02.2013 KIF Kolding vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, EHF Cup – Group B 25:23 (13:11) 10.03.2013 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs KIF Kolding, EHF Cup – Group B 28:25 (16:10)

KIF Kolding Kobenhavn vs Montpellier HB 1-1-4 (165:195) 3:9 05.12.2004 Kolding KIF vs Montpellier HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 38:29 (19:13) 12.12.2004 Montpellier HB vs Kolding KIF, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 36:25 (18:9) 27.03.2010 KIF Kolding vs Montpellier HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 26:26 (10:13) 03.04.2010 Montpellier HB vs KIF Kolding, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 28:23 (12:14) 20.11.2010 KIF Kolding vs Montpellier Agglomeration HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 28:36 (13:19) 28.11.2010 Montpellier Agglomeration HB vs KIF Kolding, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group B 40:25 (19:10)

65 Group B head-to-heads

Historic encounters of the Group B opponents in the EC MOL-Pick Szeged vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen 2-0-2 (117:122) 4:4 12.10.2008 Pick Szeged vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group H 24:28 (17:13) 09.11.2008 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group H 35:28 (15:13) 13.03.2015 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs MOL-Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 30:34 (17:16) 22.03.2015 MOL-Pick Szeged vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 31:29 16:13)

MOL-Pick Szeged vs IFK Kristianstad 2-0-0 (55:41) 4:0 12.02.2014 IFK Kristianstad vs Pick Szeged, EHF Cup – Group C 23:26 (12:13) 29.03.2014 Pick Szeged vs IFK Kristianstad, EHF Cup – Group C 29:18 (16:9)

MOL-Pick Szeged vs Montpellier HB 4-0-5 (244:250) 8:10 13.11.1994 Pick Szeged vs Montpellier HB, EHF Cup – Last 16 27:24 (14:9) 20.11.1994 Montpellier HB vs Pick Szeged, EHF Cup – Last 16 22:20 (13:8) 14.12.2003 SC Pick Szeged vs Montpellier HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 29:22 (16:9) 21.12.2003 Montpellier HB vs SC Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16 27:26 (15:9) 15.11.2009 Montpellier HB vs Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 30:23 (13:10) 22.11.2009 Pick Szeged vs Montpellier HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 26:33 (15:16) 19.11.2011 Pick Szeged vs Montpellier Agglomeration HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 38:35 (18:17) 18.12.2011 Montpellier Agglomeration HB vs Pick Szeged, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 29:26 (17:14) 18.05.2014 Montpellier Agglomeration HB vs Pick Szeged, EHF Cup – Final 28:29 (14:16)

Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs Montpellier HB 3-0-1 (130:108) 6:2) 24.04.2011 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs Montpellier Agglomeration HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 27:29 (12:09) 30.04.2011 Montpellier Agglomeration HB vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Quarter-final 26:35 (17:15) 27.09.2014 Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs Montpellier Agglomeration HB, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 35:24 (18:11) 29.11.2014 Montpellier Agglomeration HB vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 29:33 (14:18)

No previous encounters in European competitions FC Barcelona Lassa vs IFK Kristianstad KS Vive Tauron Kielce vs IFK Kristianstad HC Vardar vs IFK Kristianstad KIF Kolding Kobenhavn vs MOL-Pick Szeged KIF Kolding Kobenhavn vs IFK Kristianstad Rhein-Neckar Löwen vs IFK Kristianstad IFK Kristianstad vs Montpellier HB

66 GROUP B FC Barcelona Lassa (ESP)

For four years since 2011, they were the hunters, now FC Barcelona Lassa switched to a different role and are the hunted once again. After winning the EHF Champions League for the eighth time to extend their record winning series in 2015 (by beating Veszprem in the final), the Catalan giants have concluded a perfect season, winning each and every competition they took part in.

Prior to the new challenge of defending the title again, the team of coach Xavi Pascual lost one of their masterminds, Nikola Karabatic. The current IHF World Player of the Year and MVP of the 2015 VELUX EHF FINAL4 returned to his home country France, joining uprising Paris Saint-Germain Handball. In addition, young wing player Joan Saubich transferred to France too, signing for Aix.

However, borrowing chess vocabulary it can be said that the castling of stars in Barcelona has been successfully completed and two tall towers have been added to their playing field. Barcelona filled the gap with a former World Player of the year in Filip Jicha (33) who arrived from THW Kiel. The two-time VELUX EHF Champions League winner (2010 and 2012) and top scorer (2008/09 and 2009/10) signed a four-year contract with Barca, which is valid until 2019 to replace Karabatic. Besides the Karabatic/Jicha mega transfers the Barcelona squad remained nearly the same as Pascual additionally added in total 4.16 metres with two other new arrivals: right back Marko Kopljar (2.10 from Paris) and line player Kamil Syprzak (2.06) from Plock.

“All opponents in our group play on a great level. Anything can happen,” says team captain and three-time Champions League winner Victor Tomas, adding: “Due to the new format it is Playing hall important to finish first in the group to avoid the Last 16 and have two fewer matches.” His Palau Blaugrana coach Xavi Pascual is aware of the tough away games for his team. “To win those matches will Av. Aristides Maillol, s/n be very difficult, but I am sure that every team will lose some away matches. In general, both 08028 Barcelona groups are difficult, there will be no easy games this season,” Pascual said. Spain Capacity: 7,250 One week prior to the start of the season, the Catalans failed to defend their first international title, at the IHF Super Globe in Qatar as they were surprisingly defeated by eventual winners Füchse Berlin in the semi-final.

Club Address: Past achievements FC Barcelona Lassa Qualification for the VELUX EHF Champions Avda. Aristides Maillol, s/n League 2015/16: Spanish champions VELUX EHF Champions League 08028 Barcelona Participations (including 2014/15 Spain Coach: Xavi Pascual (since February 2009) season): 19 Captain: Victor Tomas Winner (8): 1995/96, 1996/97, 1997/98, Media contact: 1998/99, 1999/00, 2004/05, 2010/11, Gustau Galvache Newcomers: 2014/15 +34 618522789 Filip Jicha (THW Kiel) Final (3): 2000/01, 2009/10, 2012/13 [email protected] Marko Kopljar (PSG) Semi-final (2): 2007/08, 2013/14 Kamil Syprzak (Orlen Wisla Plock) Quarter-final (3): 2005/06, 2006/07, Online information: 2011/12 Website: www.fcbarcelona.cat Left the club: Last 16 (1): 2003/04 Facebook: FCBHandbol Nikola Karabatic (Paris Saint-Germain Handball) Main Round (1): 2008/09 Twitter:@FCBHandbol Joan Saubich (Aix-en-Provence) Other EHF Cup: Winners 2002/03, Runners-up Kit colours 2001/02 Light Cup Winners‘ Cup: Winners 1993/94, Player shirt: red and yellow 1994/95 Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: dark red or black Spanish league: 22 titles (1969, 1973, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, Dark 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, Player shirt: blue and red 2000, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, Player short: red 2014, 2015) Goalkeeper shirt: yellow or green Spanish Cup winner: 19 times Asobal Cup winner: 10 times

67 FC Barcelona Lassa (ESP)

Biggest win 43:17 (21:9) v HC Bosna BH Gas Sarajevo BIH (a), 19.11.2011 Biggest defeat 21:31 (10:13) v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER (a), 23.02.2007 31:41 (15:20) v THW Kiel GER (a), 06.04.2008 Longest winning run 12 matches (24.04.2011 – 12.02.2012) Longest unbeaten run 16 matches (24.01.1996 – 16.03.1997) Longest losing run 2 matches (25.03.2000 – 22.04.2000) 2 matches (16.10.2004 – 23.10.2004) 2 matches (11.12.2004 – 05.03.2005) 2 matches (15.03.2008 – 06.04.2008) 2 matches (23.11.2008 – 14.02.2009) 2 matches (30.05.2010 – 25.09.2010) Longest run without win 3 matches (30.05.2010 – 03.10.2010) Most goals 46 v KIF Kolding DEN 46:36W (h), 17.10.2009 Most goals opponent 41 v THW Kiel GER 41:31L (a), 06.04.2008 Most goals both teams 82 v KIF Kolding DEN 46:36W (h), 17.10.2009 Fewest goals 21 v ABC Braga POR 21:21D (a), 09.11.1997 21 v SC Pick Szeged HUN 22:21L (a), 23.10.2004 21 v Portland San Antonio ESP 25:21L (a), 25.02.2006 21 v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 31:21L (a), 23.02.2007 Fewest goals opponent 11 v Aalborg Handbold DEN 31:11W (a), 15.03.2015 Fewest goals both teams 38 v Elgorriaga Bidasoa ESP 23:15W (a), 20.04.1996 38 v Vardar Vatrost. Skopje MKD 12:26W (a), 06.11.2004

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage Reached 1995/96 FC Barcelona ESP 8 5 2 1 213:173 +40 12:4 Winner 1996/97 FC Barcelona ESP 12 10 1 1 358:264 +94 21:3 Winner 1997/98 FC Barcelona ESP 12 9 1 2 358:284 +74 19:5 Winner 1998/99 FC Barcelona ESP 12 8 3 1 357:289 +68 19:5 Winner 1999/00 FC Barcelona ESP 12 10 0 2 345:271 +74 20:4 Winner 2000/01 FC Barcelona ESP 12 8 2 2 316:281 +35 18:6 Runner-up 2003/04 FC Barcelona ESP 8 5 1 2 262:212 +50 11:5 Last 16 2004/05 FC Barcelona Cifec ESP 14 8 0 6 400:360 +40 16:12 Winner 2005/06 FC Barcelona-Cifec ESP 10 9 0 1 293:244 +49 18:2 1/4-finals 2006/07 FC Barcelona-Cifec ESP 10 8 0 2 314:263 +51 16:4 1/4-finals 2007/08 FC Barcelona ESP 14 11 0 3 475:407 +68 22:6 1/2-finals 2008/09 FC Barcelona Borges ESP 10 6 0 4 307:275 +32 12:8 3rd MR Gr. 4 2009/10 FC Barcelona Borges ESP 16 13 1 2 545:461 +84 27:5 Runner-up 2010/11 FC Barcelona Borges ESP 16 10 3 3 501:451 +50 23:9 Winner 2011/12 FC Barcelona Intersport ESP 14 11 0 3 459:357 +102 22:6 1/4-finals 2012/13 FC Barcelona Intersport ESP 16 13 0 3 488:404 +84 26:6 Runner-up 2013/14 FC Barcelona ESP 16 12 1 3 535:426 +109 25:7 Third Place 2014/15 FC Barcelona ESP 16 14 1 1 527:408 +119 29:3 Winner Total 228 170 16 42 7053:5830 +1223 356:100

68 FC Barcelona Lassa (ESP)

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

13 Aitor Arino Bengoechea ESP Left Wing 5.10.1992 Penarth, GBR 184 81 44 ESP Centre Back 4.7.1997 Santander, ESP 197 100 9 Raul Entrerrios Rodriguez ESP Centre Back 12.2.1981 Gijon, ESP 195 89 14 Aleix Gomez Abello ESP Right Wing 7.5.1997 Sabadell, ESP 181 72 18 Martinez ESP Right Back 8.11.1987 Pamplona, ESP 195 89 42 TUN Left Back 3.5.1991 Grombalia, TUN 197 92 39 Filip Jicha CZE Left Back 19.4.1982 Pilsen, CZE 201 105 35 Marko Kopljar CRO Right Back 12.2.1986 Pozega, CRO 210 108 77 Kiril Lazarov MKD Right Back 10.5.1980 Veles, MKD 195 99 21 Alejandro Marquez Coloma ESP Right Back 5.1.1995 Alcobendas, ESP 194 90 27 de Argila ESP Left Back 15.12.1983 Barcelona, ESP 197 92 3 Jesper Brian Nöddesbo DEN Line Player 23.10.1980 Herning, DEN 199 100 24 Oriol Rey Morales ESP Back 31.3.1994 St Maria Palautordera 190 95 22 Siarhei Rutenka BLR Left Back 29.8.1981 Privolnij, BLR 199 109 11 Daniel Sarmiento Melian ESP Centre Back 25.8.1983 Las Palmas, ESP 188 85 19 Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson ISL Left Wing 8.8.1979 Reykjavik, ISL 187 82 10 Cedric Sorhaindo FRA Line Player 7.6.1984 La Trinite, FRA 192 100 21 Kamil Syprzak POL Line Player 23.7.1991 Plock, POL 206 120 8 Victor Tomas Gonzalez ESP Right Wing 15.2.1985 Barcelona, ESP 178 89

1 Gonzalo Perez de Vargas ESP Goalkeeper 10.1.1991 Toledo, ESP 189 93 12 Danijel Saric BIH Goalkeeper 27.6.1977 Doboj, BIH 194 93 38 Francisco Revuelta Mora ESP Goalkeeper 13.4.1995 Barcelona, ESP 191 84 48 Xoan Ledo Menendez ESP Goalkeeper 6.7.1996 Lalin, ESP 188 82 Average: 28 193,3 93,4

Xavi Pascual coach • “double feature” at FC Barcelona, as the coaches of both the handball and the basketball section hold the same name • played for a lengthy period for Barcelona and some other Spanish clubs, before becoming the goalkeeper coach at the CL record winners in 2005 • started working with the legendary David Barrufet and others • in 2009 he succeeded Manolo Cadenas at Barcelona’s helm. EC trophies: CL 2011, 2015

69 Danijel Saric Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson goalkeeper left wing • known for his incredible quality in goal and for • before his arrival to Barcelona spent just one the joy he brings to the team season away from the Bundesliga - in 2011/12 he played for AG Kobenhavn • Bosnian-born goalkeeper won the CL in 2011 with Barca and led Qatar to silver at the WCh 2015 • former Tusem Essen, VfL Gummersbach, Rhein-Neckar Löwen and THW Kiel player • best goalkeeper of the ASOBAL league in 2011 and 2012, and the best player overall in 2011 • real key player with his enormous experience from top handball and his equally large talent • joined in 2009, after spells with Spanish clubs San Antonio, Leon, Alcobendas and Cantabria; began • his fifth trip to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 brought his career in Serbia with Crvena Zvezda and Sintelon him the CL title EC trophies: CL 2011, 2015 EC trophies: CL 2015, EHF Cup 2005 WCh: S 2015 OG: S 2008

Siarhei Rutenka Filip Jícha left back left back • in 2011 the Belarusian became the second • 2010 World Handball Player of the Year as the player to win five CL titles with three clubs after Jose first Czech to win the award Javier Hombrados (with Santander, San Antonio, • twice top scorer of the CL, top scorer and MVP Ciudad Real) at EHF EURO 2010 • in 2015 added the sixth title, no active players • former captain of the THW Kiel came to have more CL titles than him Barcelona in the summer of 2015 • lifted the trophy with Celje, with Ciudad Real • one-against-one ability and tough shots make (three times) and with Barcelona him feared by defences, also a strong defender • top scorer of the 2006 EHF EURO, the 2003/04 • only active player in the CL’s 20-year Ultimate and the 2004/05 CL season Selection and Czech player of the year seven times EC trophies: CL 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015 EC trophies: CL 2010, 2012, EHF Cup 2006

Raul Entrerrios Jesper Nöddesbo centre back line player • has matured into one of the household names • started his career at Team Tvis Holstebro in Spanish handball and one of the leading players of • started spiralling upwards when he joined KIF the national team Kolding in 2004 • although his natural position sees him playing • since then, he has been among Europe’s elite in the centre, his many skills in the first line allow year after year – with Kolding from 2004 to 2007, him to change permanently with effectiveness and and ever since with FC Barcelona perform with ease in all positions • imposing presence on the court, not afraid • with 3 Spanish clubs (Leon, Valladolid, FC of anything when it comes to stopping opposing Barcelona) has won all the most important European attackers Cup competitions including the CL

EC trophies: CL 2011, 2015, Cup Winners’ Cup 2005, 2009 EC trophies: CL 2015 OG: B 2008, EHF EURO: S 2006, B 2014, WCh: G 2005, B 2011 EURO: G 2008, S 2014, WCh: S 2011, 2013

Kiril Lazarov Victor Tomas right back right wing • powerful back court shooter from FYR • following the victories in 2005, 2011 and 2015 Macedonia the Barcelona-born captain hopes to lift his fourth CL trophy at the FINAL4 in Cologne • most successful scorer at a single EHF EURO event (2012 Serbia, 61 goals) and also at WCh level • joined Barcelona’s youth team in 1998 and has (2009 Croatia, 92 goals) not played for any other club • top scorer of the CL twice (2005/06 and • his biggest assets are his great pace and his 2007/08) impressive flexibility that make him a strong player in attack but also in defence • joined Barca in 2013 after stints with Pelister, Zagreb, Veszprem, Ciudad Real/Atletico Madrid

EC trophies: CL 2015 EC trophies: CL 2005, 2011, 2015, EHF Cup 2003 OG: B 2008, EURO: B 2014, WCh: G 2013

70 GROUP B KS Vive Tauron Kielce (POL)

If you have experienced a certain taste once and you liked it, you will want to have it again and again: this is Vive Tauron Kielce’s hunger for the VELUX EHF FINAL4. In 2013 and 2015, the Polish champions reached the final destination of the VELUX EHF Champions League, supported by their yellow army of fans, and in both events the results were the same: first a semi-final defeat at the hands of FC Barcelona, then a win in third place placement match against Kiel.

Another parallel in both seasons: Kielce kept an unbeaten record of ten wins in the group phase in 2012/13 and 2014/15. To pull this off again will be much harder in the upcoming season, due to the new playing system. Kielce were drawn into one group with the defending champions FC Barcelona, Vardar, Kolding, Rhein Neckar Löwen, Kristianstad and Montpellier - and thus will have a huge number of re-matches from the previous season.

“In terms of this group and our general ambitions in the Champions League we take everything step by step,” says manager Radoslaw Wasiak, adding: “We know Barcelona, Löwen, Montpellier and Kolding from the past seasons, so we hopefully know what to do against them, but definitely interesting matches are ahead of us in the group phase.”

In preparation, Kielce hosted an appetizer for the VELUX EHF Champions League and the 2016 EHF EURO in Poland - a test match against PSG Paris. They broke the indoor sport spectator record in Poland with 15,000 in the Krakow Arena, one of the EURO venues during this head-to- head. And the tie proved level and showed the strength of the Polish champions, though they Playing hall have to replace their new star player: Mariusz Jurkiewicz, who arrived from their domestic rivals Hala M.O.S.I.R – Legionów Plock, and is currently out due to injury as well as another newcomer, Pawel Paczkowski. ul. Boczna 15A 25-093 Kielce Despite those injuries and a surprising opening defeat in the Polish league, team captain Grzegorz Poland Tkaczyk is confident that the hunger for Cologne is still there: “We want to improve constantly in Capacity: 4,000 the Champions League, but the new playing system is really tough; our aim to reach the VELUX EHF FINAL4 again, however, this is the dream of ten teams.”

Club Address: For Tkaczyk, Kristianstad is the only unknown opponent, “the rest of them we have faced in the KS Vive Tauron Kielce last two years. I believe that most of the games in this group will be decided in the final minutes, ul. Robotnicza 5 so everyone can expect very interesting encounters.” 25-662 Kielce Poland

Media contact: Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Sebastian Kozubek Champions League: Polish champions Past achievements +48 505031244 VELUX EHF Champions League [email protected] Coach: Talant Dujshebaev (since January 2014) Participations (including 2015/16 season): 13 Online information: Captain: Semi-final (2): 2012/13, 2014/15 (third Website: www.vtkielce.pl ranked in VELUX F4) Facebook: kielcehandball Newcomers: Last 16 (5): 1993/94, 1994/95, 2009/10, Twitter:@ksvive (Azoty Pulawy) Mariusz Jurkiewicz (Orlen Wisła Plock) 2011/12, 2013/14 Branko Vujovic (Sutejska Niksic) Last 32 (2): 1996/97, 1998/99 Kit colours Pawel Paczkowski (Dunkerque HB) Group matches (3): 1999/2000, Light 2003/04, 2010/11 Player shirt: yellow Left the club: Player short: blue Tomasz Rosinski (Chrobry Glogow) Other Goalkeeper shirt: blue Zeljko Musa (SC Magdeburg) 11 participations in other ECs Dark (HSV Hamburg) Polish league: 12 titles (1993, 1994, Player shirt: blue 1996, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2009, 2010, Player short: blue 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) Goalkeeper shirt: green Polish cup: 12 titles

71 KS Vive Tauron Kielce (POL)

Biggest win: 35:23 (16:13) v FC Porto Vitalis POR (h), 29.09.2013 Biggest defeat: 30:41 (19:19) v Fotex KC Veszprém HUN (h), 15.11.2003 Longest winning run: 11 matches (25.09.2014 - 15.03.2015) Longest unbeaten run: 11 matches (25.09.2014 - 15.03.2015) Longest losing run: 5 matches (13.02.2010 – 27.03.2010) 5 matches (19.02.2011 – 09.10.2011) Longest run without win: 6 matches (26.09.2010 – 27.11.2010) Most goals: 38 v Orlen Wisla Plock POL 38:30W (h), 23.02.2014 Most goals opponent: 41 v Fotex KC Veszprém HUN 30:41L (h), 15.11.2003 Most goals both teams: 72 v Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 40:32L (a), 27.11.1999 Fewest goals: 21 v HC Bosna BH Gas BIH 25:21L (a), 27.02.2010 21 v HC Metalurg MKD 21:20W (h), 24.11.2012 Fewest goals opponent: 20 v HC Metalurg MKD 21:20W (h), 24.11.2012 20 v HC Vardar MKD 20:22W (a), 11.04.2015 Fewest goals both teams: 41 v HC Metalurg MKD 21:20W (h), 24.11.2012

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

1999/00 KS Iskra-Lider Market POL 6 3 0 3 173:186 –13 6:6 3rd Gr. B 2003/04 KS ‘Vive’ Kielce POL 6 2 1 3 159:177 -18 5:7 3rd Gr. G 2009/10 KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 12 5 1 6 345:344 +1 11:13 Last 16 2010/11 KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 10 1 2 7 276:300 -24 4:16 6th Gr. A 2011/12 KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 12 6 1 5 345:336 +9 13:11 Last 16 2012/13 KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 16 14 0 2 469:400 +69 28:4 Third Place 2013/14 KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 12 7 1 4 362:331 +31 15:9 Last 16 2014/15 KS Vive Tauron Kielce POL 16 14 0 2 483:439 +44 28:4 Third Place Total 90 52 6 32 2612:2513 +99 110:70

72 KS Vive Tauron Kielce (POL) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

13 Julen Aguinagalde Akizu ESP Line Player 8.12.1982 Irun, ESP 195 116 14 POL Left Back 23.1.1982 Sandomierz, POL 202 101 18 Bartlomiej Bis POL Line Player 25.3.1997 Kielce, POL 198 102 3 Jakub Bulski POL Line Player 29.4.1998 Kielce, POL 195 96 21 Denis Buntic CRO Right Back 13.11.1982 Ljubuski, BIH 198 93 10 POL Left Back 24.3.1988 Goreczno, POL 202 100 27 Ivan Cupic CRO Right Wing 22.3.1986 Metkovic, CRO 178 75 4 Michal Grabowski POL Right Wing 28.11.1997 Kielce, POL 188 87 15 POL Left Wing 27.12.1984 Gdynia, POL 185 88 5 Michal Jurecki POL Left Back 27.10.1984 Koscian, POL 198 110 19 Mariusz Jurkiewicz POL Left Back 3.2.1982 Lubin, POL 199 103 11 Mateusz Kus POL Line Player 14.7.1987 Piekary SL, POL 200 100 19 POL Right Back 7.7.1983 Ostrów Wlkpl. POL 198 94 9 GER Right Wing 27.5.1988 Berlin, GER 188 85 17 Manuel Strlek CRO Left Wing 1.12.1988 Zagreb, CRO 182 84 6 Grzegorz Tkaczyk POL Left Back 22.12.1980 Warszawa, POL 194 94 2 Branko Vujovic MNE Right Back 20.4.1998 197 82 23 Uros Zorman SLO Centre Back 9.1.1980 Kranj, SLO 189 96

1 Slawomir Szmal POL Goalkeeper 2.10.1978 Strzelce Opolskie, POL 190 90 16 Marin Sego CRO Goalkeeper 2.8.1985 Mostar, BIH 194 100 Krzysztof Markowski POL Goalkeeper 5.8.1997 Kielce, POL 185 82 Average: 28,24 193,1 94,2

Talant Dujshebaev coach • most awarded figure in the club • during his longstanding playing career won plenty of trophies with three different national teams (CIS, Russia, Spain) • has successfully continued as a coach for the last 10 years, known for his impulsiveness • joined Kielce in the half of the 2013/14 season, replacing • changed the playing style of Kielce placing greater emphasis on the aggressive defence

EC Trophies: CL 1994, 2006 (as coach), 2008 (as coach), 2009 (as coach), EHF Cup 1993, Cup Winners’ Cup 2002, 2003 OG: G 1992, B 1996, 2000, WCh: G 1993, EURO: S 1996, 1998, B 2000

73 Marin Sego Slawomir Szmal goalkeeper goalkeeper • his first stop in Poland was Wisla Plock when • 2009 World Handball Player of the Year he came from Zagreb in 2012 and stayed until 2014 • one of the key players in the Polish national • like in Plock with Marcin Wichary also in Kielce champions’ defence he has a strong competition in a goal from a Polish • spent several years in German Bundesliga national team goalkeeper - Szmal playing for TuS N-Lübbecke and Rhein Neckar Löwen • before his move to Poland spent half of his • competed in three VELUX EHF FINAL4 events career in Bosnia Herzegovina, and half in Croatia with Löwen in 2010/11 and twice with Kielce in • before his first FINAL4 start in 2015 was most 2012/13 and 2014/15 successful with Zagreb, where he helped his club to • on the court a hardworking Titan, beyond it progress twice to the CL quarter-finals always keen on handball initiatives for kids

EURO: S 2010 WCh: S 2007, B 2009, 2015

Karol Bielecki Manuel Strlek left back left wing • Poland’s biggest handball icon • his arrival in Kielce in 2012 were his first steps abroad, after leaving his boyhood club Zagreb • spent eight seasons in the Bundesliga playing for Magdeburg and Rhein-Neckar Löwen • started gathering CL experience in 2006 • after losing sight in his left eye in an accident • together with his fellow countryman Cupic in 2010, the 33-year-old has made a remarkable on the other side, they soon created extremely comeback to his current form effective duet of wingers • Kielce’s best scorer in the current season (76) • All-Star team left wing at EHF EURO 2010 • excellent shooter from long-range

WCh: G 2013, B 2011, EURO: B 2014 EC trophies: EHF Cup 2007 WCh: S 2007, B 2009, 2015

Uros Zorman Julen Aguinagalde centre back line player • one of the best playmakers in the game • one of the world’s top line players • on the hunt for his fourth CL success • All-Star team line player of the 2013 WCh in Spain and EHF EURO 2014 in Denmark • not known for scoring lots of goals, but his movement and passes provide ample space for his • nominated for World Handball Player of the teammates in attack Year 2012 • longstanding captain of Slovenian national • joined Kielce from Atlético Mardid in 2013 for team famous for his charisma, weakness for his first foreign league experience coffee, work with children, for whom he has been • four VELUX EHF FINAL4 participations in 2010- organising summer camps over past years 2015

EC Trophies: CL: 2004, 2008, 2009 WCh: G 2013, B 2011, EURO: B 2014 EURO: S 2004

Denis Buntic Ivan Cupic right back right wing • born in Ljubuski, traditional handball city of • second top goal scorer at the London 2012 Bosnia and Herzegovina Olympics • played for Izvidac, Zagreb, Koper and Ademar • named on the All-Star team at the 2009 WCh Leon in the past • despite losing one finger in an accident in • joined Kielce in the summer of 2011 and one 2008 remained an important player of each team he year later reached his first FINAL4 with the club has played including the national team • set his scoring record in the EC in 2009/10 • shares the position with the German Tobias with Ademar (57 goals) Reichmann

OG: B 2012, EURO: S 2010, B 2012, WCh: S 2005, 2009 OG: B 2012, WCh: S 2009, B 2013, EURO: S 2008, 2010, B 2012

74 GROUP B HC Vardar (MKD) In 2014 only one goal was amiss in the quarter-final of the VELUX EHF Champions League against the to-be champions SG Flensburg-Handewitt, in 2015 they were beaten twice in a tight encounter with Kielce - so their third attempt to make it to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne could be the lucky number for HC Vardar.

“After failing narrowly twice it is our goal to qualify for Cologne,” says Davor Stojanoski, club director of the Macedonian champions.

The core of last season’s team - except the two Russians Alexej Rastvortsev and Mikhail Chipurin - has remained the same and Vardar have strengthened their squad with signings like , Luka Cindric, or Alexandr Dereven. With such strong signings their goals are clearly set for the team of Spanish-born coach Raul Gonzalez.

Vardar will face defending champions Barcelona, Kielce, Kolding, Szeged, Löwen, Kristianstad and Montpellier in tough Group B of the VELUX EHF Champions League - but after growing year by year the Macedonians are confident.

Team captain expresses the dream of making it to Cologne: “Our goal is the FINAL4 after being so close to it twice. This season we have five new players plus the experience from the past two years, so dreaming about the FINAL4 is realistic.”

Lazarov’s favourites for topping the table after the completion of the group phase are Barcelona and Kielce: “Those teams have a small advantage compared to the rest, but the season will be long and interesting. It will be difficult for all teams in Groups A and B to finish Playing hall on top.” Jane Sandanski Director Davor Stojanoski agrees, but mainly hopes for the home advantage in their fortress: Skopje “All opponents in our group are very strong, we respect all of them. But in the previous years FYR Macedonia we have competed with many of them, so we know them very well. It is our aim to win all the Capacity: 5,000 matches at home and to build a base for a successful group phase.”

As handball is the most popular team sport in FYR Macedonia, the expectations on Vardar on Club Address: international ground - VELUX EHF Champions League and SEHA Liga - are high: “Even our new HC Vardar arena with a capacity of 6000 fans is too small already. If we would switch to a bigger hall with Marko Savovski a capacity of 15,000 it would sell-out in no time,” says Stojanoski. BUL 8 mi Septemvri 20 FYR Macedonia Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Champions League: Macedonian champions Past achievements Media contact: Marko Savovski Coach: Raul Gutierrez Gonzalez (since VELUX EHF Champions League +389 75 200 088 November 2013) Participations (including 2015/16 [email protected] Captain: Filip Lazarov season): 10 Quarter-final (2): 2013/14, 2014/15 Online information: Newcomers: Last 32 (1): 1999/2000 Website: www.rkvardar.com.mk Mijajlo Marsenic (Partizan) Group Phase (6): 2001/02, 2002/03, Facebook: rkvardar Luka Cindric (HC Metalurg) 2003/04, 2004/05, 2007/08, 2009/10 Twitter:@RK_Vardar Jorge Maqueda (HBC Nantes) Dejan Manaskov (HSG Wetzlar) Other Kit colours Aleksander Dereven (Chekhovskie Medvedi) Cup Winners’ Cup: Semi-finals 1998/99, 2004/05, 2010/11, Quarter-finals Light 2006/07 Player shirt: white Left the club: Player short: white Nemanja Pribak (Besiktas) SEHA league: 1 title (2012) Goalkeeper shirt: orange and red Dobrivoje Markovic (destination unknown) Dark Stefan Terzic (La Rioja) Macedonian league: 9 titles (1999, Player shirt: black/red Vladimir Petric (end of carrier) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, Player short: black Alexei Rastvortsev (HC Vojvodina) 2013, 2015) Goalkeeper shirt: black and blue Mikhail Chipurin (Ivry) Macedonian cup: 10 titles

75 HC Vardar (MKD)

Biggest win: 37:24 (19:11) v Wacker Thun SUI (a), 19.10.2013 Biggest defeat: 41:19 (19:08) v FC Barcelona ESP (a), 18.10.2003 Longest winning run: 4 matches (26.04.2014 – 12.10.2014) 4 matches (29.11.2014 – 21.02.2015) Longest unbeaten run: 5 matches (26.04.2014 – 19.10.2014) Longest losing run: 7 matches (12.10.2003 – 09.10.2004) Longest run without win: 8 matches (12.10.2003 – 16.10.2004) 8 matches (03.10.2009 – 20.02.2010) Most goals: 39 v Chekhovskie Medvedi RUS 39:28W (h), 04.10.2014 39 v Chekhovskie Medvedi RUS 34:39W (a), 06.12.2014 Most goals opponent: 41 v FC Barcelona ESP 41:19L (a), 18.10.2003 Most goals both teams: 73 v Chekhovskie Medvedi RUS 39:34W (a), 06.12.2014 Fewest goals: 12 v FC Barcelona ESP 12:26L (h), 06.11.2004 Fewest goals opponent: 20 v Orlen Wisla Plock 31:20W (h), 21.03.2015 Fewest goals both teams: 38 v FC Barcelona ESP 12:26L (h), 06.11.2004

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2001/02 Vardar Vatrost. Skopje MKD 6 1 1 4 152:175 –23 3:9 4th Gr. D 2002/03 Vardar Vatrost. Skopje MKD 6 2 0 4 152:181 –29 4:8 4th Gr. D 2003/04 Vardar Vatrost. Skopje MKD 6 0 0 6 157:210 -53 0:12 4th Gr. B 2004/05 Vardar Vatrost. Skopje MKD 6 1 2 3 124:153 -29 4:8 3rd Gr. A 2007/08 HC Vardar PRO – Skopje MKD 6 2 1 3 161:180 -19 5:7 4th Gr. C 2009/10 HC Vardar PRO – Skopje MKD 10 1 1 8 253:316 -63 3:17 5th Gr. D 2013/14 HC Vardar – Skopje MKD 14 6 3 5 376:369 +7 15:13 1/4-finals 2014/15 HC Vardar MKD 14 8 1 5 421:396 +25 17:11 1/4-finals Total 68 21 9 38 1796:1980

76 HC Vardar (MKD) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

20 Ilija Abutovic SRB Left Back 2.8.1988 Vrbas, SRB 202 99 7 Matjaz Brumen SLO Right Wing 23.12.1982 Ljublana, SLO 190 90 25 Luka Cindric CRO Centre Back 5.7.1993 Ogulin, CRO 185 89 17 Alexander Dereven RUS Left Back 26.3.1992 Toliatti, RUS 199 88 31 RUS Left Wing 30.7.1983 Petrozavodsk, RUS 180 74 19 ESP Right Back 17.12.1992 Santander, ESP 187 84 32 Sergei Gorbok RUS Left Back 4.12.1982 Minsk, RUS 196 98 18 Igor Karacic CRO Centre Back 2.11.1988 Mostar, BIH 191 91 6 Blazenko Lackovic CRO Left Back 25.12.1980 Varazdin, CRO 197 100 23 Filip Lazarov MKD Left Back 21.4.1985 Veles, MKD 199 100 11 Dejan Manaskov MKD Left Wing 26.8.1992 Veles, MKD 181 78 15 Jorge Maqueda Pena ESP Right Back 6.12.1988 Toledo, ESP 195 102 93 Mijajlo Marsenic SRB Line Player 9.3.1993 Berane, MNE 202 107 33 Daniil Shishkarev RUS Right Wing 6.7.1988 Kustanai, RUS 190 85 5 Stojanche Stoilov MKD Line Player 30.4.1987 Skopje, MKD 191 110 10 Alem Toskic SRB Line Player 12.2.1982 Priboj, SRB 190 108

1 Arpad Sterbik Capar ESP Goalkeeper 20.11.1979 Senta, SRB 200 119 12 Strahinja Milic SRB Goalkeeper 22.12.1990 Pristina, SRB 200 132 26 Petar Angelov MKD Goalkeeper 8.3.1977 Kavadarci, MKD 192 103 Average: 28,74 193 97,7

Raul Gonzalez Gutierrez coach • stalwart of BM Valladolid and a member of the Spanish national team during his playing career • started his coaching carrier in Atletico Madrid and Ciudad Real working in team with Talant Dujshebaev • replaced Zoran Kastratovic early in the 2013/14 season at Vardar • steered the team to a historical success - the quarter-finals of the CL for the first time and was just one goal shy of the FINAL4 OG: B 1996 (as player)

77 Arpad Sterbik Dejan Manaskov goalkeeper left wing • one of the best goalkeepers who holds • since 2008 until 2014 part of local Skopje rivals Hungarian, Serbian and Spanish citizenship Metalurg, on the way to Vardar had a short stint with Wetzlar in the German Bundesliga • after ten seasons spent in Spain moved from Barcelona in 2014 and signed a four-year contract • son of Macedonian handball legend Pepi with Macedonian runners-up Manaskov and also one of the key players of the national team • dozens of international awards including the 2005 IHF World Handball Player of the Year • his highest achievement the fifth place at the EC 2012 in Serbia • voted as the best goalkeeper of the Spanish league five times • the 2013/14 season was a breakthrough year in the CL, scoring 33 goals on Metlaurg’s run to the EC trophies: CL 2006, 2008, 2009 quarter-finals. WCh: B 1999, B 2001, B 2011, G 2013

Timur Dibirov Sergey Gorbok left wing left back • in 2013 he joined Vardar as just the second • started his carrier in Minsk, played in several club in his career countries (Ukraine, Russia, Slovenia, Germany) • the first was Chekhovskie Medvedi, with • took Russian citizenship and started playing whom he reached the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in 2010 for Russia after playing three seasons in Chekhov • voted best left wing of at the 2013 WCh • in the 2013/14 season with Rhein-Neckar Löwen he was close to the FINAL4 • fast breaks specialists also key in defence • joined the Russian “colony” of Vardar in 2014

EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2006

Igor Karacic Stojance Stoilov centre back line player • voted into the 2012/13 SEHA League All-Star • not only Vardar’s first choice line player, but team occupies the same position in the Macedonian national team • regarded as a fast and tough player who is brilliant when it comes to ‘one-on-one’ situations • joined Vardar in 2010 from city rivals Metalurg – a step that saw his career spiralling upwards • scored 62 goals on the way to the last 16 in the 2010/11 CL season with Bosna Sarajevo • played a brilliant tournament at the EHF EURO 2012 when FYR Macedonia finished 5th • born in Mostar he plays for the Croatian national team, while his brother Ivan plays for Bosnia Herzegovina

Alex Dujshebaev Matjaz Brumen right back right wing • son of Talant Dujshebaev joined Vardar at the • besides Dibirov and Sterbik only Vardar player beginning of the 2013/14 season with a European Cup title under his belt • played for Spain at the Junior World • won the EHF Champions League with Celje and Championship in 2013 and helped his team to win the Challenge Cup with Koper silver • played for Slovenian clubs Prule 67, Celje and • best right back of the All-star team at the 2012 Koper, Vardar is his first foreign club Men’s 20 EHF EURO and the 2013 Junior WCh • played for Slovenia at several major • top scorer of the Spanish ASOBAL with BM tournaments and was part of the team which only Aragon in 2011/12 and 2012/13 narrowly missed out on a medal at the 2013 WCh

• voted best young player of the CL in 2014/15 EC trophies: CL 2004, Challenge Cup 2011

78 GROUP B KIF Kolding Kobenhavn (DEN) Since the start of European Cup competitions under the umbrella of the EHF in 1993, KIF Kolding only missed two seasons and played 188 matches so far, and are the most experienced Scandinavian participant of the VELUX EHF Champions League.

For the 13th time the team of head coach Henrik Kronborg is part of the flagship competition highlighted by a semi-final appearance in 2002. For the upcoming season, the goal is to finish among the eight best teams - after a surprising elimination in the previous season against Croatian record champions Zagreb in the Last 16. Only in the 1994/95 season did the club fail to make it out of the group phase and since then they have had a consistent streak of making it past this initial stage - and this is something they hope to continue.

On domestic ground, KIF again proved their dominance by becoming Danish champions for the 14th time and - right before the start of the season - they took the Danish Supercup beating Champions League participant Skjern.

The only major changes in the squad were in the back court positions: left back ended his active career and becomes club manager like his father had been before. Swedish right back Kim Andersson transferred to his home club Ystad after a long-term shoulder injury. His successor is one of only two non-Scandinavian players on the team: Russian Konstantin Igropoulo. The left handed shooter arrives from German side Füchse Berlin, where he completed his individual cabinet of trophies by winning the EHF Cup in May after he had won the Cup Winners’ Cup with Chekhovskie Medvedi and the VELUX EHF Champions League with Playing hall FC Barcelona. TRE-FOR Arena Team captain and legendary goalkeeper Kasper Hvidt remains humble in terms of goals: “In the Ambolten 2-6 previous two years we played well in the group phase but then were too weak in the Last 16. 6000 Kolding So first we have to focus on the group matches in order to get the best possible ranking for the Denmark knock-out stage. And from the past we know that defence is the key for us, but we all have the Capacity: 2,800 experience and know to play.”

Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Past achievements Club Address: Champions League: Danish champions KIF Kolding Kobenhavn VELUX EHF Champions League Coach: Henrik Kronborg (since 2013, due to his Ambolten 2-6 Participations (including 2015/16 health problems Aron Kristjansson was in charge 6000 Kolding season): 13 in 2014/15) Denmark Semi-final (1): 2001/02 Captain: Kasper Hvidt Quarter-final (1): 2002/03 Media contact: Last 16 (8): 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, Newcomers: Thomas Christensen 2006/07, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2013/14, Konstantin Igropulo (Füchse Berlin) +45 22 629062 2014/15 [email protected] Last 32 (1): 1993/94 Left the club: Group Phase (1): 1994/95 Online information: Lasse Boesen (end of career) Kim Andersson (Ystad) Website: www.kif.dk Other Facebook: KIFKBH Cup Winners’ Cup: Semi-finals Twitter:@KifKoldingKBH 1999/2000, Quarter-finals 2007/08 EHF Cup: Quarter-finals 2012/13

Danish champions: 14 times (1987, Kit colours 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2001, Light 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2014, Player shirt: white/red 2015) Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: yellow Alternative playing hall : 7 times Broendby Hallen Dark Broendby Stadion 20 Player shirt: blue 2605 Brondby Player short: blue Denmark Goalkeeper shirt: green Capacity: 5,000

79 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn (DEN)

Biggest win: 35:18 (19:4) v Wisla Plock SA POL (h), 07.10.2006 Biggest defeat: 38:23 (20:10) v THW Kiel GER (a), 27.02.2010 40:25 (19:10) v Montpellier Agglomeration HB FRA (a), 28.11.2010 Longest winning run: 4 matches (16.11.2002 – 08.12.2002) 4 matches (30.09.2006 – 19.10.2006) 4 matches (13.10.2013 – 24.11.2013) Longest unbeaten run: 6 matches (30.09.2006 – 12.11.2006) 6 matches (28.9.2014 - 23.11.2014) Longest losing run: 4 matches (26.02.2011 – 02.04.2011) Longest run without win: 4 matches (17.10.2009 – 22.11.2009) 4 matches (27.02.2010 – 03.04.2010) 4 matches (26.02.2011 – 02.04.2011) Most goals: 42 v RK Partizan Belgrad SCG 42:26W (h), 12.10.2003 42 v Prule 67 Ljubljana SLO 42:31W (h), 30.11.2003 Most goals opponent: 46 v FC Barcelona Borges ESP 46:36L (a), 17.10.2009 Most goals both teams: 82 v FC Barcelona Borges ESP 46:36L (a), 17.10.2009 Fewest goals: 16 v TEKA Santander ESP 28:16L (a), 25.01.1995 Fewest goals opponent: 18 v Lovcen Osiguranje YUG 20:18W (h), 11.11.2001 18 v Wisla Plock SA POL 35:18W (h), 07.10.2006 18 v Dunkerque HB Grand Littoral FRA 18:20W (a), 13.10.2013 Fewest goals both teams: 38 v Lovcen Osiguranje YUG 20:18W (h), 11.11.2001 38 v Dunkerque HB Grand Littoral FRA 18:20W (a), 13.10.2013

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

1994/95 Kolding IF DEN 6 1 0 5 140:163 –23 2:10 4th Gr. A 2001/02 Kolding IF DEN 10 5 1 4 263:256 +7 11:9 1/2-finals 2002/03 Kolding IF DEN 8 5 0 3 235:215 +20 10:6 1/4-finals 2003/04 Kolding KIF DEN 8 4 1 3 253:239 +14 9:7 Last 16 2004/05 Kolding KIF DEN 8 4 0 4 279:267 +12 8:8 Last 16 2005/06 KIF Kolding DEN 8 4 0 4 251:240 +11 8:8 Last 16 2006/07 KIF Kolding Elite A/S DEN 8 6 1 1 252:213 +39 13:3 Last 16 2009/10 KIF Kolding DEN 12 4 4 4 336:342 -6 12:12 Last 16 2010/11 KIF Kolding DEN 12 5 0 7 349:388 -39 10:14 Last 16 2013/14 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn DEN 12 7 0 5 292:293 -1 14:10 Last 16 2014/15 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn DEN 12 7 2 3 332:316 +16 16:8 Last 16 Total 104 52 9 43 2982:2932

80 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn (DEN)

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

7 Lasse Bredekjaer Anderson DEN Left Back 11.3.1994 Kobenhavn, DEN 197 100 22 Sebastian Augustinussen DEN Right Back 6.5.1996 Kolding, DEN 192 90 3 Lasse Boesen DEN Left Back 18.9.1979 Kolding, DEN 192 100 14 Mikel Dalby Christensen DEN Centre Back 19.6.1995 Kolding, DEN 180 90 11 Martin Per Dolk SWE Left Wing 25.3.1990 Hammarby, SWE 180 85 24 Nikolaj Enderleit DEN Right Back 21.6.1997 Kolding, DEN 198 97 35 Konstantin Igropulo RUS Right Back 14.4.1985 Stawropol, RUS 189 97 18 Kasper Ryan Irming Andersen DEN Right Back 12.3.1986 Skanderborg, DEN 188 80 21 Simon Edelberg Jensen DEN Right Wing 2.6.1984 Svendborg, DEN 185 85 6 Lars Troels Jorgensen DEN Back 3.2.1978 Køge, DEN 192 102 2 SWE Centre Back 21.5.1982 Nyköping, SWE 180 83 25 Jacob Kühne DEN Centre Back 27.4.1997 Sønderborg, DEN 180 95 4 Torsten Laen DEN Line Player 26.11.1979 Odense, DEN 198 96 17 DEN Left Wing 20.8.1995 helsingør, DEN 197 96 15 Jens Svane Peschardt DEN Left Back 22.3.1997 Vejle, DEN 192 91 8 Bo Dybdal Spellerberg DEN Left Back 24.7.1979 Gladsaxe, DEN 192 84 23 Jakob Stork DEN Line Player 24.11.1995 Vejle, DEN 188 105 13 Thomas Björn Theilgaard DEN Right Wing 13.1.1993 Vejen, DEN 188 78 19 Cyril Viudes FRA Line Player 6.2.1982 Champigny-S.-M., FRA 198 110

1 Kasper Hvidt DEN Goalkeeper 6.2.1976 Frederiksberg, DEN 192 96 20 Marcus David Cleverly DEN Goalkeeper 15.6.1981 Hilerod, DEN 188 90 12 Morten Ankersen DEN Goalkeeper 25.11.1994 Kolding, DEN 180 85 28 Anders Lynge DEN Goalkeeper 16.4.1997 Kolding, DEN 183 81 27 Rasmus Dossing DEN Goalkeeper 6.2.1997 Kolding, DEN 188 87 Average: 26,67 189 91,8

Henrik Kronborg coach • creative playmaker for Helsingor IF in his playing days, but although he is from Hamlet´s town Elsinore (Helsingor) his last name has nothing to do with the Kronborg castle of the town • was also the coach of Danish juniors until the WCh 2013 in Bosnia Herzegovina • successfully coaching Nordsjaelland, before joining the federation • started his career in KIF as assistant coach along with being in charge of the Danish U21 team, but was soon promoted into the job as head coach • succeeded Peter Bredsdorff-Larsen at KIF, who was also one of his forerunners as assistant coach of the Danish national team • during his long sick leave in 2013 and 2014, he had to leave the job as head coach for Icelandic national coach Aron Kristjansson

81 Kasper Hvidt goalkeeper Magnus Landin • still considered to be among the best left wing goalkeepers in the world • younger brother of world class goalkeeper Niklas Landin • retired from international handball in 2010 after being awarded MVP as Denmark won the EHF • got his handball upbringing in the club GOG – EURO 2008 in Norway the talent factory par excellence in Danish handball • after a career in Germany and Spain, including • joined KIF in the 2014 summer from a successful spell in FC Barcelona, returned home in Nordsjaelland Handbold 2009 to play for FCK Håndbold, AG København, with • one of Denmark’s currently greatest talents whom he reached the FINAL4 in 2012 in the left wing position, but also a qualified • with KIF since August 2013 supplement to the back court line of KIF

WCh: S 2011, EHF EURO: G 2008

Lukas Karlsson centre back left back • joined KIF Kolding from Viborg HK in 2009 • KIF Kolding player for 11 years, since he joined • elegant and inventive playmaker bothered by the club from FIF Copenhagen in 2003 shoulder problems for a long time • reached 500 games for the team before the • apart from orchestrating KIF’s attacking play, 2014/15 season, won the Danish title five times he has also turned into one of the team´s most • during his entire time in the club, he has been dangerous shooters a key player to the team • married to Norwegian international Ida • elegant and hard-shooting playmaker as well Bjørndalen as left back

EHF EURO: G 2008, 2012

Cyril Viudes Torsten Laen line player line player • was signed mainly for the defence when • after celebrating several triumphs with GOG, joining the club in the summer of 2011, but proved former Danish international went abroad in 2007 his skills mainly in the attack, together with Torsten • won the CL with Ciudad Real in 2008 and are often in the attack at the same time, as KIF quite reached the FINAL4 in 2012 with Füchse Berlin frequently attack with two line players • experienced pivot and defence specialist • although born in France, has Spanish roots joined KIF in the summer of 2013 • awarded League Player of the Year 2014/15 in • proved to be just as important a player in all Denmark by the players of the league aspects of the of the game as expected • has turned down offers from several French and German clubs and extended his contract with KIF instead, as he wants to know more about Danish EC trophies: CL 2008 culture before moving on

Konstantin Igropulo Kasper Irming Andersen right back right wing • a Russian with Greek roots also played for a • joined KIF Kolding from Aarhus in 2011 club in Athens, one of the first Russians to play for • can play the right wing as well as the right FC Barcelona back, where his speed and movability compensate • arrived in Berlin thanks to the praise of his for his modest height former teammate , came to Denmark in • able to play the right back position, if needs be summer 2015 after winning the EHF Cup trophy • haunted by injuries over three years 2012-14 • European champion and silver medallist at the World Championship in beach handball • married with the Russian pop singer Marina of the band Blue Marine

EC trophies: CL 2011, EHF Cup 2015

82 GROUP B MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN)

It was the biggest day of his career, when he raised the EHF Cup trophy in May 2014, now MOL-Pick Szeged’s long-term team captain Attila Vadkerti has stepped down, but remains on the Szeged ‘ship’ as the director of the youth academy and deciding to finish his career at FKSE Algyö. In the first post-Vadkerti season of the Hungarian runners-ups, Szabolcs Zubai will take on the role as the new captain.

Vadkerti is the only departure in the squad of Spanish born coach Juan Carlos Pastor, who strengthened the team with two experienced internationals: Brazilian Thiago Santos and Serbian Marko Curuvija. The season after winning the EHF Cup Finals in Berlin was - from an international point of view - successful: Szeged eliminated Rhein Neckar Löwen in the Last 16 of the VELUX EHF Champions League and were close to another sensation against Kiel in the quarter-finals.

Now they will compete with Löwen again in Group B of the new season, aside from that they face top contenders such as defending champions Barcelona, Kielce or Vardar and in addition to Kolding and Montpellier. But despite this tough group the objectives are set high for all competitions: “We are aware of the fact that Veszprem, our domestic rival, has a great team and are favourites in the national competitions, but we want to fight to win at least one title in Hungary,” says club director Nandor Szögi. Playing hall Varosi Sportcsarnok Szeged On the international stage, he expects every match to be like a final: “In the VELUX EHF Temesvari Krt.33 Champions League our philosophy is to go step by step, from match to match. The goal is 6726 Szeged of course, to qualify for the Last 16, but we will need to achieve a good position to get a Hungary manageable opponent in the next phase. But this year, each match, even in the group phase, Capacity: 3,200 will be like a final for everyone.”

New team captain Szabolcs Zubai hopes to cause some upsets to the favourites: “With the new format of the (VELUX EHF) Champions League it will be more difficult to surprise a team, but Club Address: we are going to up our level.” Zubai is “happy” to be in a group like this, facing Barcelona & Co. MOL-Pick Szeged for him he would like “to continue on the same path (as in previous seasons) and to perform Deák Ferenc u. 28-30. even better. For sure it will be very difficult to qualify from this group, however, the goal is 6720 Szeged simple: to proceed.” Hungary

Media contact: Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Past achievements Levente Juhasz Champions League: Hungarian runners-up +36 70 543 0979 VELUX EHF Champions League [email protected] Coach: Juan Carlos Pastor (since 2013) Participations (including 2015/16 season): 14 Online information: Newcomers: Quarter-final (3): 1996/1997, Website: www.pickhandball.hu Thiagus Petrus (Naturhouse La Rioja) 2003/2004, 2014/15 Facebook: pickszeged Marko Curuvija (König-Trade Balmazujvaros) Last 16 (5): 2004/2005, 2005/2006, Twitter:@pickhandball 2006/2007, 2010/2011, 2012/13 Left the club: Main Round (1): 2007/2008 Attila Vadkerti (FKSE Algyö and operational Group Phase (3): 2008/2009, director of the MOL-Pick Szeged youth 2009/2010, 2011/2012 Kit colours academy) Qualification (1): 2013/14 Light Player shirt: orange Other Player short: black EHF Cup: Winners 2014/15, Quarter- Goalkeeper shirt: white or green final: 2000/01 Dark Last 16: 1994/95, 1999/2000 Player shirt: blue Cup Winners’ Cup Player short: blue Semi-final: 1993/94 Goalkeeper shirt: black Quarter-final: 2002/03, 2008/09 Hungarian league: 2 titles (1996, 2007) Hungarian cup: 6 titles

83 MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN)

Biggest win: 39:24 (15:10) v HC Bosna Sarajevo BIH (h), 07.10.2007 Biggest defeat: 40:17 (19:5) v FC Barcelona ESP (a), 15.02.1997 Longest winning run: 6 matches (03.10.2007 – 24.11.2007) Longest unbeaten run: 6 matches (03.10.2007 – 24.11.2007) Longest losing run: 6 matches (17.10.2009 – 20.02.2010) 6 matches (06.03.2011 – 15.10.2011) Longest run without win: 7 matches (17.10.2009 – 27.02.2010) Most goals: 39 v HC Bosna Sarajevo BIH 39:24W (h), 07.10.2007 Most goals opponent: 40 v FC Barcelona ESP 40:17L (a), 15.02.1997 Most goals both teams: 73 v Montpellier Agglomeration HB FRA 38:35W (h), 19.11.2011 Fewest goals: 17 v FC Barcelona ESP 40:17L (a), 15.02.1997 Fewest goals opponent: 16 v Wisla Plock SA POL 16:26W (a), 05.10.2008 Fewest goals both teams: 39 v Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 20:19W (h), 08.03.2008

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

1996/97 Pick Szeged HUN 8 3 2 3 205:216 –11 8:8 1/4-finals 2003/04 SC Pick Szeged HUN 10 4 0 6 269:262 +7 8:12 1/4-finals 2004/05 SC Pick Szeged HUN 8 4 2 2 190:187 +3 10:6 Last 16 2005/06 SC Pick Szeged HUN 8 3 0 5 219:218 +1 6:10 Last 16 2006/07 SC Pick Szeged HUN 8 3 2 3 202:203 -1 8:8 Last 16 2007/08 Pick Szeged HUN 12 9 0 3 361:310 +51 18:6 3rd MR Gr. 4 2008/09 Pick Szeged HUN 6 2 0 4 159:161 -2 4:8 3rd Gr. H 2009/10 Pick Szeged HUN 10 2 2 6 287:307 -20 6:14 5th Gr. A 2010/11 Pick Szeged HUN 12 5 0 7 336:351 -15 10:14 Last 16 2011/12 Pick Szeged HUN 10 3 0 7 285:316 -31 6:14 5th Gr. D 2012/13 Pick Szeged HUN 12 4 0 8 313:350 –37 8:16 Last 16 2014/15 MOL-Pick Szeged HUN 14 9 1 4 395:383 +12 19:9 1/4-finals Total 118 51 9 58 3221:3264

84 MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN) No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

90 Gabor Ancsin HUN Right Back 27.11.1990 Bekescsaba, HUN 202 97 92 Adam Arokszallasi HUN Right Wing 5.7.1994 Szeged, HUN 174 66 20 Patrik Arpasi HUN Line Player 17.9.1996 Orosháza, HUN 190 100 19 HUN Right Back 29.3.1989 Orosháza, HUN 189 96 21 Alen Blazevic CRO Left Back 29.3.1986 Nasice, CRO 200 110 44 Dean Bombac SLO Centre Back 4.4.1989 Koper, SLO 188 92 54 Marko Curuvija SRB Left Wing 24.7.1981 Belgrade, SRB 198 93 93 Adam Dimovics HUN Centre Back 23.1.1999 Szeged, HUN 187 83 95 Karoly Doleszal HUN Left Wing 1.12.1995 Székesfehérvár, HUN 190 85 15 Balint Fekete HUN Right Back 27.6.1995 Gyula, HUN 190 80 51 Roberto Garcia Parrondo ESP Right Wing 12.1.1980 Madrid, ESP 187 86 9 Antonio Jesus Garcia Robledo ESP Left Back 6.3.1984 Llagosta, ESP 191 95 11 Mate Gidai HUN Right Wing 18.1.1994 Békéscsaba, HUN 180 75 14 Thiagus Petrus Goncalves Dos Santos BRA Left Back 25.1.1989 Juiz de Fora, BRA 199 100 98 Gergö Haszillo HUN Centre Back 30.9.1996 Székesfehérvár, HUN 192 92 23 Márk Hegedüs HUN Line Player 14.9.1992 Budapest, HUN 190 100 18 Ferenc Ilyés HUN Left Back 20.12.1981 Székelyudvarhely, ROU 198 103 8 Jonas Källman SWE Left Wing 17.7.1981 Växjö, SWE 200 100 24 Vladan Loncar BIH Left Back 25.1.1997 Sarajevo, BIH 195 90 99 Stefan Manojlovity SRB Centre Back 22.12.1997 Zenta, SRB 182 80 94 Richard Mezei HUN Centre Back 28.11.1996 Szeged, HUN 189 96 5 Niko Mindegia Elizaga ESP Centre Back 19.7.1988 Santesteban, ESP 182 85 89 Lenard Nagy HUN Left Wing 8.5.1997 Senta, SRB 182 74 81 Zoltan Peter Patyi HUN Centre Back 18.2.1995 Szeged, HUN 182 90 22 Rajko Prodanovic SRB Right Wing 24.4.1986 Beograd, SRB 186 87 82 Roland Selmeczi HUN Right Wing 14.3.1997 Szeged, HUN 189 70 91 Bence Szabo HUN Line Player 11.8.1994 Kecskemét, HUN 200 111 83 Mate Szabo HUN Right Wing 27.1.1997 Szeged, HUN 190 75 84 Peter Szabo HUN Left Back 1.7.1996 Szeged, HUN 188 84 96 Egon Urban HUN Right Wing 12.12.1996 Senta, SRB 180 75 85 Daniel Gabor Varga HUN Line Player 26.9.1997 Szeged, HUN 193 100 10 Peter Velky HUN Left Wing 25.4.1992 Orosháza, HUN 186 82 77 Vladimir Vranjes BIH Line Player 14.12.1988 Banja Luka, BIH 200 107 17 Szabolcs Zubai HUN Line Player 31.3.1984 Mezokövesd, HUN 193 93 1 Jose Manuel Sierra Mendez ESP Goalkeeper 21.5.1978 Moguer, ESP 193 88 16 POL Goalkeeper 6.1.1988 Warszava, POL 194 95 97 Boris Manojlovity SRB Goalkeeper 13.4.1993 Zenta, SRB 188 102 52 Martin Nagy HUN Goalkeeper 9.1.1999 Szeged, HUN 202 88 12 Imre Pasztor HUN Goalkeeper 23.7.1996 Szolnok, HUN 190 115 Average: 23,92 190,5 90,8

Juan Carlos Pastor coach • one of the masterminds of contemporary handball with an incredible amount of silverware in his career • Szeged found him fit for the job of rebuilding their team in order to be able to challenge for the Hungarian title against Veszprém • won the EHF Cup in his first year at the helm • became also the sporting director after Szeged legend Richárd Mezei resigned

EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2009, EHF Cup 2014 WCh: G 2005, EURO: S 2006, OG: B 2008

85 José Manuel Sierra Jonas Källman goalkeeper left wing • together with Piotr Wyszomirski supposed to • signed in the winter of 2013/14 and showed fill in for Hungarian international Roland Mikler, who his unique ability to defend in three positions joined Veszprém • vital part of both coach Juan Carlos Pastor’s • one of the most influential goalkeepers in the defensive variatons and Szeged’s attacking edge world, the Valladolid legend has won an enormous • spent more than a decade in Spain with amount of trophies through his almost two decades Ciudad Real and Atlético Madrid before returning long career home (IFK Skövde) and finally signing a three-and-a- • signed from PSG, has done a grand slam of half year contract with Pick great Spanish teams (Barcelona, Ciudad Real and Valladolid) in the past EC trophies: CL 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, Cup Winners’ Cup: 2009 EC trophies: CL 2006, 2008, 2009, EHF Cup 2014 WCh: G 2013, EURO: B 2014 OG: S 2012

Thiagus Petrus Goncalves Ferenc Ilyés left back left back • first Brazilian player of the 55-year-old history • one of the most influential Hungarian players of the club at both club and international level • his lethal shots come handy at Pick where the • one of the many who played both for Szeged shooting compartment badly needed reinforcement and Veszprém • joined Niko Mindegía, his former teammate • defensive specialist can also be an impact from La Rioja, where he won 2x silver in ASOBAL player at left back as shown by his marvellous performance in the 2014 EHF Cup Finals • Brazilian international won gold at the Pan American Games in 2015 in Toronto • great talisman for his team as won three international trophies with three different clubs

EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2008, EHF Cup: 2010, 2014

Antonio García Robledo Szabolcs Zubai left back line player • without a doubt the biggest name the EHF Cup • one of the most technically gifted in his winner signed in the summer of 2014 position in Hungary • won a great deal of both individual, club and • coming from the famous Dunaferr school national team silverware and a lot is expected from • U2 fan signed a contract with Pick Szeged the Granollers-raised shooter in Szeged in 2008 and has been the focal point of both the • former Spanish player of the year team’s attacks and defence • Szeged is his third team in the CL having tried • well over his 100th cap and a decade in the his luck with Leon and PSG before grinder of opponents’ walls finally managed to get a grip on a trophy, which came in 2014

WCh: G 2013, EURO: B 2014 EC trophies: EHF Cup 2014

Zsolt Balogh Roberto García Parrondo right back right wing • joined Pick Szeged from Braun Gyöngyös in • brought by coach Pastor when he took the 2012 Szeged hotseat • by 2014 overtook Gábor Ancsin in the Pick • the two won an incredible amount of trophies roster at his poition together • not as tall as one would expect from a • Madrid-born played for seven Spanish backcourt player but has outstanding dribbling skills teams before he decided to bring his talents to and a sharp eye for passing international courts • new coach Pastor gave him more time and he • one of the few players to have literally won all grabbed his chance international trophies EHF had to offer

EC trophies: EHF Cup 2014 EC trophies: CL 2008, 2009, Cup Winners’ Cup 2005, EHF Cup 2013 WCh: G 2005, EURO: B 2011

86 GROUP B Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) Rhein-Neckar Löwen lost two pillars of the squad over the summer and their success this season will rely heavily on whether their work in the transfer market has sufficiently covered these losses. The Mannheim based club reacted to the departure of world class goalkeeper Niklas Landin for German champions and three-time EHF Champions League winner THW Kiel, with the capture of Serbian international Darko Stanic and Swede Mikael Apelgren from last season’s EHF Cup participant Melsungen.

However, Landin is not the only Scandinavian loss for the “lions”, as Norwegian line player Bjarte Myrhol signed for Danish VELUX Champions League participant Skjern. He was replaced by German international Henrik Pekeler - and as he is currently injured. Löwen also signed Spaniard Rafael Baena.

After finishing second in Germany once again, this time two points below Kiel, and getting eliminated at the Last 16 of Europe’s elite club competition last season, now Löwen will face some established and big-name opponents in Group B: defending champions Barcelona, Kielce, Vardar, Kolding, Szeged, Kristianstad and Montpellier. “The only unknown team for us are Kristianstad, as we faced the rest of those teams before. We will not have any easy match in the group phase, as Barcelona and Kielce belong to the favourites of the Champions League, and Skopje are also a candidate for making it to the VELUX EHF FINAL4,” says team captain , who adds: “In the past, we had did not have easy encounters with Kolding, Montpellier and Szeged.”

Playing hall Two opponents are in the focus of manager Lars Lamade and the team – two teams who SAP Arena eliminated Löwen in the previous seasons. Barcelona, who snuck past Löwen by only one goal Xaver-Fuhr-Str. 150 in the 2013/14 quarter-finals, and Szeged, who ended their campaign last term. “Barcelona are 68219 Mannheim the strongest of all teams, and we failed against Szeged, which says all about the strengths of Germany the Hungarians. We know Montpellier, Kielce and Kolding from past seasons,” says Lamade, for Capacity: 12,900 whom in general the group is tough: “Due to our small squad we definitely do not belong to the favourites in this group of attractive opponents. But we are eager to proceed to the Last 16.”

Club Address: Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Past achievements Rhein-Neckar Löwen Champions League: runners-up in Germany Mollstraße 49a VELUX EHF Champions League 68165 Mannheim Coach: (since July 2014) Participations (including 2015/16 Germany Captain: Uwe Gensheimer season): 7 Semi-final (2): 2008/09, 2010/11 Media contact: Newcomers: Quarter-final (2): 2009/10, 2013/14 Christopher Monz Darko Stanic (Al Kuwait SC) Last 16 (1): 2014/15 +491744288849 Mikael Appelgren (MT Melsungen) Qualification (1): 2011/12 [email protected] (TBV Lemgo) Rafael Baena (BM Puente Genil Angel Ximénez) Other Online information: Cup Winners’ Cup: Runners-up 2007/08 Website: www.rhein-neckar-loewen.de Left the club: EHF Cup: Winners 2012/13, Semi-finals Facebook: rnloewen Niklas Landin (THW Kiel) 2011/12, Quarter-finals 2006/07 Twitter:@RNLoewen Bastian Rutschmann (Frisch Auf Göppingen) Bjarte Myrhol (Skjern Handball) German league: none Roko Peribonio (TSG Ludwigshafen-Friesenheim) German Cup winner: none Kit colours David Schmidt (TSG Ludwigshafen-Friesenheim) Light Player shirt: yellow Player short: yellow Alternative playing hall Goalkeeper shirt: red/white Fraport Arena Silostrasse 46 Dark 65 929 Frankfurt Player shirt: blue Germany Player short: blue Capacity: 5,000 Goalkeeper shirt: red/green

87 Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER)

Biggest win: 40:25 (19:10) v Chambery Savoie HB FRA (h), 08.03.2009 39:24 (20:10) v HC Bosna BH Gas BIH (a), 18.10.2009 37:22 (19:11) v Chambery Savoie HB FRA (h), 10.10.2010 Biggest defeat: 37:23 (20:8) v THW Kiel GER (a), 26.04.2009 Longest winning run: 5 matches (12.10.2013 – 28.11.2013) Longest unbeaten run: 8 matches (30.04.2009 – 13.02.2010) 8 matches (12.10.2013 – 20.02.2014) Longest losing run: 3 matches (21.02.2015 - 22.03.2015) Longest run without win: 4 matches (28.05.2011 - 29.09.2013) Most goals: 40 v Chambery Savoie HB FRA 40:25W (h), 08.03.2009 Most goals opponent: 38 v FC Barcelona Borges ESP 38:38D (h), 20.02.2011 Most goals both teams: 76 v FC Barcelona Borges ESP 38:38D (h), 20.02.2011 Fewest goals: 23 v Chambery Savoie HB FRA 25:23L (a), 18.02.2009 23 v THW Kiel GER 37:23L (a), 26.04.2009 23 v KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 23:23 (a), 17.10.2010 Fewest goals opponent: 17 v St. Petersburg HC RUS 31:17W (h), 17.10.2013 Fewest goals both teams: 46 v KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 23:23 (a), 17.10.2010

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2008/09 Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER 14 9 2 3 447:392 +55 20:8 1/2-finals 2009/10 Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER 14 9 2 3 450:408 +42 20:8 1/4-finals 2010/11 Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER 16 7 4 5 486:465 +21 18:14 Fourth Place 2013/14 Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER 14 9 2 3 422:369 +53 20:8 1/4-finals 2014/15 Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER 12 6 0 6 361:347 +14 12:12 Last 16 Total 70 40 10 20 2166:1981

88 Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

26 Michal Abt GER Line Player 25.7.1990 Heidelberg, GER 193 97 16 Rafael Baena Gonzalez ESP Line Player 7.11.1982 Estepa, ESP 191 128 60 SWE Left Back 23.7.1989 Lund, SWE 194 100 72 David Ganshorn GER Line Player 27.5.1989 Mannheim, GER 191 99 3 Uwe Gensheimer GER Left Wing 26.10.1986 Mannheim, GER 188 90 42 Marvin Gerdon GER Right Wing 24.7.1996 Speyer, GER 179 75 24 GER Right Wing 4.7.1989 Pforzheim, GER 189 84 30 Gedeon Guardiola Villaplana ESP Line Player 1.10.1984 Petrer, ESP 199 103 14 Max Haider GER Line Player 26.4.1996 Heidelberg, GER 189 90 97 Rico Keller GER Left Back 30.7.1997 Heidelberg, GER 192 88 4 Stefan Kneer GER Left Back 19.12.1985 Bühl, GER 194 98 22 DEN Centre Back 12.8.1991 Holbæk, DEN 188 109 23 Hendrik Pekeler GER Line Player 2.7.1991 Itzehohe, GER 203 97 32 Alexander Petersson ISL Right Back 2.7.1980 Riga, LAT 186 87 27 NOR Right Back 17.8.1992 Trondheim, NOR 195 95 2 Andre Schmid SUI Centre Back 30.8.1983 Horgen, SUI 190 86 11 Stefan Rafn Sigurmannsson ISL Left Wing 19.5.1990 Hafnarfjördur, ISL 197 101 19 Marius Steinhauser GER Right Wing 6.2.1993 Karlsruhe, GER 187 83

12 Darko Stanic SRB Goalkeeper 8.10.1978 Mojkovac, SRB 191 102 1 Mikael Appelgren SWE Goalkeeper 6.9.1989 Uddevalla, SWE 192 100 83 Marco Bitz GER Goalkeeper 9.11.1995 Schwetzingen, GER 189 89 Average: 26,29 191,3 95,3

Nikolaj Jacobsen coach • new face on the Löwen bench since 2014 as his predecessor Gudmundur Gudmundsson became Danish national team coach • coached Viborg, Bjerringbro (both as an assistant) and Aalborg in the past, steering Aalborg to a surprising title and the CL in 2013 • six league titles and seven cup titles in Denmark and Germany during his playing career • TV expert in 2007

EC trophies: EHF Cup 2002, 2004 (as player)

89 Darko Stanic Uwe Gensheimer goalkeeper left wing • came in the summer of 2015 to fill the gap • born in Mannheim, he is the 100% local hero after Niklas Landin, who transferred to Kiel • playing for “his” club since 2003 • courtesy of his excellent skills Serbian goalkeeper he is referred to as ‘Minister of Defence’. • his talent discovered early as he became Junior European champion in 2006, one year later • in his previous CL club Metalurg he awarded MVP at the Junior WCh immediately won the hearts of the fans • in 2011 and 2012 German player of the year • voted into the 2012/13 All-star team, the same award received at the EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia • top scorer of 2010/11 CL season • declined offers from Kiel and Barcelona

EC trophies: Challenge Cup 2011 EC trophies: EHF Cup 2013 EURO: S 2012

Kim Ekdahl Du Rietz Mads Mensah Larsen left back centre back • despite the huge competition at left back in • started his international career at AG the previous seasons, the Swede became number 1 Kobenhavn & made it to the 2012 VELUX EHF FINAL4 • arrived in Mannheim in 2012 from Nantes • became Danish champion for the second time after beginning his career at Lugi Lund at Aalborg, where he firstly was coached by Nikolaj Jacobsen, when Jacobsen became Löwen coach in • made his first league debut at the age of 16 2014, he followed him to Mannheim • important part of the Löwen defence as well, • was U20 EHF EURO champion with Denmark but famous for his long-range shots in the attack • his father is from Ghana, his mother Danish • particularly large shoe size of 51

EC trophies: EHF Cup 2013 WCh: S 2013, EHF EURO: S 2014 OG: S 2012

Andre Schmid Gedeon Guardiola Villaplana centre back line player • five-time Swiss handball player of the year • defence boss of Löwen as the successor of Oliver “The Rogg” Roggisch • played for both Zürich clubs Grasshoppers and ZMC Amicitia until 2009 • arrived in Mannheim in 2012 with his twin brother Isaias, who then left to Aalborg in 2014 • joined Löwen after one season with Bjerringbro-Silkeborg • played at Logrono and San Antonio before he joined Löwen • key in attack – both as playmaker and as shooter • had been a karateka in his younger days • best Bundesliga player in the 2013/14 season • when scores for Löwen, the whole arena shouts “Ole!” EC trophies: EHF Cup 2013 WCH G 2013 EHF EURO B 2014, EHF Cup winner 2013

Alexander Petersson Patrick Groetzki right back right wing • born in Latvia, took over Icelandic citizenship • born in Pforzheim only a few kilometres away and became an Olympic silver medallist in 2008 and from Mannheim EHF EURO bronze medallist in 2010 • right after ending his youth career he switched • moved to Germany in 2003, playing for to Löwen and became part of the German younger Düsseldorf, Großwallstadt, Flensburg-Handewitt, age category national teams and Füchse, before transferring to RNL in 2012 • MVP and silver medallist of the Men’s 20 EHF • more a playmaker on the right back position EURO in 2008 and junior world champion in 2009 but is also strong in man-to-man-actions • key player right after he was nominated for • member of the 2011 WCh All Star Team and the men’s national team for the first time the most experienced player of Löwen

EC trophies: EHF Cup 2013 EC trophies: EHF Cup 2013 OG: S 2008, EURO: B 2010

90 GROUP B IFK Kristianstad (SWE)

After ranking among the top teams in the Swedish league in the previous years and qualifying for the EHF Cup Group Phase two seasons ago, the team of former world and EHF EURO champion now is making their maiden voyage in the VELUX EHF Champions League. For Lindgren it is his second appearance in this competition after being coach of German side Rhein Neckar Löwen.

And the coach counts on a young and almost all-Scandinavian squad, but success always causes interest from other clubs. So some cornerstones of the previous season like , Magnus Dahl (both to Danish Champions League participant Skjern) or Jonathan Stenbäcken (Lemgo/Germany) left Kristianstad.

A new player with the most international experience is Iranian international Iman Jamali, who arrives on loan from 2015 Champions League finalist MKB Veszprem.

Thanks to the Swedish ranking in the EHF seeding list, Kristianstad will cruise into the group phase on their maiden voyage: Having their first ever Champions League match on home ground with the Scandinavian duel against their Danish counterparts Kolding, they will additionally face defending champions FC Barcelona, Kielce, Vardar Skopje, Szeged, Löwen and Montpellier in Group B.

Having the lack of international experience in mind, the targets are clearly set: “We are the newcomers and see our Champions League participation as an inspiring challenge in which we Playing hall might gain some points on home ground. Kristianstad Arena Västra Storgatan 1 We hope to arrange memorable home events in our arena and to entertain our fans with fast 29154 Kristianstad and creative handball,” club manager Nikolas Larsson says. Sweden Capacity: Kristianstad and their legendary mascot Krustis aim to have sold-out matches with 5000 fans. “Our group is a tough one with Barcelona and Kielce in the favourite role,” says Larsson, who in general expects that being part of the Champions League is “an important step for us in our Club Address: ambition to grow and expand the club.” IFK Kristianstad Västra Storgatan 69 Team captain Johan Jepson is looking forward to his first ever away game in the VELUX EHF 29154 Kristanstad Champions League in Barcelona on 26 September: “We have been drawn into a challenging Sweden group and as the captain and the oldest player it will be an honour and a challenge to lead the team in our first Champions League participation in our club’s history.” Media contact: Anders Hallengren +46 734 33 11 88 Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Past achievements [email protected] Champions League: Swedish champions VELUX EHF Champions League Online information: Coach: Ola Lindgren (since February 2012) Captain: Johan Jepson Participations (including 2015/16 Website: www.ifkkristianstad.se season): 1 Facebook: IFKKristianstad Twitter:@IFKKristianstad Newcomers: Nebojsa Simic (HK Malmö) Other Inge Aas Eriksen (Stord) EHF Cup: Group Phase 2013/14 Kit colours Richard Hanisch (Hamburg) Marcus Dahlin (Arendal) Swedish league: 5 titles (1941, 1948, Light Iman Jamali (on loan from MKB Veszprem) 1952, 1953, 2015) Player shirt: orange Player short: white Left the club: Goalkeeper shirt: red/yellow/black/white Markus Olsson (Skjern) Dark Jonathan Stenbäcken (Lemgo) Player shirt: black Daniel Lindgren (Varberg) Player short: black Dan Beutler (HK Malmö) Goalkeeper shirt: red/yellow/black/white Magnus Dahl (Skjern)

91 IFK Kristianstad (SWE)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

7 Kristian Björnsen NOR Right Wing 10.1.1989 Stavanger, NOR 191 87 21 SWE Right Back 4.5.1990 Hjo, SWE 186 87 28 Oskar Cosmo SWE Line Player 27.3.1996 Kristianstad, SWE 194 91 14 Marcus Dahlin SWE Right Back 29.5.1991 Stenungsund, SWE 204 102 33 Inge Aas Eriksen NOR Left Back 25.4.1994 Stord, NOR 193 100 29 Richard Hanisch SWE Back 1.6.1990 Eskilstuna, SWE 190 88 30 Emil Hansson SWE Right Wing 24.4.1996 Kristianstad, SWE 183 83 22 Iman Jamali IRI Left Back 11.10.1991 Esfahan, IRI 202 102 15 Johan Jepson SWE Left Wing 15.7.1985 Karlshamn, SWE 183 85 10 SWE Right Back 11.9.1992 Varberg, SWE 187 101 11 Johannes Larsson SWE Right Wing 9.8.1991 Kristianstad, SWE 182 74 66 Lindskog SWE Line Player 7.12.1993 Kristianstad, SWE 198 108 27 Johan Nilsson SWE Back 23.8.1995 Kristianstad, SWE 191 78 29 Petter Nyström SWE Left Wing 27.10.1996 Kristianstad, SWE 184 81 24 Christian O’Sullivan NOR Back 22.8.1991 Oslo, NOR 190 95 18 Fredric Pettersson SWE Line Player 11.2.1989 Jönköping, SWE 201 116 17 SWE Left Wing 13.9.1995 Norrtälje, SWE 182 75

1 Leo Larsson SWE Goalkeeper 16.10.1990 Ystad, SWE 190 94 16 Nebojsa Simic MNE Goalkeeper 19.1.1993 Cetinje, MON 194 112 12 Fredrik Landin SWE Goalkeeper 2.6.1996 Göteborg, SWE 180 82 36 Jesper Larsson SWE Goalkeeper 27.7.1973 Kristianstad, SWE 190 95 Average: 23,95 190,2 92,2

Ola Lindgren coach • head coach in Kristianstad since 2012, celebrated his greatest triumph as a coach by leading Kristianstad to their first Swedish championship title in 62 years in 2014/2015 • before returning home to Sweden, he was coach by HSG Nordhorn and Rhein-Neckar Löwen • apart from being head coach in Kristianstad, since 2008 he is in charge of the Swedish national team together with his former national teammate • was a great line player in his active days, the golden age of Swedish national team handball • with 376 internationals for Sweden, he is the Swedish player with second most caps OG: S 1992, 1996, 2000, WCh: G 1990, 1999, S 1997, 2001, B 1993, 1995, EURO: G 1994, 1998, 2000

92 Leo Larsson Jerry Tollbring goalkeeper left wing • joined from another league club in Southern • joined from league colleagues Rimbo HK in the Sweden Ystads IF in 2013 summer of 2014 • after spending quite a lot of time on the bench • signed as substitute to experienced Johan in Ystad, he had got more match praxis since joining Jepson in the left wing position, but his skills soon Kristianstad. made him first choice on the left wing • in for even more responsibility after • still waiting for his debut on the senior Norwegian international Magnus Dahl has left the national team, but has played 20 matches in the Kristianstad goal for Danish Skjern Handbold youth team and was one of Sweden’s key players at Junior WCh in Brazil recently • had his big part of the credit for Kristianstad winning the Swedish championship in 2015

Iman Jamali Richard Hanisch left back centre back • joined Kristianstad ahead of this season from • Iranian heavy shooter on loan from Veszprém, a one-year stay by German Bundesliga club HSV where he is in his final season of a four-year contract Hamburg. • spotted in the junior WCh where he scored 14 • despite joining from Germany and having a goals against Hungary and signed for Veszprem at German sounding name, he is actually Swedish. the age of 19, where often compared to their Cuban legend Carlos Pérez • in Kristianstad, he is likely to be standing in for Christian O´Sullivan in the playmaker position as well • in 2014 became the first Asian player to play at as for Iman Jamali on the left back the VELUX EHF FINAL4 • in spite of not being a regular starter by • likely to carry a lot of responsibility after two Hamburg, he played 22 matches for them in the highly skilled left backs Markus Olsson and Jonathan Bundesliga and the EHF Cup, where he reached the Stenbäcken left over the summer of 2015 final in 2015, defeating Kristianstad on the road

Christian O´Sullivan Fredrik Pettersson centre back line player • playing his second season for Kristianstad after • playing his third season with the club joining from Norwegian league club Baekkelagets SK • started his career in the club Cyrus HK in his in the summer of 2014 Swedish homeland, but joined Kristianstad from a • has Irish ancestors and could actually have stay with Danish league club Aarhus Handball played for Ireland, but chose to play for Norway • his height makes him relatively easy to find • has played 40 internationals for Norway for his teammates in the back court line, and his physical strength also allows him to make room for • tall and athletic playmaker with a great ability himself on the line as well as to set screens for the to read the game and organise his team’s attacking shooters play • on top of his skills in the attack, he is also a great defender

Andreas Cederholm Kristian Björnsen right back right wing • been with the club since 2013 when joining • in for his second season with Kristianstad after from league colleagues IKF Skovde. joining from Norwegian league club FyllingenBergen in the summer of 2014 • with his 186 cm, his height is not among his greatest advantages as a back court player, but he • has 40 internationals and 170 goals for compensates in full with a great and varied shot and Norway under his belt. high flexibility and playing intelligence • being 191 cm tall, he is pretty tall for a winger, • has played 17 internationals for Sweden so far, and this give them an even more varied repertoire scoring 37 goals of shots than many other wingers. • extended his contract with Kristianstad in • started his career in the right back position, 2015 for at least one more year, with an option for a but already as a youngster, was moved to the wing further year

93 GROUP B Montpellier HB (FRA) To win a domestic title in France at the expense of the favourites from Paris and to proceed from the group phase in the VELUX EHF Champions League - those are the major goals of Montpellier Handball for the upcoming season. The 2003 winners start their 18th season in the European top competition - and for the 18th time, Patrice Canayer is their record-breaking coach, who is at the helm since 1994. Things have changed at Montpellier in the previous years, but still Canayer can count on some stalwarts like team captain Michael Guigou or right back Vid Kavticnik. However some of those “all-time Montpellier stars” have said adieu at the middle of August as Tunisian line player Issam Tej signed for Qatari side El-Jaish and was released by his club despite a valid contract. Like a huge number of Champions League participants, Montpellier had a change between the goal posts, as Croat Venjo Losert left the club and was replaced by French international Vincent Gerard from former champion Dunkerque. In addition to Gerard, Aymen Toumi (previously in Nantes) joined the Canayer squad, which were eliminated by Polish champions Kielce closely in the Last 16 of last season. “We want to go as far as possible in the Champions League,” says Canayer, for whom the Last 16 is the minimum goal. Team captain Guigou expects a tough group phase, in which Montpellier face defending champions Barcelona, Kielce, Löwen, Kolding, Vardar and Kristianstad. Therefore, Guigou hopes to play better in our home matches compared to the last season, as otherwise we do Playing hall not get far due to the new format. “It will be a tough and long competition for our young Park & Suites Arena Montpellier team. Below the two main contenders Barcelona and Kielce the rest of our group is balanced, Rue de la Foire though we did not win a single point against Vardar and Löwen in last season’s group phase. So 34470 Pérols/Montpellier it is necessary to try and change that. Against Kristianstad we need to win twice to proceed,” France Guigou said. Capacity: 8,000 Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Champions League: runners-ups in France Past achievements

Club Address: Coach: Patrice Canayer (since 1994) VELUX EHF Champions League Montpellier HB Captain: Michael Guigou Participations (including 2015/16 Centre Jean-Paul Lacombe season): 18 Centre Jean Paul Lacombe - 1000 Newcomers: Winners (1): 2002/03 34090 Montpellier Vincent Gerard (Dunkerque) Semi-final (1): 2004/05 France Aymen Toumi (Nantes) Quarter-final (4): 2000/01, 2005/06, 2009/10, 2010/11 Media contact: Left the club: Last 16 (5): 1995/96, 2003/04, 2006/07, Suzy Demonte Venjo Losert (N/A) 2011/12, 2014/15 +33 499 610 358 Balazs Laluska (N/A) Main Round (2): 2007/08, 2008/09 [email protected] Gutfreund (Dijon) Group Phase (3): 1998/99, 1999/00, Online information: Kevin Mesnard (Istres) 2012/13 www.montpellierhandball.com Issam Tej (El-Jaish/QAT) Qualification (1): 2013/14 Facebook: montpellierhandball Twitter:@mhbofficiel Other EHF Cup: Runners-up 2013/14, Quarter- final: 1996/97 Kit colours Last 16: 1993/94, 1994/95 Light Last 32: 1997/98 Player shirt: white Cup Winners’ Cup: Quarter-final Player short: white 2001/02 Goalkeeper shirt: orange/light green Alternative playing hall French league: 14 titles (1995, 1998, Dark Palais des Sports René Bougnol 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, Player shirt: blue 1000 Av. du Val de Montferrand 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) Player short: blue 34090 Montpellier French cup: 12 titles Goalkeeper shirt: black France Capacity: 3,000

94 Montpellier HB (FRA)

Biggest win: 46:20 (26:9) v AC PAOK GRE (h), 04.10.2009 Biggest defeat: 37:20 (16:10) v Prosesa Ademar Leon ESP (a), 06.11.1999 Longest winning run: 7 matches (21.12.2003 – 14.11.2004) 7 matches (18.10.2009 – 25.02.2010) 7 matches (16.10.2010 – 06.03.2011) Longest unbeaten run: 10 matches (18.10.2009 – 03.04.2010) Longest losing run: 3 matches (23.10.2011 – 04.12.2011) 3 matches (07.10.2012 – 18.10.2012) 3 matches (14.02.2015 – 15.03.2015) Longest run without win: 5 matches (25.03.2012 – 18.10.2012) 5 matches (02.12.2012 – 27.09.2014) Most goals: 46 v AC PAOK GRE 46:20W (h), 04.10.2009 Most goals opponent: 38 v Kolding KIF DEN 38:29L (a), 05.12.2004 38 v Pick Szeged HUN 38:35L (a), 19.11.2011 Most goals both teams: 78 v VfL Gummersbach GER 41:37W (h), 09.02.2008 Fewest goals: 17 v Fotex KC Veszprém HUN 26:17L (a), 03.01.1999 17 v FC Barcelona ESP 24:17L (a), 10.12.2000 Fewest goals opponent: 16 v HC Portovik Yuzhny UKR 26:16W (h), 07.10.2006 Fewest goals both teams: 38 v Fotex KC Veszprém HUN 21:17W (h), 08.11.1998

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage 1998/99 Montpellier HB FRA 6 3 0 3 134:134 0 6:6 3rd Gr. A 1999/00 Montpellier HB FRA 6 3 0 3 139:148 -9 6:6 3rd Gr. A 2000/01 Montpellier HB FRA 8 4 1 3 193:193 0 9:7 1/4-finals 2002/03 Montpellier HB FRA 12 8 1 3 334:311 +23 17:7 Winner 2003/04 Montpellier HB FRA 8 6 0 2 216:199 +17 12:4 Last 16 2004/05 Montpellier HB FRA 12 9 0 3 375:328 +47 18:6 1/2-finals 2005/06 Montpellier HB FRA 10 6 0 4 282:272 +10 12:8 1/4-finals 2006/07 Montpellier HB FRA 8 5 1 2 224:198 +26 11:5 Last 16 2007/08 Montpellier HB FRA 12 7 0 5 358:348 +10 14:10 3rd MR Gr. 2 2008/09 Montpellier HB FRA 10 6 1 3 295:275 +20 13:7 4th MR Gr. 3 2009/10 Montpellier HB FRA 14 10 2 2 447:372 +75 22:6 1/4-finals 2010/11 Montpellier Agglomeration HB FRA 14 10 0 4 442:379 +63 20:8 1/4-finals 2011/12 Montpellier Agglomeration HB FRA 12 6 0 6 357:357 0 12:12 Last 16 2012/13 Montpellier Agglomeration HB FRA 10 2 2 6 301:311 –10 6:14 5th Gr. A 2014/15 Montpellier Agglomeration HB FRA 12 4 2 6 351:377 –26 10:14 Last 16 Total 154 89 10 55 4448:4202

95 Montpellier HB (FRA) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

3 Arthur Anquetil FRA Left Wing 23.7.1995 Montpellier, FRA 182 78 24 Baptiste Bonnefond FRA Left Back 22.1.1993 Lyon, FRA 193 97 18 Felipe Borges Dutra Ribeiro BRA Left Wing 4.5.1985 Sao Bernardo, BRA 186 88 9 Maxime Bouschet FRA Right Back 2.4.1996 Montpellier, FRA 185 84 54 Jose Costa POR Line Player 23.3.1984 Braga, POR 190 95 11 SLO Right Back 6.12.1988 Ljubljana, SLO 190 90 13 Allahkaram Esteki IRI Left Back 20.3.1988 Isfahan, IRI 194 102 27 FRA Line Player 1.7.1996 Perpignan, FRA 198 100 25 Jean Loup Faustin FRA Left Back 23.3.1995 Montpellier, FRA 185 85 22 Matej Gaber SLO Line Player 22.7.1991 Kranj, SLO 197 115 30 Dragan Gajic SLO Right Wing 21.7.1984 Celje, SLO 188 85 10 Mathieu Grebille FRA Left Back 6.10.1991 Paris, FRA 198 97 14 Michael Guigou FRA Left Wing 28.1.1982 Apt, FRA 180 78 23 Vid Kavticnik SLO Right Back 24.5.1984 Gradec, SLO 191 87 51 Borut Mackovsek SLO Left Back 11.9.1992 Koper, SLO 203 99 21 Alexandre Saidani FRA Centre Back 30.7.1994 Montpellier, FRA 188 84 4 Diego Simonet ESP Centre Back 26.12.1989 Buenos Aires, ARG 188 88 3 Aymen Toumi TUN Right Wing 11.7.1990 Sousse, TUN 184 86 26 Allan Villeminot FRA Line Player 24.5.1995 Lyon, FRA 187 82 19 Kyllian Villeminot FRA Line Player 20.5.1998 Lyon , FRA 189 72 2 Iswaran Zahm FRA Left Back 23.5.1996 Saint Denis, FRA 200 93

1 Vincent Gerard FRA Goalkeeper 16.12.1986 Woippy, FRA 188 104 16 Arnaud Siffert FRA Goalkeeper 6.12.1978 Longjumeau, FRA 190 93 12 Samir Bellahcene FRA Goalkeeper 20.2.1995 Montpellier, FRA 197 110 97 Maxime Savonne FRA Goalkeeper 11.1.1997 Nimes , FRA 195 97 Average: 24,76 190,6 91,6

Patrice Canayer coach • currently in his 22st season at the head of Montpellier, in which he has won over 40 trophies • in 1994 he started his coaching career and coached players like Nikola Karabatic, Thierry Omeyer, Jerome Fernandez and Didier Dinart • reached the EHF Cup final in the 2013/14 season • in his active career played for Bordeaux and Racing Paris.

EC trophies: CL 2003

96 Vincent Gerard Michaël Guigou goalkeeper left wing/centre back • formed in Montpellier, he came back to his • player with the longest history in Montpellier first club in the summer of 2015 after playing in since he has played there for 15 seasons in a row Istres and Dunkerque • able to play on the left wing or on the centre • shares the position with Arnaud Siffert. Both back position, very quick on fast breaks and able to already played in Dunkerque together a couple of play in tiny spaces inside the defences seasons ago • over the years, he has become less of a scorer • his exuberant celebrations have instantly and turned into the brain of the team made him a fan favourite • only player of the winning CL campaign in • in four years in Dunkerque, he reached twice 2003 who still plays for MAHB the last 16 in the CL and a EHF Cup final in 2012 EC trophies: CL 2003 OG : G 2008, 2012, EURO: G 2006, 2010, 2014, WCh: G 2009, 2011, 2015, B 2005

Felipe Borges Borut Mackovsek left wing left back • discovered handball through beach handball, • the last Slovenian to join the impressive which is played a lot in his native Sao Paulo colony in the summer of 2014, arriving from Celje • played for two and a half seasons in Ademar • played for three different clubs in the 2013/14 Leon before joining Montpellier in march 2013 season: TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, then Dinamo Minsk, then RK Celje • considered as the most successful active Brazilian player at the moment, having won 14 • famous for scoring 10 goals in a Last 16 CL domestic titles in less than eight years match against Hamburg two seasons ago • best Brazilian scorer at the 2015 WCh with 31 • at only 22, faces the task to make up for goals in eight games Mathieu Grébille’s absence as the French will be out all season due to a knee injury

Diego Simonet Matej Gaber centre back line player • Argentinian scored 47 goals in the 2014/15 • Slovenian rock of Montpellier’s defence, he CL campaign, including an impressive 11-goal will now have a bigger role in attack since Issam Tej’s performance in the last 16 game against Kielce left the club • best centre back of the French league in the • arrived at the beginning of the 2013/14 season 2013/14, but can play on the left back or even left alongside his friend Jure Dolenec and has done wing if needs be everything since to justify his “hard-defending” reputation • the second oldest brother of three in a family totally dedicated to handball, his two brothers play • should become a very important piece of in Ivry, in the French national league, where Diego Montpellier’s puzzle in the forthcoming years used to play before coming to Montpellier

Jure Dolenec Dragan Gajic right back right wing • in his first season with Montpellier in 2013/14 • arrived in 2011 together with fellow Slovenian had some ups and downs as he had to adapt to Vid Kavticnik and turned to be very useful to French defences Montpellier, both on and off the court • made his name in the CL with his former team • had his best season so far in the 2013/14, of Gorenje Velenje, scoring 64 goals in the 2012/13 finishing as the best scorer of the EHF Cup (72 goals) season and of the French league • recently extended his contract with • also helped his Slovenian teammates to settle Montpellier until 2019 in Montpellier, and that gave him quite a lot of work, since there were five of them in the club • at 26, he already counts nearly a hundred games with his national team • 2015 WCh top scorer (71 goals) and All-Star team right wing

97 Find your nearest store at jackjones.com Group C preview

1948 НОВИ�САД

.К. Р

ВОЈВОДИНА

TEAMS FACE TOUGH OPPONENTS AND LONG DISTANCES IN GROUP C

Along with Russian title holders, Spanish runners-up Naturhouse La Rioja and Belarusian Meshkov Brest should have the edge in the group.

Three regular VELUX EHF Champions League contenders will meet in Group C along with two clubs returning to the Champions league after an absence and an ambitious newcomer that will be eager to gain invaluable experience and establish themselves on a European level. The clubs in Group C will enjoy travelling the furthest distance between ties from Porto to Chekhovskie Medvedi, all of this is almost 3,700 kilometers.

There will be a tough battle for the top two spots, which guarantee group phase knock out fixtures against the top two sides from Group D. Chekhovskie Medvedi are the most experienced side from the group. The 2010 VELUX EHF FINAL4 competitors led by respected coaching genius, Vladimir Maximov, look forward to new adventures this season. His main task this season is to implement new rising stars of Russian handball and improve on their defensive work. Last year Medvedi were the only team in the group phase not to win a game, despite having the seventh best scoring record.

Both Brest and La Rioja have also featured in the same group last season, La Rioja winning the home fixture and with coming away with a draw in Brest. Meshkov will count on experienced coach Sergey Bebeshko, who has not miss Champions league campaign since 2009. The Belarusian side can count on the services of ex-Presov giant Dainis Kristopans and Russian international , who were signed during the summer break.

La Rioja will look to repeat last year’s run, when they were stopped in the Last 16 by to-be finalists Veszprem. Their third straight appearance in the goup phase is certainly a success for such a young club and proves they are on the right track of becoming a well-recognized European side. The Spanish side is led by their long serving coach Jesus Javier Gonzalez Fernandez, who was unlucky to have his new Serbian youngster Stefan Terzic injured.

Along with Brest, two other SEHA League contenders will meet in Group C. Whilst for Presov, this year’s group stage campaign means comeback after four unsuccessful qualifying campaigns. Vojvodina’s match in Brest will be the start of a new era for the club. Both teams are no direct favourites in the group, but Presov especially can be dangerous against any team. Tatran are hungry to repeat their 2004/05 Last 16 run, but playing in three different competitions and a number of hours spent travelling will test their roster heavily.

For Vojvodina the story is slightly different. After three failed attempts to qualify for the Group Phase, the Serbian champions can look forward to matches on the top European level. New coach Nikola Markovic will count on former Russian international Alexey Rastvortsev to help him achieve positive results. Rastvortsev played in the FINAL4 with Chekhovskie Medvedi in 2010 and this experience will be invaluable to them.

Last side to feature in Group C is Portuguese Champion Porto. In this group five champions will meet, the only team excluded are La Rioja. Porto have only made it into the group phase in five out of six qualification attempts, successfully getting through in 2013/14. Their main target is to win their home matches and entertain enthusiastic fans in the Dragao Caixa.

Tomas Cuncik

99 Group C head-to-heads

Historic encounters of the Group C opponents in the EC Naturhouse La Rioja vs HC Meshkov Brest 1-1-0 (72:64) 3:1 28.09.2014 Naturhouse La Rioja vs HC Meshkov Brest, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 39:31 (20:14) 29.11.2014 HC Meshkov Brest vs Naturhouse La Rioja, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group A 33:33 (15:18)

Naturhouse La Rioja vs Vojvodina 1-0-1 (50:45) 2:2) 24.11.2012 Naturhouse La Rioja vs RK Vojvodina, EHF Cup – Round 3 28:19 (15:10) 01.12.2012 RK Vojvodina vs Naturhouse La Rioja, EHF Cup – Round 3 26:22 (10:9)

HC Meshkov Brest vs Chekhovskie Medvedi 0-0-2 (55:67) 0:4) 23.10.2004 Brestskiy HC Meshkovo vs Chehovski Medvedi, Chekhov, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 29:34 (11:18) 13.11.2004 Chehovski Medvedi, Chekhov vs Brestskiy HC Meshkovo, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group C 33:26 (14:10)

HC Meshkov Brest vs Futebol Clube do Porto 2-0-0 (20:0) 4:0 2004/2005 Brestskiy HC Meshkovo vs FC do Porto, VELUX EHF Champions League – Qualification Round 10:0 (0:0)* 2004/2005 Brestskiy HC Meshkovo vs FC do Porto, VELUX EHF Champions League – Qualification Round 10:0 (0:0)*

HC Meshkov Brest vs TATRAN Presov 1-0-0 (26:24) 2:0 07.09.2014 HC Meshkov Brest vs TATRAN Presov, VELUX EHF Champions League – Qualification Tournament Group 1 26:24 (12:12)

Chekhovskie Medvedi vs TATRAN Presov 2-0-0 (65:55) 4:0) 25.02.2006 Tatran Presov vs Chehovski Medvedi, Chekhov, Cup Winners’ Cup – Quarter-final 27:30 (11:14) 04.03.2006 Chehovski Medvedi, Chekhov vs Tatran Presov, Cup Winners’ Cup – Quarter-final 35:28 (17:13)

Futebol Clube do Porto vs Vojvodina 2-0-0 (58:50) 4:0 01.03.2015 HC Vojvodina vs Futebol Clube do Porto, EHF Cup – Group C 27:29 (13:15) 07.03.2015 Futebol Clube do Porto vs HC Vojvodina, EHF Cup – Group C 29:23 (13:12)

Futebol Clube do Porto vs TATRAN Presov 1-0-1 (59:61) 2:2 05.09.2009 FC Porto/Vitalis vs TATRAN Presov, VELUX EHF Champions League - Qualification Tournament Group 4 30:33 (11:15) 03.09.2011 Tatran Presov vs FC Porto Vitalis, VELUX EHF Champions League – Qualification Tournament Group 1 28:29 (16:15)

Vojvodina vs TATRAN Presov 0-0-1 (21:25) 0:2 06.09.2014 HC Vojvodina vs TATRAN Presov, VELUX EHF Champions League – Qualification Tournament Group 1 21:25 (10:15)

No previous encounters Naturhouse La Rioja vs Chekhovskie Medvedi Naturhouse La Rioja vs Futebol Clube do Porto Naturhouse La Rioja vs TATRAN Presov HC Meshkov Brest vs Vojvodina Chekhovskie Medvedi vs Futebol Clube do Porto Chekhovskie Medvedi vs Vojvodina

100 GROUP C Naturhouse La Rioja (ESP)

Given that Naturhouse La Rioja was founded a mere nine years ago, the fact that they are part of the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase for the third straight time is a major success for the club based in Logrono. In the previous season, the squad of head coach Jesús Javier González Fernández (who is at La Rioja since the very beginning) even made it to the Last 16 before eventual finalists Veszprem brought their run to an end. In Spain, they finished second ranked below VELUX EHF Champions League and ASOBAL champions FC Barcelona.

In the new Champions League season, La Rioja fight for a Last 16 spot once again. A top two finish is a must in Group C against Brest, Medvedi, Porto, Vojvodina and Presov. Team captain and goalkeeper Gurutz Aguinagalde Akizu - brother of Kielce’s line player Julen Aguinagalde - hopes to be at least as successful as last season.

“We wanted to be seeded in Group A or B, so now we are concentrated on showing everybody that we are a competitive team.”

In Aguinagalde’s opinion, Brest and Presov are the strongest opponents for the fight in Group C, his prediction: “Those teams, which do not lose their matches against weaker opponents will make it to the Last 16.”

The biggest losses for Naturhouse were the transfers of Brazilian Thiagus Santos to Pick Szeged Playing hall and of ASOBAL all-time top scorer Juanin Garcia to Ademar Leon. In total, seven players left Palacio de los deportes de la Rioja La Rioja, including the tall defensive specialists Ace Jonovski and Angel Romero. One of them Avenida Moncalvillo 2 is goalkeeper Jorge Gomez, who retired from handball to start his new career as a lawyer. His Logrono successor is Swedish Richard Kappelin, who had played in Spain, France, Qatar and Sweden in the Spain past and gained Champions League experience in Aalborg (Denmark). Capacity: 3,500 One unlucky new arrival has been ruled out already: Serbian Stefan Terzic, who had played for Hamburg and Vardar before, was hit by a cruciate ligament rupture during the Junior World Championship in Brazil and will not be back earlier than March. During the Eurotournoi in Club Address: Strasbourg, Pablo Cacheda broke a finger in the match against Chambery and will miss the start Naturhouse La Rioja of the season. But despite those injuries and transfers, manager Jaime Luis González Gutiérrez Avenida de Moncalvillo 2 is confident: “Being part of the Champions League means the greatest adventure in our short 26008 Logrono history, so our goal is to have a good atmosphere in our arena and to win our home matches. Our Spain group is tough with opponents on a similar level, so it will be difficult to qualify for the Last 16.”

Media contact: Jaime Luis Gonzalez Gutierrez Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Past achievements +34 63 77 66 107 Champions League: Spanish runners-up [email protected] VELUX EHF Champions League Coach: Jesús Javier González Fernández (since 2007) Participations (including 2015/16 Online information: Captain: Gurutz Aguinagalde Akizu season): 3 Website: www.cbclogrono.com Group Phase (2): 2013/14, 2014/15 Facebook: Club-Balonmano-Naturhouse- Newcomers: La-Rioja Richard Kappelin (Selesta Alsace Handball) Other Twitter:@NaturhouseRioja Alberto Val Sancho (BM Aragon) EHF Cup: Semi-finalists 2009/10, Carlos Molina Cosano (Bada BM Huesca) 2010/11, Group Phase 2012/13 Eduardo Cadarso Caballero (CP Calasancio) Imanol Garciandia Alustiza (BM Elgoibar) Kit colours Spanish league: no titles Cristian Malmagro Viana ( Light Spanish Cup winners: - (runners-up in Player shirt: white 2013, 2014, 2015) Left the club: Player short: red Jorge Gomez Lite (end of career) Goalkeeper shirt: yellow Juan Antonio Garcia Lorenzana (Ademar Leon) Dark Thiagus Petrus Gonçalves (Pick Szeged) Player shirt: black Luis Felipe Jimenz Reina (Toulouse) Player short: black Patrick Lykke Eilert (Ajax Kobenhavn) Goalkeeper shirt: blue Angel Romero Rodriguez (ECE Bulls) Ace Jonovski (Bergischer HC)

101 Naturhouse La Rioja (ESP)

Biggest win: 39:31 (20:14) v HC Meshkov Brest (h), 28.09.2014 Biggest defeat: 37:25 (19:11) v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER (a), 12.02.2014 Longest winning run: 2 matches (18.10.2014 - 16.11.2014) 2 matches (18.10.2014 – 16.11.2014) Longest unbeaten run: 3 matches (13.10.2013 – 16.11.2013) Longest losing run: 2 matches (21.09.2013 – 29.09.2013) 2 matches (23.11.2013 – 27.11.2013) 2 matches (2.10.2014 - 12.10.2014) 2 matches (3.12.2014 - 14.02.2015) Longest run without win: 4 matches (21.09.2013 – 19.10.2013) 4 matches (22.11.2014 - 14.02.2015) Most goals: 39 v HC Meshkov Brest 39:31W (h), 28.09.2014 Most goals opponent: 37 v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 37:25L (a), 12.02.2014 Most goals both teams: 72 v HK DROTT Halmstad SWE 38:34W (h), 20.02.2014 Fewest goals: 22 v HC PPD Zagreb CRO 22:21W (h), 18.10.2014 Fewest goals opponent: 21 v HC PPD Zagreb CRO 22:21W (h), 18.10.2014 Fewest goals both teams: 43 v HC PPD Zagreb CRO 22:21W (h), 18.10.2014

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2013/14 Naturhouse La Rioja ESP 10 3 2 5 292:320 -28 8:12 5th Gr. D 2014/15 Naturhouse La Rioja ESP 12 4 1 7 359:373 –14 9:15 Last 16 Total 22 7 3 12 651:693 -42 17:27

All stats in the media guide provided by Roy Knoppert

102 Naturhouse La Rioja (ESP)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

11 Pablo Cacheda Gonzalez ESP Centre Back 9.1.1992 Lalín, ESP 180 82 33 Eduardo Cadarso Caballero ESP Left Wing 13.2.1999 Logroño, ESP 190 71 32 Angel Fernandez Perez ESP Left Wing 16.9.1988 Santander, ESP 192 88 17 Ruben Garabaya Arenas ESP Line Player 15.9.1978 Aviles, ESP 201 110 22 Francisco Javier Garcia Rubio ESP Line Player 7.1.1990 Bolanos, ESP 196 115 41 Imanol Garciandia Alustiza ESP Right Back 30.4.1995 Urretxu, ESP 201 98 18 Carlos Molina Cosano ESP Left Back 31.5.1991 Barcelona, ESP 201 100 4 Comas ESP Right Wing 16.6.1982 Palafrugell, ESP 188 84 26 Pedro Rodriguez Alvarez ESP Right Wing 22.8.1990 Vigo, ESP 192 85 2 Miguel Sanchez Migallon ESP Back 8.2.1995 Ciudad Real, ESP 200 96 21 SWE Left Back 3.3.1992 Vaxjo, SWE 200 100 6 Alberto Val Sancho ESP Line Player 6.3.1986 Zaragoza, ESP 208 113 14 Victor Vigo Gerpe ESP Centre Back 9.5.1984 Camariñas, ESP 186 90 9 Cristian Malmagro Viana ESP Right Back 11.3.1983 Granollers, ESP 191 88

12 Gurutz Aguinagalde Aquizu ESP Goalkeeper 26.10.1977 Irun, ESP 201 110 1 Richard Carl Kappelin SWE Goalkeeper 30.9.1983 Irsta, SWE 191 96 90 Javier Romeo Lopez ESP Goalkeeper 1.6.1990 Logroño, ESP 195 95 Average: 27,41 194,9 95,4

Jesús Javier González Fernández coach • for the first time in his coaching career he led a CL participant in the 2013/14 season • awarded “best coach of the Spanish league” in the 2012/13 season for the second time in his life • in 2007 the former player took over the team of Logroño after being coach in Valladolid • after his arrival the club made their first steps on the European stage

103 Gurutz Aguinagalde Aquizu Richard Kappelin goalkeeper coach • one of the most experienced players at La • joined Naturhouse La Rioja ahead of the Rioja during each of their European campaigns 2015/16 season from French Selesta Alsace Handball • winner of the Spanish King’s Cup in 1996 and • has previous CL experience from another the Spanish Super Cup in 1996 Spanish club, Aragon as well as from Danish Aalborg • important part in the Rioja’s run in the • has been a bit around in his career, which 2012/13 EHF Cup when they only narrowly missed also took him to Al Gharafa in Qatar for six months the quarter-finals before he joined Aalborg in 2013 • brother of Spanish national team line player • represented the Swedish league clubs IK Julen Sävehof and Alingsas HK before moving abroad • has not played any senior internationals, but EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 1997 won the Junior WCh with Sweden in 2003

Angel Fernandez Perez Philip Stenmalm left wing left back • playing in Naturhouse la Rioja since the • talented left back with the hard and versatile 2013/14 season shot • replacement for Juanin Garcia who left for • part of the Swedish U21 national team who Ademar after one season with were triumphant at the WCh in 2013 • in the 2014/15 season he played more minutes • MVP of the U21 WCh in 2013 in left back • the second best scorer of DROTT Halmstad in • called by Manolo Cadenas for the Spanish the 2013/14 season before he decided to carry on in national team, played two games against Germany the CL with Rioja in 2015

Víctor Vigo Gerpe Rubén Garabaya Arenas centre back line player • the 2014/15 season is his first in the CL • very experienced pivot with seven EHF CL participations • three previous experiences at European Cup level, defending the Naturhouse (1) and Bm. Aragón • for the 4th consecutive year playing for Rioja (2) shirts • 168 matches for the Spanish national team • started playing handball at the age of 12, • in the 2006/07 scored in the last seconds with because “many friends did so too” Bm. Valladolid against Montpellier to clinch the first • his abilities on the court noticed by the position in their group, which helped them reach Spanish scouts, who started calling him for the U18 semi-finals that year and Junior team EC trophies: EHF Cup 1999

Cristian Malmagro Viana Albert Rocas right back right wing • arrived from Baia Mare just a few days before • double world champion with the Spanish the start of the 2014/15 season to replace another national team (2005 and 2013) newcomer Stefan Terzic during his injury • nominated as the best ASOBAL right wing in • vast experience from the Spanish league, but 2004, 2007 and 2008, and best right wing of the also from his foreign spells with Ajax Kobenhavn, Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 Montpellier, Al Ain and Baia Mare • after six seasons at Barcelona, Rocas made the • currently with a contract only until January move to Denmark before the 2013/14 season, his 2016, when Terzic is expected to return first to a foreign league • was a member of the Spanish national team • after one year with Kolding he is back in Spain with 50 caps and 166 goals

OG: B 2008, EURO: S 2006 EC trophies: CL 2011, Cup Winners’ Cup 2004 OG: B 2008, WCh: G 2005, 2013, B 2011, EURO: S 2006, B 2014

104 GROUP C HC Meshkov Brest (BLR)

Minsk, Zaporozhye - and now back to where his coaching career started – Belarus. Since 2009 Sergey Bebeshko is constantly coaching participants of the VELUX EHF Champions League. For four years the 47-year-old former international (born in Kiev) was the key for success at Dinamo Minsk, then Bebeshko transferred to Motor Zaporozhye and now is back at the force of Belarusian handball in Brest. The reason for his return is that his forerunner Zeljko Babic was appointed new national team coach of his home country Croatia, so the Meshkov job was vacant - and Bebeshko takes on this new role. In the previous season, Brest were part of the VELUX EHF Champions League group phase for the first time since 2007 and at the same time managed to make it to the final of the multi-national SEHA Liga, but failed came up short in the final tournament host MKB Veszprem.

Brest lost three experienced players to other participants of the VELUX EHF Champions League - Janko Bozovic (Metalurg), Ivan Karacic (Baia Mare), David Spiler (Metalurg) - but signed one star, who had started his international career under Bebeshko: Russian international Pavel Atman, who knows his new coach from Dinamo Minsk. Previously he played for Medvedi, Metalurg and then for a short time Qatari champions Al-Jaish.

In addition, Brest invested in height, in Latvian international Dainis Kristopans (from their group phase opponent Presov) who is 2,15 metres tall. Besides the Slovak champions, Brest face La Rioja, Medvedi, Porto and Vojvodina in Group C - and are seen to be one of the favourites to finish in one of the top positions.

Playing hall “It is our objective to reach the Last 16, it is a must for us,” says Bebeshko, who estimates Sportshall Victoria the opponents “more or less as on an equal level with us.” Team captain Dzmitry Nikulenkau Leningradskaya 4 expects La Rioja to be the closest rival to finish on top, but: “We want to proceed to the next 224028 Brest stage, and we think the rest of the teams are manageable.” Belarus Capacity: 3,500 Meshkov Brest introduced a new logo for the new season, in which all domestic titles and again a good result in the SEHA Liga are the additional goals of the seven-time Belarusian champions.

Club Address: HC Meshkov Brest Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Leningradskaya 4 Champions League: Belarusian champions Past achievements 224028 Brest Belarus Coach: Sergey Bebeshko (since 2015) VELUX EHF Champions League Captain: Dzmitry Nikulenkau Participations (including 2015/16 Media contact: season): 7 Alexandr Kulbaka Newcomers: Group Phase (5): 2004/05, 2005/06, +375 29 350 74 79 Pavel Atman (Metalurg, Al-Jaish) 2006/07, 2007/08, 2014/15 [email protected] Dainis Kristopans (Tatran, El Rajan) Qualification (1): 2008/09 Alexander Tioumentsev (Wisla Plozk) Online information: Artsiom Kulak (Vitjaz, Minsk) Other Website: www.bgk-meshkova.com Andrey Yurynok (Vitjaz, Minsk) Cup Winners’ Cup: quarter-final Facebook: bgkmeshkova 2011/12 Twitter:bgk_meshkova Left the club: Janko Bozovic (Metalurg) Belarusian league: 7 titles (2004-08, Ivan Karacic (Baia Mare) 2014, 2015) : 9 titles Kit colours David Spiler (Metalurg) Light Player shirt: red Player short: red Goalkeeper shirt: orange Dark Player shirt: blue Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: black

105 HC Meshkov Brest (BLR)

Biggest win: 28:22 (11:12) v Wisla Plock SSA POL (h), 13.11.2005 30:24 (15:12) v HC Bosna Sarajevo BIH (h), 17.11.2007 Biggest defeat: 36:17 (16:08) v GOG Gudme DEN (a), 09.10.2004 Longest winning run: 1 match (16.10.2004) 1 match (13.11.2005) 1 match (17.11.2007) 1 match (04.10.2014) 1 match (15.11.2014) Longest unbeaten run: 1 match (16.10.2004) 1 match (13.11.2005) 1 match (17.11.2007) 1 match (04.10.2014) 1 match (15.11.2014) 1 match (29.11.2014) 1 match (06.12.2014) Longest losing run: 10 matches (09.10.2004 – 06.11.2005) 10 matches (30.09.2006 – 10.11.2007) Longest run without win: 10 matches (09.10.2004 – 06.11.2005) 10 matches (30.09.2006 – 10.11.2007) Most goals: 33 v Naturhouse La Rioja 33:33D (h), 29.11.2014 Most goals opponent: 39 v BM Ciudad Real ESP 39:29L (a), 11.11.2006 39 v Naturhouse La Rioja ESP 39:31L (a), 28.09.2014 Most goals both teams: 70 v Naturhouse La Rioja ESP 39:31L (a), 28.09.2014 Fewest goals: 17 v GOG Gudme DEN 36:17L (a), 09.10.2004 17 v RK Gorenje Velenje SLO 27:17L (a), 30.10.2004 Fewest goals opponent: 22 v Wisla Plock SSA POL 28:22W (h), 13.11.2005 22 v HC PPD Zagreb CRO 26:22W (h), 15.11.2014 Fewest goals both teams: 44 v RK Gorenje Velenje SLO 27:17L (a), 30.10.2004

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2004/05 Brestskiy HC Meshkovo BLR 6 1 0 5 143:184 -41 2:10 4th Gr. C 2005/06 Brest HC Meshkov BLR 6 1 0 5 165:183 -18 2:10 4th Gr. E 2006/07 Brest HC Meshkov BLR 6 0 0 6 146:189 –43 0:12 4th Gr. B 2007/08 HC Meshkov Brest BLR 6 1 0 5 154:182 -28 2:10 4th Gr. H 2014/15 HC Meshkov Brest BLR 10 2 2 6 267:293 –26 6:14 5th Gr. A Total 34 5 2 27 875:1031 -156 12:56

106 HC Meshkov Brest (BLR)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

20 Pavel Atman RUS Left Back 25.5.1987 Volgograd, RUS 190 94 6 Maxim Babichev BLR Line Player 7.3.1986 Minsk, BLR 196 97 24 Maksim Baranau BLR Right Wing 11.4.1988 Bobruysk, BLR 188 82 11 Dzmitry Kamyshyk BLR Left Back 1.5.1990 Minsk, BLR 200 95 10 Dainis Kristopans LAT Right Back 27.9.1990 Ludza, LAT 213 135 7 Artsiom Kulak BLR Centre Back 23.2.1996 Brest, BLR 186 79 9 Nikola Manojlovic SRB Left Back 1.12.1981 Belgrad, SRB 196 100 17 Dzmitry Nikulenkau BLR Centre Back 12.7.1984 Minsk, BLR 187 87 31 Simon Razgor SLO Left Wing 18.9.1985 Celje, SLO 183 84 3 Dzianis Rutenka BLR Right Wing 14.2.1986 Minsk, BLR 187 85 42 Artsiom Selvasiuk BLR Line Player 8.12.1992 Brest, BLR 190 93 22 Viachaslau Shumak BLR Line Player 22.12.1988 Brest, BLR 204 116 88 Siarhei Shylovich BLR Right Back 16.5.1986 Bobrujsk, BLR 198 95 18 Rastko Stojkovic SRB Line Player 12.7.1981 Belgrad, SRB 191 104 19 Alexander Tioumentsev Barabash ESP Centre Back 4.10.1983 Ajtubinsk, RUS 185 85 25 Andrei Tsypak BLR Left Wing 12.2.1993 Brest, BLR 185 84 23 Ljubo Vukic CRO Left Wing 3.8.1982 Split, CRO 192 96

1 Ivan Pesic CRO Goalkeeper 17.3.1989 Rijeka, CRO 194 110 21 Vitali Charapenka BLR Goalkeeper 27.1.1984 Brest, BLR 194 86 16 Dzmitry Patotski BLR Goalkeeper 3.10.1992 Baranovichi, BLR 195 107 Average: 28,05 192,7 95,7

Sergey Bebeshko coach • was appointed the new head coach of Brest in early June replacing Zeljko Babic who concentrated on his job with Croatia national team • already worked in Belarus as a head coach of Dinamo Minsk in 2009-13 and led Minsk not only to four consecutive titles of the national champion but also for the first time in Belarusian handball to the CL Last 16 in 2013 • in Brest he once again met a number of players that had worked with him in Minsk including Pavel Atman, Siarhei Shylovich, Dzianis Rutenka, Dzmitry Nikulenkau and Maxim Babichev • moved to his native Ukraine in 2013 and led Motor Zaporozhye to the champion title the next year, but left the club in December 2014

OG: G 1992 (as player)

107 Ivan Pesic Simon Razgor goalkeeper left wing • was invited to Brest in 2013 by Zeljko Babic • the 30-year-old Slovenian is beginning his who became head coach in that very year second season in Brest • also played in RK Maribor Branik, HC Zagreb • before joining the Belarusian team, he spent and Veszprem, but his spell in Hungary was marred his entire career at home playing for Celje and RK by a tragic incident in a night club when he was Maribor stabbed and his teammate Marian Cozma was killed • the best all-time scorer of RK Maribor with • after that he had a kidney removed, but that 1,052 goals did not prevent him from continuing his career • his father was also a handballer who played • also practiced taekwondo in his childhood for Celje as well as for the Yugoslavia junior national and even won some medals on a junior level, but team and later became a coach eventually preferred handball

Pavel Atman Nikola Manojlovic left back left back • the blonde Russian international joined Brest • joined Brest in the summer of 2014 and this summer and signed a two-year contract quickly became of the key players on the court • this is his second time in Belarus — between • with the Serbia national team participated 2010 and 2013, he played for Dinamo Minsk, in a number of major tournaments including the coached by Bebeshko at that time, and won three London Olympics titles of Belarusian champion • at a club level, he played also in his native • in 2013 moved from Minsk to Metalurg Skopje Serbia, Switzerland, Slovenia, Romania, Germany where he quickly became one of the fans’ favorites • at an early age, his dream was to become and won the national league in 2014 a professional basketball player, and although it • left Metalurg before the end of the 2014/15 never happened, he still plays on a recreational season and spent the rest of the season playing for level Al-Jaish in Qatar EURO: S 2012

Dzmitry Nikulenkau Rastko Stojkovic centre back line player • the 31-year-old native of Minsk is a national • joined Brest in December 2013 after spending player of Belarus and a well-respected player in the a few months in Qatar country • the native of Belgrade started his career at RK • during a number of years, he played a key role Crvena Zvezda and moved abroad at the age of 24 at Dinamo Minsk where he was the captain • his first foreign experience was Germany • was at Dinamo since the club foundation in where he spent four seasons at Pfullingen and 2008 and until the club ceased to exist in February Nordhorn-Lingen, and with the latter team won the 2014, and won five titles of Belarus league EHF Cup in 2008 • had some offers from abroad but preferred to • played for Kielce in 2009-13 and won three move to Brest where he won the Belarusian league titles of Polish champion as well as four Polish Cups, two more times also reached the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in 2013 EC trophies: EHF Cup 2008 EURO: S 2012

Dainis Kristopans Dzianis Rutenka right back right wing • born in a small Latvian town Ludza and • younger brother of Siarhei Rutenka, the started his career in the local club Latgols famous left back who currently plays for Barcelona • at the age of 18, moved to Tatran Presov and • unlike his brother, Dzianis has spent most stayed almost six years in Slovakia, having won the of his career at home — he became a five-time national league five times Belarusian champion with Dinamo Minsk and then added two more titles with HC Meshkov Brest • left Tatran in February 2015 and spent a few months in Qatar before joining Brest in summer • moved to Brest in March 2014 immediately after Dinamo Minsk had gone bankrupt and ceased • with the height of 213 cm, he is the tallest to exist handball player not only in Brest but in the whole CL • regular member of the national team, he was one of Belarus’ best players at the 2015 WCh in Qatar, where, however, the team finished only 18th

108 GROUP C Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS)

Just like in Croatia (RK PPD Zagreb) it’s almost impossible to bet on the champions of the Russian Super League since the foundation of Chekhovskie Medvedi, successor of CSKA Moscow in 2002, who have taken the Russian throne each and every season. The Bears just celebrated their 15th straight championship title and after they had missed the one year ago, they reclaimed the double again in 2015.

All of the success is founded on one name - one of the most successful coaches in the history of handball: Vladimir Maximov. On 14 October, four days after their fourth group match of the new VELUX EHF Champions League season, legendary Maximov will celebrate his 70th birthday, yet the former Russian national team coach has no thoughts of retiring. The new season will offer some challenges for Maximov to integrate more young Russian talents in his squad. Some experienced stars moved abroad such as Alexander Dereven (Skopje), Dmitry Zhitnikov (Plock) and Sergei Shelmenko (Zaporozhye). The biggest name among the new arrivals is Oleg Skopintsev, arriving from Zaporozhye.

The previous VELUX EHF Champions League season was a lesson for Maximov and his squad: Despite having the seventh best scoring record of all 24 group phase participants, the Bears were the only team without any win in this stage - the main problem was the defence, as no other competitor conceded more goals than the Russians. Now they aim for a revival in Group C, in which Chekhov will face La Rioja, Brest, Porto, Vojvodina and Presov. “Our aim is to proceed to the Last 16,” says club manager Alexandr Safonov. Therefore, the Russians need to finish in the top two of their group and win the subsequent play-off.

Playing hall “You cannot underestimate any of our opponents, as each team is strong,” team captain Dmitry Kovalev says, adding: “We aim for good results and to proceed to the next stage.” Sport Hall “Olimpiyskiy” Chekhov Poligrafistov Str. 30 The best result of the Moscow Region based team was qualification for the very first VELUX 142300 Chekhov EHF FINAL4 in 2010. Russia Capacity: 3,000

Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Club Address: Champions League: Russian champions Past achievements Chekhovskie Medvedi VELUX EHF Champions League Poligrafistov str. 30 Coach: Vladimir Maximov (since 2000) Participations (including 2015/16 142300 Chekhov, Mosk. oblast Captain: Dmitry Kovalev season): 15 Russia Newcomers: Semi-final (1): 2009/10 Quarter-final (2): 2008/09, 2010/11 Media contact: Alexander Kotov Last 16 (3): 2004/05, 2006/07, 2012/13 Olga Belysheva Dmitry Shelestyukov (both Kaustik Volgograd) Main Round (1): 2007/08 +7 909 6391 839 Ruslan Parshutin (Dinamo Astrakhan) Group Phase (7): 2000/01, 2001/02, [email protected] Oleg Skopintsev (Motor Zaporozhye) 2002/03, 2003/04, 2005/06, 2011/12, 2014/15 Online information: Left the club: Website: www.ch-medvedi.ru Dmitry Zhitnikov (Orlen Wisla Plock) Alexander Dereven (Vardar Skopje) Other Sergei Shelmenko (Motor Zaporozhye) Cup Winners’ Cup: Winner 2005/06 Maxim Makarov (N/A) Russian league: 14 titles (2002, 2003, Kit colours 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, Light 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) Player shirt: white Russian cup: 13 titles Player short: white Goalkeeper shirt: yellow Dark Player shirt: purple Player short: purple Goalkeeper shirt: red

109 Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS)

Biggest win: 22:46 (12:24) v AC PAOK GRE (a), 03.03.2010 Biggest defeat: 38:24 (20:15) v HSV Hamburg GER (a), 23.04.2011 Longest winning run: 5 games (29.11.2003 – 06.11.2004) Longest unbeaten run: 8 games (18.10.2012 – 14.03.2013) Longest losing run: 5 games (10.11.2001 – 08.12.2001) 5 games (24.03.2013 – 19.10.2014) 5 games (22.11.2014 – 21.02.2015) Longest run without win: 11 games (24.03.2013 – 21.02.2015) Longest run without win: 6 games (23.04.2011 – 22.10.2011) Most goals: 46 v AC PAOK GRE 22:46W (a), 03.03.2010 Most goals opponent: 45 v TBV Lemgo GER 45:32L (a), 04.12.2004 Most goals both teams: 77 v TBV Lemgo GER 45:32L (a), 04.12.2004 Fewest goals: 19 v Montpellier HB FRA 27:19L (a), 12.10.2003 19 v RK Zagreb CRO 26:19L (a), 08.10.2006 Fewest goals opponent: 17 v HC Bosna BH Gas BIH 30:17W (h), 31.03.2011 Fewest goals both teams: 45 v TBV Lemgo GER 23:22W (h), 11.12.2004 45 v RK Zagreb CRO 26:19L (a), 08.10.2006

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2001/02 CSKA Moscow RUS 6 1 0 5 155:181 –26 2:10 4th Gr. C 2002/03 Chehovski Medvedi. Moscow RUS 6 2 0 4 182:170 +12 4:8 3rd Gr. C 2003/04 Chehovski Medvedi Moscow RUS 6 3 0 3 166:165 +1 6:6 3rd Gr. D 2004/05 Chehovski Medvedi Chekhov RUS 8 6 0 2 252:246 +6 12:4 Last 16 2005/06 Chehovski Medvedi Chekhov RUS 6 3 0 3 192:184 +8 6:6 3rd Gr. A 2006/07 Chehovskie Medvedi RUS 8 4 0 4 242:233 +9 8:8 Last 16 2007/08 Chehovskie Medvedi RUS 12 7 1 4 369:331 +38 15:9 2nd MR Gr. 1 2008/09 Chehovskie Medvedi RUS 12 7 0 5 387:370 +17 14:10 1/4-finals 2009/10 Chekhovskie Medvedi RUS 16 9 2 5 529:476 +53 20:12 Fourth Place 2010/11 Chekhovskie Medvedi RUS 14 8 3 3 437:396 +41 19:9 1/4-finals 2011/12 Chekhovskie Medvedi RUS 10 3 4 3 291:276 +15 10:10 5th Gr. B 2012/13 Chekhovskie Medvedi RUS 12 6 4 2 373:347 +26 16:8 Last 16 2014/15 Chekhovskie Medvedi RUS 10 0 1 9 300:349 –49 1:19 6th Gr. C Total 126 59 15 52 3875:3724 +151 133:119

110 Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

11 Pavel Andreev RUS Line Player 19.7.1992 Saint Petersburg, RUS 195 85 Sergei Bolotin RUS Centre Back 9.4.1996 Krasnoyarsk, RUS 181 78 Vladimir Borzykin RUS Right Back 2.2.1996 Chekhov, RUS 198 97 2 Ivan Busen RUS Left Back 12.4.1994 Kirov, RUS 197 93 10 Alexander Chernoivanov RUS Line Player 13.2.1979 Krasnodar, RUS 202 105 4 Victor Furtsev RUS Line Player 17.6.1996 Belgorod, RUS 200 100 Albert Gumarov RUS Left Wing 4.2.1998 Astrahan, RUS 181 74 23 Alexander Izmailov RUS Centre Back 30.10.1995 Astrakhan, RUS 185 85 Alexey Karibov RUS Right Back 3.5.1996 Astrahan, RUS 193 86 6 Dmitriy Kornev RUS Right Wing 16.6.1992 Vologda, RUS 186 75 17 Alexander Kotov RUS Right Back 11.7.1994 Volgograd, RUS 196 92 9 Kirill Kotov RUS Centre Back 23.5.1992 Moscow, RUS 185 75 7 Dmitry Kovalev RUS Left Wing 15.5.1982 Omsk, RUS 180 80 14 Maxim Kuretkov RUS Right Back 16.11.1994 Maykop, RUS 191 87 Timofei Maslennikov RUS Right Wing 10.3.1997 Chekhov, RUS 185 60 19 Roman Ostashchenko RUS Centre Back 26.9.1992 Moscow, RUS 184 83 26 Anton Otrezov RUS Centre Back 24.8.1988 Alma-Ata, KAZ 192 89 21 Ruslan Parshutin RUS Left Back 25.1.1991 Astrakhan, RUS 200 91 3 Dmitrii Santalov RUS Left Back 7.4.1996 Blagoveshensk, RUS 196 87 92 Dmitry Shelestyukov RUS Centre Back 29.7.1992 Volgograd, RUS 185 74 9 Oleg Skopintsev RUS Right Wing 15.4.1984 Krasnodar, RUS 184 80 Evgeny Trushin RUS Centre Back 24.11.1995 Krasnoyarsk, RUS 189 90 22 Roman Tsarapkin RUS Right Back 9.5.1995 Moscow, RUS 197 92

1 Oleg Grams RUS Goalkeeper 20.2.1984 Krasnodar, RUS 200 103 36 Artem Grushko RUS Goalkeeper 20.6.1993 Odessa, RUS 193 91 12 Dmitry Pavlenko RUS Goalkeeper 1.1.1991 Zaporoje, UKR 192 89 Mikhail Safronov RUS Goalkeeper 4.9.1995 Teuchejsk, RUS 198 97 Average: 23,11 191,3 86,4

Vladimir Maximov coach • handball legend is still the only person who has become an Olympic champion both as a coach and as a player • led the Russian national team to a number of big titles but resigned from that job in 2012 to fully concentrate on his club duties at Medvedi • joined the club in 2001 and has led the team to the title of the Russian champion every year since that time • last season was no exception as Medvedi won the gold medals for the 14th consecutive time

EC trophy: Cup Winner’s Cup 2006 OG: G 1976 (as player), 2000, B 2004, WCh: G 1993, 1997, S 1978 (as player), 1999, EURO: G 1996, S 1994, 2000

111 Oleg Grams Oleg Skopintsev goalkeeper left wing • born and raised in Krasnodar, the 31-year-old • returned to Chekhov after the three-year moved to Chekhov at a very young age break, during which he played at Dinamo Minsk and Motor Zaporozhye • has been a member of Medvedi since the club foundation in 2001 • born in Krasnodar but moved to Chekhov at the age of 17 • during this time, he has become a 14-time Russian champion • played six years for the reserve team of Medvedi before becoming a regular player in the • gained a lot of experience on the international main squad stage, competing both for Medvedi and for the Russian national team at he EURO, WCh and the • the fast winger is technically gifted and Olympics frequently used in the 5:1 defence.

EC trophy: Cup Winners’ Cup 2006

Dmitryi Shelestyukov Anton Otrezov left back centre back • born in Volgograd, he started his career at • Was born in Stavropol, a city in the south the local team Kaustik where he stayed until the of Russia and started his career at the local team summer of 2015 Dinamo-Viktor where he gradually became one of the key players • having moved to Chekhov, already won the Russian Supercup with his new team and was • moved to Chekhov in 2014 and the following actually the top scorer of Medvedi in that game year won the Russian league for the first time in his against SKIF Krasnodar career • his ambition is to play for the Russia national • was one of the leaders of the Russian team team and eventually to become an Olympic that took the sixth place at the Universiade in champion Gwangju, Korea this summer • his idol is Denmark’s star Mikkel Hansen

Pavel Andreev Alexander Chernoivanov line player line player • born in St.Petersburg and started to play • veteran is currently the oldest player in the handball there squad, and his rich experience is very helpful for his young teammates • joined Medvedi at the beginning of his career but needed some time to gain experience in the • was born in Krasnodar and started his career reserve team at the local club SKIF • started to regularly play for the first team of • joined Chekhov in 2004 but needed two years Medvedi in the 2014/15 season and already won a to move up from the reserve to the first team number of trophies including Russian championship, • nine-time Russian champion Cup and Supercup • already a member of the Russia national team EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2006

Alexander Kotov Dmitry Kovalev right back right wing • born in Volgograd and started his career at • captain of Medvedi and one of the key figures Kaustik both on and off the court • moved to Chekhov together with his • born in Omsk, he played a few seasons at teammate from Kaustik Dmitri Shelestyukov Sungul Snezhinsk before moving to Chekhov in 2003 • in the summer of 2015, he has played for the • last spring, he won the Russian league for the Russia U-21 team at the Junior WCh in Brazil 12th consecutive time • not a relative of his teammate Kirill Kotov • with the Russia national team he participated in a number of major international tournaments including the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing

EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2006

112 GROUP C Futebol Clube do Porto (POR)

Five times in the previous six seasons, FC Porto have failed to qualify for the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase, in the 2013/14 season they were part of it and caused some remarkable surprises. After getting eliminated by Zaporozhye in the 2014 qualification, now Porto were awarded a direct spot in the competition and will face La Rioja, Brest, Medvedi, Vojvodina and Presov in Group C of the VELUX EHF Champions League.

After their 20th national championship, the Portuguese record champions have changed their coach: Ricardo Costa is the successor of Ljubomir Obradovic, who led Porto to the group phase of the EHF Cup last season. Five new arrivals are in his squad, while four players left Porto. Because of the new playing system, the Portuguese champions have to finish at least in second position of their group to qualify for the Last 16.

Club director Manuel Arezes is confident of making it to the knock-out stage for the first time since the 1999/00 season: “We will have to face strong opponents, but we believe that we have a chance to win all our ten group matches and to make it to the Last 16.”

Besides defending the domestic titles in Portugal, all matches in the Champions League have a huge importance for Porto, as Arezes mentions: “We face some of the best teams and players of the world and thus have a perfect opportunity to raise the level of our players and to increase the interest for handball in Portugal. In addition, it is a chance for the whole club and the sponsors to spread its brand to new markets.”

Team captain Ricardo Moreira is sure that Porto are on the same level as their opponents in Playing hall Group C: “We have to win our home matches to proceed to the next stage - and we want to Dragao Caixa provide our fans with some good games and attractive handball in the Dragao Caixa (Dragon’s Via Futebol Clube do Porto, den), our arena.” 4350419 Porto, Portugal Capacity: 2,225

Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Past achievements Club Address: Champions League: Portuguese champions Futebol Clube do Porto VELUX EHF Champions League Estadio do Dragao vi FC Porto Coach: Ricardo Costa (since 2015, former club: Entrada Poente, Piso 3 Participations (including 2015/16 ISMAI) season): 9 4350-451 Porto Captain: Ricardo Moreira Portugal Last 16 (1): 1999/2000 Group Phase (1): 2013/14 Newcomers: Qualification (6): 2004/2005, Media contact: Gustavo Rodrigues (Pinheiros-Brazil) Joana Moreira 2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011/2012, (Sporting Lisboa) 2012/2013, 2014/15) Tel: +351 22 508 32 68 António Areia (Benfica Lisboa) [email protected] Felisberto Landim (Belenenses) Other Jordan Pitre (Valence) Online information: Cup Winners’ Cup: Quarter-finals 2000/2001, 2001/2002 Website: www.fcporto.pt Left the club: Facebook: FC-Porto Mick Schubert (Ajax Kobenhavn) Twitter:@FC_Porto Portuguese league: 19 titles (1954, João Ferraz (HSG Wetzlar) 1957, 1958, 1959, 1963, 1964, 1965, Wesley Freitas (N/A) 1968, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, Kit colours Francisco Silva (N/A) 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) Light Portuguese cup: 7 titles Player shirt: white and blue Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: grey/blue Dark Player shirt: brown Player short: dark brown Goalkeeper shirt: grey/blue

113 Futebol Clube do Porto (POR)

Biggest win: 27:24 (15:11) v KIF Kolding Kobenhavn DEN (h), 30.11.2013 Biggest defeat: 35:23 (16:13) v KS Vive Targi Kielce POL (a), 29.09.2013 Longest winning run: 1 match (20.10.2013) 1 match (30.11.2013) Longest unbeaten run: 1 match (20.10.2013) 1 match (30.11.2013) 1 match (15.02.2014) Longest losing run: 3 matches (22.09.2013 – 12.10.2013) Longest run without win: 3 matches (22.09.2013 – 12.10.2013) 3 matches (07.02.2014 – 19.02.2014) Most goals: 30 v KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 30:35L (h), 07.02.2014 Most goals opponent: 35 v KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 30:35L (h), 07.02.2014 Most goals both teams: 65 v KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 30:35L (h), 07.02.2014 Fewest goals: 20 v KIF Kolding Kobenhavn DEN 25:20L (a), 22.09.2013 Fewest goals opponent: 21 v Dunkerque HB Grand Littoral FRA 22:21W (h), 20.10.2013 Fewest goals both teams: 43 v Dunkerque HB Grand Littoral FRA 22:21W (h), 20.10.2013

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2013/14 FC Porto Vitalis POR 10 2 1 7 241:278 -37 5:15 5th Gr. B Total 10 2 1 7 241:278 -37 5:15

114 Futebol Clube do Porto (POR)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

15 Daymaro Amador Salina CUB Line Player 1.9.1987 Havana, CUB 200 105 5 Gilberto Brito Duarte POR Left Back 6.7.1990 Portimao, POR 197 96 9 Gustavo Cesar Rodrigues BRA Right Back 9.4.1995 São Paulo, BRA 191 95 8 Yoel Cuni Morales CUB Right Back 15.2.1987 Havana, CUB 189 85 24 Hugo Delgado Santos POR Left Wing 2.3.1992 Porto, POR 178 70 22 Alexis Hernandez Borges CUB Line Player 6.10.1991 Habana, CUB 195 115 41 Michal Kasal CZE Left Back 3.4.1994 Nové Mesto n. M., CZE 207 100 7 Edgar Mendes Ribeiro POR Left Back 15.6.1987 Lisboa, POR 198 96 29 Felisberto Mendes Ribeiro POR Line Player 3.11.1992 Lisboa, POR 194 112 17 Nuno Miguel Pereira Goncalves POR Left Back 24.3.1993 Tavira, POR 196 94 97 Jordan Pitre FRA Left Wing 6.4.1992 Saint Mande, FRA 189 81 22 Antonio Rodrigues Areia POR Right Wing 21.6.1990 Lisboa, POR 191 91 19 Ricardo Silva Moreira POR Right Wing 28.4.1982 Figueira da Foz, POR 185 82 26 Nuno Silva Soares Roque POR Centre Back 13.3.1987 Benavente, POR 183 87 10 Miguel Soares Martins POR Centre Back 4.11.1997 Porto, POR 192 85 14 Rui Sousa Martins Silva POR Centre Back 28.4.1993 Guimaraes, POR 186 80

16 Hugo Madeira Laurentino POR Goalkeeper 22.7.1984 Evora, POR 188 88 1 Alfredo Bravo Quintana POR Goalkeeper 20.3.1988 Havana, CUB 201 95 12 David Santos Sousa POR Goalkeeper 5.2.1997 Porto, POR 191 91 Average: 24,89 192,2 92

Ricardo Costa coach • in June 2014 replaced Ljubomir Obradovic, who took over the Montenegrin national team during the previous season • Manolo Cadenas and are his greatest source of inspirations • has already won six national championships for FC Porto (three as a player and three as assistant coach • in the 2014/15 season was the head coach of ADA Maia. • during his player career gathered 206 caps, only three players in the national team history have more

115 Hugo Laurentino Hugo Delgado Santos goalkeeper left wing • experienced goalkeeper has been of most • Porto-born winger has never played importance to the Dragons since he joined the club professional handball for other club than FC in 2005/06, winning seven championships • in the premiere season of FC Porto in the CL • might not be from the north of Portugal (born (13/14) scored 12 goals in Évora), but he certainly carries the northern spirit • after the departure the Danish left wing Mick • has had a distinguished career with FC Porto, Schubert in the summer of 2015 to Ajax Kobenhavn but has also played for clubs in the south of the he should get more playing time, but will share his country, such as Vitória de Setubal and Évora AC, as position with a French newcomer Jordan Pitre well as being a regular on the Portugal national team

Gilberto Duarte Nuno Roque left back centre back • standing at 1.97 m one of FC Porto’s towers • arrived at Porto at the beginning of the and one of the most important players in the squad 2014/15 season and won the championship title in his first season • was already a force to be reckoned with when joining the club in 2007, later he won seven national • before Porto he played for league rivals Aguas championships since his arrival Santas and reached the Challenge Cup semi-final in 2013/14 • awarded best player of the league in 2011/12 and was honored with the FC Porto’s Golden Dragon • also had stints with Sporting and Benfica in that same season, an award that rewards the best Lisbon and Madeira athlete of each sport • member of the Portuguese national team

Rui Silva Alexis Borges centre back line player • came to FC Porto as one of the summer • debuted in the CL with Porto in 2013 at the reinforcemenets in 2015 age of only 21 years • played in Sporting Lisboa, which played • very strong player on the 6-metres-line almost against Porto in the 2015/16 league final always capable of finding a way through defenders • promising playmaker, a lot of people compare • part of the Cuban national team him with Carlos Resende, the best Portuguese • shares the position with another Cuban player handball player of the history

Gustavo Cesar Rodrigues Ricardo Moeira right back right wing • Brazilian signed for FC Porto before the • Captain of the side, he is the soul of the 2015/16 season Dragons • played in EC Pinheiros (Sao Paulo – Brazil) • was an FC Porto Player from 1997 to 2001 and returned to the club three years later to become the • plays in the youth Brazilian national team, most influential player in the dressing room which reached 8th position in the Youth World Championship 2015 • also played in Vitória de Setubal, CPN and Belenenses • won Panamerican (2015) and Paulista championship (2014). • besides being the starting right wing, he usually takes the penalties • known by keeping a cool head when things are going wrong for FC Porto, putting his teammates’ minds in place

116 GROUP C RK Vojvodina (SRB)

Novi Sad based club HC Vojvodina became Serbian champion for the fourth time in May, but after three failed attempts at qualification for the VELUX EHF Champions League, they now have their maiden voyage in the group phase of the competition. It is the icing on the cake of the most successful season of Vojvodina’s history, winning the domestic treble for the first time with the , cup and super cup.

The mastermind behind those successes was coach Djordje Ćirković, but he left to become coach of Romanian side Constanta and since July Nikola Marković has taken up the role alongside coaching the Serbian U19 national team at the World Championship in Russia. A quirky fact about the management team is that Marković (former coach of ), his assistant coaches Dragan Kukic and Milan Mirkovic and even new team manager Snezana Vukanovic were all line players in their active handball career.

Vojvodina will be part of three competitions - the Serbian league, SEHA Liga and VELUX EHF Champions League - and their concrete goal for the Champions League is to win at least three matches against their opponents La Rioja, Brest, Medvedi, Porto and Presov in Group D.

To reach this goal, Vojvodina made one major transfer: Powerful and tall Former Russian international Alexej Rastvortsev, who had been playing for Vardar Skopje in the past and competed at the very first VELUX EHF FINAL4 in 2010 with Chekhovskie Medvedi. On the other hand, two Serbian internationals - Miroslav Kocić (to Besiktas Istanbul) and Uroš Elezović Playing hall Spens,Novi Sad (to Lakwiya/Qatar) - have left the club, as did Montenegrin Vuk Lazović to German side Sutjeska 2 N-Lübbecke. 21000 Novi Sad Serbia But despite those departures, Vojvodina are aiming to defend their Serbian titles and to Capacity: 7,000 “represent Serbian handball in a proud way,” as manager Darko Jevtic says, adding that the participation in the European top flight is an “affirmation for the club, the chance to promote handball and a complete new experience for the club and the players.”

Team captain Danimir Ćurković is hoping to give “strong resistance to all opponents and to Club Address: provide the fans with the best possible results.” RK Vojvodina Sentandrejski put 106B 21000 Novi Sad Serbia Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Media contact: Champions League: Serbian champions Past achievements Dan Fracile +381 65 861 8533 Coach: Nikola Marković (since July 2015) VELUX EHF Champions League [email protected] former coach: Djordje Ćirković Participation (including 2015/16 Captain: Danimir Curkovic season): 4 Online information: Qualification (3): 2005/06, 2013/14, Website: www.rkv.rs Newcomers: 2014/15 Facebook: RK Vojvodina Aleksandar Gugleta (Radnički Nis) Goran Trkulja (Bidasoa Irun) Other Milan Vučković (Požarevac) EHF Cup: Group Phase 2014/15 Dejan Pralica (Radnički Nis) Cup Winners’ Cup: Last 16 2011/12 Alexej Rastvortsev (Vardar Skopje) Kit colours Serbian league: 4 titles (2005, 2013, Light Left the club: 2014, 2015) Player shirt: red Miroslav Kocić (Besiktas Istanbul) Serbian cup: 4 titles Player short: red Boban Živković (Železničar) Goalkeeper shirt: yellow Mladen Ivanović (Zvezda) Jovan Kukobat (Sloga Požega) Dark Vuk Lazović (TUS N-Lübbecke) Player shirt: blue Srdjan Veljković (Zrenjani) Player short: blue Uros Elezović (Lakhwiya) Goalkeeper shirt: black Miralem Bećirović (destination unknown)

117 Vojvodina (SRB)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

22 Nikola Arsenic SRB Centre Back 30.11.1996 Novi Sad, SRB 190 80 99 Danimir Curkovic SRB Left Back 4.1.1984 Vrbas, SRB 196 100 78 Sergo Datukashvili GEO Left Back 28.4.1978 Tbilisi, GEO 197 93 91 Aleksandar Gugleta SRB Right Wing 17.7.1991 Knin, CRO 193 87 20 Milan Jovanovic SRB Left Back 24.1.1998 Vrbas, SRB 194 84 17 Filip Marjanovic SRB Left Wing 10.2.1989 Beograd, SRB 190 82 23 Zoran Nikolic SRB Line Player 23.2.1991 Beograd, SRB 188 100 4 Milos Orbovic SRB Right Back 2.11.1993 Vrbas, SRB 194 90 25 Ognjen Petrovic SRB Left Wing 25.5.1995 Novi Sad, SRB 182 79 13 Dejan Pralica SRB Centre Back 23.3.1985 Sarajevo, BIH 191 92 19 Stefan Ranisavljevic SRB Right Back 3.2.1997 Novi Sad, SRB 197 88 15 Alexei Rastvortsev RUS Left Back 8.8.1978 Belgorod, RUS 200 115 18 Vanja Smiljanic SRB Right Wing 25.8.1996 Apatin, SRB 187 83 31 Strahinja Stankovic SRB Right Wing 12.6.1991 Vrbas, SRB 185 84 7 Bojan Todorovic SRB Centre Back 23.7.1990 Belgrade, SRB 186 87 35 Goran Trkulja BIH Line Player 22.8.1985 Banja Luka, BIH 200 100 5 Stefan Trkulja SRB Centre Back 28.4.1998 Novi Sad, SRB 190 90 77 Milan Vuckovic SRB Left Back 30.4.1992 Prokuplje, SRB 207 100

1 Luka Arsenic SRB Goalkeeper 27.11.1993 Zrenjanin, SRB 186 82 12 Bojan Perovic SRB Goalkeeper 23.1.1982 Apatin, SRB 187 82 32 Todor Jandric SRB Goalkeeper 2.6.1998 Novi Sad, SRB 198 90

Average:

Nikola Markovic coach • started coaching career in 2004, after being promoted as the first team coach at RK Crena Zvezda • had a spectacular coaching debut, winning against the then holders Celje Pivovarna Lasko (32:32) in the CL Group Phase • former RK Crvena Zvezda player, and a member of a highly acclaimed generation that won the double after 50 years • vast experience coaching in the Serbian League, having led Crvena Zvezda, Zeleznicar Nis and Jugovic Kac before joining Vojvodina

118 Filip Marjanovic Luka Arsenic left wing goalkeeper • went trough the youth ranks of SK Beograd, • made his breakthrough to Vojvodina first team but made his name playing for RK Metaloplastika in 2011 aged 18, playing his 5th season with the club • joined RK Vojvodina in the summer of 2014 • spent 2014/15 as a backup for the first-choice Miroslav Kocic, displaying great potential • occasional Serbian national team member, making his debut in 2011 coached by Veselin • former junior national team key player is Vukovic among the top goalkeeping talents in Serbian league • his seven-goal performance in a key match • comes from a handball family, as both mother against Bosnia Herzegovina saw Serbia qualify for and father were former players, younger brother, the EHF EURO 2014 19-year old Nikola is a talented centre back and current Vojvodina teammate • member of Metaloplastika side that made the final of the Challenge Cup in 2013/14

Sergo Datukashvili Alexey Rastvortsev left back left back • first ever Georgian player to play for any • veteran played 13 seasons for Chekhov, Serbian handball club, joining Metaloplastika in before spending two seasons at Vardar ahead and 2000 eventually joining Vojvodina • real journeyman sharpshooter, having played • played at the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in 2009/10 in 13 countries before joining Vojvodina in 2014 with Chekhovskie Medvedi • represented Montenegrin side Lovcen Cetinje • lifted the Cup Winners’ Cup trophy in 2005/06, in the Group Phase of the CL during 2000/01 season in addition to playing in the Champions Trophy finals the same year • reached the EHF Cup final with RK Gorenje Velenje in 2008/09 • scored 40 goals in Russia’s bronze medal run at 2004 Olympic Games in Athens EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2006 OG: B 2004

Dejan Pralica Goran Trkulja centre back line player • has experience playing in the CL Group Phase • made his first handball steps playing for RK with RK Crvena Zvezda in 2008/09 Borac m:tel Banja Luka • real household name in the Serbian • spent 2014/15 season playing for the Spanish championship, having played for Crvena Zvezda, second-tier CS Bidasoa Metaloplastika, Radnicki Kragujevac before • joined RK Vojvodina to replace Montenegrin • best scorer for Radnicki Kragujevac in the line player Vuk Lazovic at the heart of Vojvodina’s 2014/15 with 149 goals in all competitions 6-0 defence • 2014/15 Serbian Super League play-off MVP, averaging above six goals per match (6.1)

Milos Orbovic Aleksandar Gugleta right back right wing • started career in local club RK Vrbas, • started playing handball for Serbian First representing them in the Challenge Cup League outfit RK Crvenka • considered one of the biggest right back • made his name playing for Radnicki Kragujevac prospects in Serbian handball in the SEHA league and Challenge Cup scoring 103 goals in last season alone • joined RK Vojvodina in 2014, quickly establishing himself as a first-choice right back • occasional Serbia national team member, since making his debut in 2014 • current Serbian national team member and third choice right back behind Marko Vujin and • joined Vojvodina in 2015 to be able to play in Nemanja Zelenovic the CL • has a silver medal won at the Universiade in Gwangju 2015

119 GROUP C Tatran Presov (SVK)

Their tallest player leaves, a new coach arrives and they get seeded for the group phase meaning they avoided playing in the VELUX EHF Champions League Qualification Tournament – a short summary of the major happenings at Tatran Presov ahead of the start of the season. After failing to qualify four times straight from 2011 to 2014, the Slovak champions are back in the Group Phase, in which they will compete with La Rioja, Brest, Chekhov, Porto and Vojvodina in Group C.

The new coach of the eleven-time Slovak champions is Rastislav Trtik, who took over from Peter David. In the preparation, Trtik’s team finished second twice at tournaments in Sala (Slovakia) and Doboj (Bosnia), which they had won in 2013 and 2014. The new squad consists of five newcomers arriving from five different countries. Four players left - including 2,13 metres tall Latvian Dainis Kristopans is now playing for Presov’s group phase rival Brest. In addition, Trtik has to cope with some long-term injuries, such as left back Oliver Rabek and playmaker Vasja Furlan. “After four years in a row of missing the qualification for the VELUX EHF Champions League it is great to be back and to be able to promote handball in Slovakia and our region,” says manager Branko Benko, adding: “Our objective is to do our best, win all home matches, try to steal some points in away matches and aim for second place. With a new head coach and five new players I believe it is a feasable goal.”

Besides the Slovak Super League and the Champions League, Tatran will compete in the multinational SEHA Liga - and to make it among the top six teams like in 2014/15 is there Playing hall additional goal for the season. Benko expects some interesting games in the Group Phase and City Hall Presov will welcome some well-known faces into their arena: “It is a quite interesting group. We face Jana Pavla II 2 teams from all over Europe, from far East like Chekhov all the way to the far West like La Rioja 0801 Presov or Porto. Also we face two of our regular opponents of the SEHA League, Meshkov Brest and Slovakia Vojvodina Novi Sad. I believe that all matches will be interesting and will sell out our Tatran Capacity: 3,500 Handball Arena.”

Team captain, left wing Radoslav Antl, expects close matches too: “All opponents are very strong and it will be really hard to play against them. We would like to take advantage of our Club Address: home matches and of course to do our best in the away matches. Hopefully we can finish in TATRAN Presov second when it is all done and dusted.” Holleho 3 080 01 Presov Slovakia Qualification for the 2015/2016 VELUX EHF Past achievements Champions League: Slovakian champions Media contact: VELUX EHF Champions League Branko Benko Newcomers: Participations (including 2015/16 +421 911 620435 Alexey Peskov (ZTR Zaporozhye) season): 12 [email protected] Igor Chupryna (Lokomotiv Chelyabinsk) Last 16 (1): 2004/05 Ivan Ivkovic (HCB OKD Karvina) Last 32 (1): 1993/94 Online information: Vladimir Bozic (ALPLA HC Hard) Group Matches (4): 2005/06, 2007/08, Website: www.tatranpresov.sk David Pogany (START Nove Zamky) 2008/09, 2010/11 Facebook: TatranPresovHandballTeamSlovakia Qualification (5): 2009/10, 2011/12, Left the club: 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15 Dainis Kristopans (Meshkov Brest) Tomas Urban (ThSV Eisenach) Other Jakub Krupa (Azoty Pulawy) EHF Cup Kit colours Svetislav Verkic (ThSV Eisenach) Quarter-final 2011/12, Last 16 1994/95, Light 1995/96, Group Phase 2012/13, Round Player shirt: white Coach: Rastislav Trtik (since 2015, successor 4 2009/10, Round 3 2006/07 Player short: white of Peter David) Cup Winners’ Cup Goalkeeper shirt: green Quarter-final 205/06, Last 16 2007/08, Dark 2008/09, Round 4 2002/03 Player shirt: green Player short: green Slovak league: 11 titles (2004, 2005, Goalkeeper shirt: black 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) : 12 titles

120 Tatran Presov (SVK)

Biggest win: 37:24 (17:11) v RK Metkovic CRO (h), 30.10.2004 Biggest defeat: 42:25 (22:12) v MKB Veszprém KC HUN (a), 05.11.2005 Longest winning run: 2 matches (12.11.2005 – 29.09.2007) Longest unbeaten run: 2 matches (09.10.2004 – 17.10.2004) 2 matches (12.11.2005 – 29.09.2007) Longest losing run: 7 matches (05.12.2004 – 05.11.2005) 7 matches (16.11.2008 – 20.11.2010) Longest run without win: 12 matches (16.11.2008 – 06.03.2011)

Most goals: 37 v RK Metkovic CRO 37:24W (h), 30.10.2004 Most goals opponent: 42 v MKB Veszprém KC HUN 42:25L (a), 05.11.2005 42 v GOG Svendborg TGI Gudme DEN 42:32L (a), 07.10.2007 Most goals both teams: 74 v GOG Svendborg TGI Gudme DEN 42:32L (a), 07.10.2007 Fewest goals: 20 v HSV Hamburg GER 32:20L (a), 02.10.2008 Fewest goals opponent: 18 v RK Metkovic CRO 18:29W (a), 17.10.2004 Fewest goals both teams: 47 v RK Metkovic CRO 18:29W (a), 17.10.2004 47 v HC Banik Karvina CZE 22:25L (h), 23.10.2004

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2004/05 Tatran Presov SVK 8 3 1 4 231:237 -6 7:9 Last 16 2005/06 Tatran Presov SVK 6 1 0 5 154:201 -47 2:10 3rd Gr. F 2007/08 Tatran Presov SVK 6 1 1 4 182:211 -29 3:9 3rd Gr. D 2008/09 Tatran Presov SVK 6 2 0 4 165:183 -18 4:8 3rd Gr. D 2010/11 Tatran Presov SVK 10 0 2 8 273:325 -52 2:18 6th Gr. B Total 36 7 4 25 1005:1157 -152 18:54

121 Tatran Presov (SVK)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

28 Radoslav Antl SVK Left Wing 2.3.1978 Kosice, SVK 180 82 21 Tomas Cip CZE Right Wing 5.10.1989 Zubri, CZE 189 94 18 Vasja Furlan SLO Centre Back 28.7.1986 Postojna, SLO 184 88 6 Jakub Hrstka CZE Left Wing 17.3.1990 Zubri, CZE 188 91 77 Ivan Ivkovic CRO Right Back 19.3.1996 Split, CRO 207 105 5 Michal Kopco SVK Line Player 27.1.1988 Kosice, SVK 195 115 9 Dominik Krok SVK Left Back 22.1.1991 Bardejov, SVK 189 79 19 Radovan Pekar SVK Left Back 27.12.1980 Presov, SVK 196 107 22 Alexey Peskov RUS Right Back 16.12.1983 Moscow, RUS 199 99 85 Andrej Petro SVK Line Player 28.1.1986 Sala, SVK 200 127 7 David Pogany SVK Left Back 1.2.1993 Dunajska Streda, SVK 202 100 2 Oliver Rabek SVK Left Back 30.9.1987 Nove Zamky, SVK 204 102 15 Alexandr Radcenko CZE Centre Back 5.7.1973 Krasnodar, RUS 187 90 11 Viacheslav Sadovyi UKR Left Back 11.7.1990 Kiev, UKR 191 85 13 Lubos Sarpataky SVK Right Wing 15.1.1996 Presov, SVK 185 85 3 Milos Sarpataky SVK Centre Back 15.1.1996 Presov, SVK 183 87 17 Lukas Urban SVK Centre Back 22.6.1995 Presov, SVK 199 86 8 Richard Wilga SVK Left Wing 12.2.1996 Presov, SVK 186 74

1 Vladimir Bozic CRO Goalkeeper 24.3.1983 Split, CRO 197 99 73 Igor Chupryna UKR Goalkeeper 25.4.1990 Illychevsk, UKR 198 110 16 Matej Vernarsky SVK Goalkeeper 1.3.1994 Presov, SVK 186 73 Average: 26,76 192,6 94,2

Rastislav Trtik coach • collected his first coaching experience with Banik Karvina in the Czech Republic • Czech Republic national team head coach for three years between 2002 and 2005 • in 2005, won promotion to German Bundesliga with MT Melsungen • head coach of Tatran Presov between 2008 and 2011, winning three Slovak championship titles, leading Tatran into their last CL Group Phase campaign in 2010/11

122 Vladimir Bozovic Radoslav Antl goalkeeper left wing • best goalkeper in Super Globe 2013 for Al • legend of the club, longest serving player with Rayyan, played the Asian CL final with that club the club from current squad in his ninth season • number one option for Tatran in goal, • fans love him for his passionate approach and recoginised as a key to their solid defensive work communication with the crowd during the game • very enthusiastic and communicative during • competed at all major tournaments for Slovakia games, one of the leaders on the court • with excotic playing experience in Japan • his maximum in Europe remains Last 16 in the • in 2004/2005 scored his record 43 goals in the CL with Bosnain side HC Bosna BH Gas in 2010/2011 CL paving the way for Presov to the Last 16 • arrived from Bregenz, before he spent two • awarded the Slovak Player of the Year (2005 & seasons with Brest, four seasons in Spanish ASOBAL 2014)

Dominik Krok Vasja Furlan left back centre back • one of the players who remembers last CL • creativity and quick thinking, ability to group phase adventure back in 2010/2011 produce key passes in the offensive game are main strengths of the Slovenian national team player • joined Presov in 2009, ever since became one of the longest serving players in current squad • moved to Presov last year from Norway, where considered one of the best players of Follo HK • known for his powerful shots from the distance, one of the favourites of fans in Presov for • in Slovenia played for Gold Club Kozina, Celje his friendliness and ever present smile Pivovarna Lasko and RK Maribor Branik • big fan of tennis, where he develops his skills • often compared to the veteran playmaker and accuracy Alexander Radcenko for his style of play • had his best European season in 2008/2009, scoring 24 goals for Celje in the CL

Michal Kopco Andrej Petro line player line player • awarded the Slovakian line player of the year • one of the most experienced players in the in 2014, his leadership on and off the court is vital club joined Tatran in 2012 • successor of Antl, was chosen as the team • considered to be one of the heaviest players in captain in the beginning of the 2014/15 season Europe (127 kg), his physical strength provides him ability to fight his way through the opponents • together with Andrej Petro, they form superb duo and they motivate each other to improve on the • joined Presov after his spells abroad for club level as well as in national team Kadetten, Ivry, Kecskemeti and Dormagen • one of the key man of Tatran’s defensive play, • featured at two EUROs (2008 and 2012) and aggressive and hard to beat one on one two WChs (2009 and 2011) for Slovakia

Alexey Peskov Tomas Cip right back right wing • two-metre tall Russian international came to • Czech international started his career in his to replace Latvian giant Dainis Kristopans in 2015 hometown, Zubri, where he played until his transfer to Presov in the summer of 2011 • most experienced player from the squad, played the CL for his mother club Chekhovski • one of the two players from Zubri, the other Medvedi and Celje one being left winger Jakub Hrstka • also played in Poland’s Wisla Plock and • regular Czech national team starter, until now Ukraine’s Dinamo-Poltava, with the latter having has featured in 47 games and scored 113 goals won the Ukrainian league in 2012, spent three • able to defend on the wing as well as attack, seasons in Ukrainian Zaporozhye although he is highly rated for his game in offence EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2006

123 ENERGY TAKES OVER ENERGY BOOST STABIL

WWW.ADIDASHANDBALL.COM Group D preview

ELVERUM HÅNDBALL

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IN GROUP D

Group D of the VELUX EHF Champions League seems to become the most unpredictable group

If this Group D had been played two years ago, no one would probably have hesitated to name HC Metalurg as favourites to win it – apart from the fact that the Macedonian club would not even have played in Group C or D back then due to the their strength at the time. However, after losing more than 20 players, even the charismatic coach Lino Cervar will have his trouble taking the team to one of the two top positions, which would qualify them for the knock out stage. Still, it is hard to point out one or even two obvious favourites in the group, and this may be the Skopje based team’s chance after all.

Two Norwegians and a Swede have reinforced Skjern Handbold who are in the Champions League for the first time since the 2003/04 season. Line player Bjarte Myrhol and goalkeeper Magnus Dahl, both from Norway as well as Swedish left back Marcus Olsson have both strengthened the Danish runners-up from last season. If Skjern had not loaned out Danish international Henrik Möllgaard to Paris shortly before the start of the season, the third team of the EHF Cup last season would probably have been favourites to win the group. As it is, they are likely to have to struggle for a top two position.

HC Motor Zaporozhye are in for their third Champions League season in a row – and the third in history. Having reached the Last 16 in the debut season in 2013/14, they did not make it any further than the group phase last season. The big question is if they will be strong and consistent enough this season to conquer one of the two positions, which will mean a knock out berth.

Kadetten Schaffhausen definitely do not miss European experience. In fact, the Swiss club have been in a European Cup competition each and every year in the history of the EHF, and this season is their seventh in the Champions League group phase. Last season, the came close to qualifying for the Last 16, but lost the chance on the last match day of the group phase. However, with players like the experienced left wing Manuel Liniger and the Hungarian playmaker Gabor Csaszar, just to mention a few, the Cadets are certainly among the contenders for the two tickets.

For the first time in three years, Romanian handball is represented in the VELUX EHF Champions League, and at the same time, there is a new kid in the class. Until recently, HCM Baia Mare have been better known for their women’s team, but this season, the men from the club celebrate their Champions League debut. At the same time, Baia Mare are celebrating their return to European men’s handball after ten years of absence, as their latest European adventure was in the 2005/06 season.

Just like Baia Mare, Elverum Handball Herrer are debutants in the Champions League, where they are the first Norwegian team in six years. An impressive first place in the qualification tournament in Bosnian Banja Luka made the group phase berth for the team under the playing Swedish coach Mikael Apelgren. Already before the qualification tournament, Apelgren stated, that should his team reach the group phase, the Last 16 would not be an unrealistic goal.

The coming months will prove him either right or wrong. Peter Bruun

125 Group D head-to-heads

Historic encounters of the Group D opponents in the EC HC Metalurg vs Skjern Handbold 0-0-2 (46:67) 0:4 11.10.2001 Skjern Handball vs RK Metalurg Skopje, Challenge Cup – Round 2 34:21 (18:11) 13.10.2001 Skjern Handball vs RK Metalurg Skopje, Challenge Cup – Round 2 33:25 (21:10)

HC Motor Zaporozhye vs Kadetten Schaffhausen 2-0-0 (68:58) 4:0 13.11.2014 HC Motor Zaporozhye vs Kadetten Schaffhausen, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 31:26 (18:13) 20.11.2014 Kadetten Schaffhausen vs HC Motor Zaporozhye, VELUX EHF Champions League – Group D 32:37 (14:18)

No previous encounters HC Metalurg vs HC Motor Zaporozhye HC Metalurg vs Kadetten Schaffhausen HC Metalurg vs HCM Baia Mare HC Metalurg vs Elverum Handball Herrer Skjern Handbold vs HC Motor Zaporozhye Skjern Handbold vs Kadetten Schaffhausen Skjern Handbold vs HCM Baia Mare Skjern Handbold vs Elverum Handball Herrer HC Motor Zaporozhye vs HCM Baia Mare HC Motor Zaporozhye vs Elverum Handball Herrer Kadetten Schaffhausen vs HCM Baia Mare Kadetten Schaffhausen vs Elverum Handball Herrer HCM Baia Mare vs Elverum Handball Herrer

126 GROUP D HC Metalurg (MKD) If seven or eight players leave a team, it is a huge transition, but if - like in the case of Metalurg Skopje - 25 players say good-bye, it is a complete restart. After facing some financial problems in the previous season, coach Lino Cervar had to push the reset button in the Macedonian capital. With the exception of the Austrian international Janko Bozovic, arriving from Meshkov Brest, Metalurg only signed young players. As they do not compete in the multinational SEHA- Liga this season, they can focus fully on the Macedonian league.

In the domestic league they will try to snatch the title from their city rivals Vardar. Cervar’s team will face Skjern, Zaporozhye, Schaffhausen, Baia Mare and Elverum in Group D in the VELUX EHF Champions League. Despite all their difficulties, Cervar hopes to make it to the Last 16: “We have a young team eager to take on new challenges. I hope we will start the Champions League fully motivated and I also hope that some good results will come our way. Our goal is to get out of the group and to be among the best 16 teams. I know it will be difficult given that this is a young and new team that does not have too much experience on the international stage.”

Metalurg started their preparation in Mavrovo, and then took part in two test tournaments in Bursa (Turkey) and Skopje. The former national champions even have to replace one of their biggest talents for the rest of the year, as Marko Neloski is still recovering from knee surgery after an injury which occurred in the last match of the 2014/15 season at Vardar. Metalurg hope for a Neloski-comeback in 2016. Cervar calls the group phase opponents: “Interesting and challenging we are up against experienced teams like Kadetten or Zaporozhye, home Playing hall and away matches will be tough. Skjern are dangerous, and motivated debutants Baia Mare Boris Trajkovski are a bit of an unknown entity to us.” But the coach is confident that being part of the VELUX bul. 8 Septemvri bb EHF Champions League brings Metalurg forward: “Playing in the Champions League for us Skopje has always been very special. Despite losing more than 20 top players it is a privilege to play FYR Macedonia against the best handball teams in the world.” Capacity: 7,000 Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Champions League: Macedonian runners-up Past achievements

Coach: Lino Cervar (since 2009) VELUX EHF Champions League Club Address: Captain: Zarko Pesevski Participations (including 2015/16 HC Metalurg season): 8 ul. Jane Lukroski 6 Left the club: Quarter-final (2): 2012/13, 2013/14 1000 Skopje Darko Stanic (Rhein-Neckar Löwen) Last 16 (1): 2011/12 FYR Macedonia Miroslav Kocic (RK Vojvodina) Group Phase (3): 2006/07, 2008/09, Dejan Manaskov (RK Vardar) 2014/15) Media contact: Naumce Mojsovski (El Jaish) Qualification (1): 2010/11 Ana Neloska Pavel Atman (Meshkov Brest) +389 723 103 98 Filip Mirkulovski (HSG Wetzlar) Other [email protected] Vuko Borozan (N-Lübbecke) 9 participations in other EC Luka Cindric (HC Vardar) Macedonian league: 6 titles (2006, Online information: (Maccabi Rishon LeZion) 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014) Website: www.rkmetalurg.mk Vladan Lipovina (HSG Wetzlar) Macedonian cup: 5 titles Facebook: rkmetalurgofficial (Fenix Touluse) Twitter:@RKMetalurg Ace Jonovski (Bergischer HC) Velko Markoski (RK Rabotnicki) Nikola Markoski (RK Rabotnicki) Kit colours Mijajlo Marsenic (HC Vardar) Newcomers: Light Vanco Dimovski (RK Rabotnicki) Janko Bozovic (Meshkov Brest) Player shirt: white Janja Vojvodic (RK Vrbas) Marko Matic (Mecklenburg-Schwerin) Player short: black Gjorgje Golubovic (destination unknown) Luka Mrakovcic (RK Zamet) Goalkeeper shirt: yellow/orange/white Darko Djukic (Besiktas) Milos Vukovic (Spartak Subotica) Damir Efendic (Borac Banja Luka) Dark Kemal Fazlic (RK Gorazde) Dragan Vrgoc (Benfica) Player shirt: blue Antonio Pesevski (HC Metalurg II) Martin Manaskov (RK Vardar II) Player short: black Daniel Dupjachanec (Besa Famiglia) Goce Ojleski (Odorhei) Goalkeeper shirt: blue Konstantin Petrov (RK Radovis) (Benfica) (RK Pelister) Petar Misovski (end of career)

127 HC Metalurg (MKD)

Biggest win: 32:18 (18:14) v Bjerringbro-Silkeborg DEN (h), 24.02.2013 Biggest defeat: 24:43 (12:23) v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER (a), 19.10.2006 16:35 (3:17) v THW Kiel (a), 15.02.2015 Longest winning run: 4 matches (30.09.2012 – 20.10.2012) 4 matches (16.02.2013 – 23.03.2013) Longest unbeaten run: 4 matches (30.09.2012 – 20.10.2012) 4 matches (16.02.2013 – 23.03.2013) 4 matches (16.02.2014 – 30.03.2014) Longest losing run: 8 matches (28.09.2006 – 12.10.2008) Longest run without win: 8 matches (28.09.2006 – 12.10.2008) Most goals: 37 v Drammen HK NOR 37:30W (h), 18.10.2008 Most goals opponent: 43 v SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 43:24L (a), 19.10.2006 Most goals both teams: 69 v THW Kiel 27:42L (h), 18.10.2014 Fewest goals: 15 v KS Vive Targi Kielce POL 26:15L (a), 28.04.2013 Fewest goals opponent: 14 v St. Petersburg HC RUS 14:32W (a), 16.02.2013 Fewest goals both teams: 36 v HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb 19:17L (a), 11.10.2014

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2006/07 RK Metalurg Skopje MKD 6 0 0 6 148:206 –58 0:12 4th Gr. D 2008/09 HC Metalurg MKD 6 2 0 4 157:172 -15 4:8 3rd Gr. C 2011/12 HC Metalurg MKD 12 6 2 4 294:275 +19 14:10 1/8-finals 2012/13 HC Metalurg MKD 14 9 0 5 361:313 +48 18:6 1/4-finals 2013/14 HC Metalurg MKD 14 7 2 5 356:373 -17 16:12 1/4-finals 2014/15 HC Metalurg MKD 10 1 1 8 233:294 –61 3:17 6th Gr. A Total 62 25 5 32 1549:1633 -84 55:69

128 HC Metalurg (MKD) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

7 Janko Bozovic AUT Right Back 14.7.1985 Bar, MNE 203 101 15 Marko Buvinic CRO Right Back 28.6.1992 Pula, CRO 190 90 8 Nikola Kosteski MKD Right Wing 22.8.1992 Struga, MKD 183 74 25 Goran Krstevski MKD Centre Back 29.3.1996 Resen, MKD 195 79 23 Milorad Kukoski MKD Left Back 7.12.1987 Struga, MKD 195 100 18 Filip Kuzmanovski MKD Left Back 3.7.1996 Bitola, MKD 198 105 6 Bojan Madjovski MKD Left Wing 8.5.1994 Skopje, MKD 184 80 98 Tadej Matijasic SLO Left Wing 22.1.1994 Ljubljana, SLO 174 74 24 Marko Neloski MKD Centre Back 6.6.1996 Struga, MKD 199 92 76 Davor Palevski MKD Left Wing 26.2.1997 Skopje, MKD 175 70 44 Zharko Peshevski MKD Line Player 11.4.1991 Skopje, MKD 195 110 25 Kostadin Petrov MKD Line Player 30.3.1992 Veles, MKD 190 105 28 MKD Left Back 28.3.1996 Krusevo, MKD 201 90 30 Martin Velkovski MKD Right Back 10.3.1997 Skopje, MKD 189 84 Luka Mrakovcic CRO 22.9.1994

20 Daniel Dupjacanec MKD Goalkeeper 15.7.1983 Prilep, MKD 189 99 31 Antonijo Peshevski MKD Goalkeeper 23.12.1990 Skopje, MKD 209 110 Average: 22,86 191,8 91,4

Lino Cervar coach • most successful coach of the Croatian men’s national team, becoming Olympic gold medallist in 2004 and world champion in 2003 • collected several more medals like two WCh silver medals in 2005 and 2009 and EHF EURO silver 2008 and 2010 • parallel to his work for the Croatian federation, 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 Croatia • steered them to quarter-finals in 2013 and 2014

OG: G 2004, EURO: S 2008, 2010, WCh: G 2003, S 2005, 2009

129 Antonio Peshevski Marko Neloski goalkeeper left back • older brother to Zarko Pesevski, current • product of Metalurg’s youth system, came Metalurg captain into prominence under Cervar’s coaching baton • towering at 209cm, he is one of the tallest • this 19-year old completes the exceptional goalkeeper in the VELUX EHF Champions League talent Metalug nurtures at left back position in the 2015/16 season • came trough the youth ranks of RK Metalurg, became the first team member in 2015 after • made a breakthrough into the first team setup spending one season on loan at RK Dracevo at Metalurg in 2013/14

Filip Taleski Milorad Kukoski left back left back • considered one of the biggest talents in • one of few experienced players that stayed at Macedonian handball the club despite financial difficulties of last season • made his first team debut for Metalurg at the • has garnered a good national reputation, age of 17 playing for the very best Macedonian league teams: Pelister, Vardar, Zomimak and now Metalurg • scored 27 goals in three matches at the Men’s 20 EURO qualification, has made 16 caps for all • equally adept at playing as a line player, in Macedonian youth selections before called up for both attack and defence phase the senior team • his debut for Macedonian national team came in 2014 in the WCh 2015 play-off against Greece • made his CL debut in a match against THW Kiel

Goran Krstevski Zharko Peshevski centre back line player • among the frontrunners of new Metalurg • current Macedonia national team member, generation having played in all the youth selection for his country • member of the highly talented Metalurg’s generation of players born in 1996 • Metalurg team captain • rose through the youth ranks at Metalurg • brother Antonio a teammate, goalkeeper at alongside current first team teammates Filip Taleski Metalurg and Marko Neloski • made his first team debut in 2009, becoming a first-choice line player after Mijajlo Marsenic left to join Vardar

Janko Bozovic Marko Buvinic right back right wing/right back • Austrian national team member, with 85 caps • joined Metalurg in 2015 from RK Porec, and 197 goals relishing a chance to work under fellow Croatian, coach Lino Cervar • 2015/16 will be his second CL season, having joined from another group phase outfit and SEHA • very versatile player, with ability to play on League finalist HC Meshkov Brest both the right back and right wing position • son of legendary Buducnost player Stanka • has been a member of all the Croatian youth Bozovic national teams

130 GROUP D Skjern Handbold (DEN)

2014/15 was the most successful season in Skjern Handbold’s club history. They took the Danish cup, qualified for the EHF Cup Finals in Berlin, where they finished third, and qualified for the VELUX EHF Champions League for the first time since 2003 as runners-up of the Danish championship. Now the team of coach Ole Nörgaard wants more. However, Skjern lost two of their most prolific back court scorers: Henrik Möllgaard moved to Paris Saint-Germain for one season on loan, while giant shooter joined domestic rivals Bjerringbro.

In a big move of their own, Nörgaard and manager Anders Dahl-Nielsen secured a transfer coup in the form of Norwegian line player Bjarte Myrhol. The transfer from German side Rhein Neckar Löwen brings a huge amount of international experience.

In addition, the club infrastructure was improved by the enforcement of their home fortress, the Skjern Bank Arena, which now has a capacity of 3,200 and opens up much better marketing opportunities. The premiere for the enforced arena was the Danish Super Cup, in which Skjern gave a tough fight to reigning champions KIF Kolding Kobenhavn, losing by a solitary goal, 22:23.

Besides fighting for top spots in the domestic competitions and to qualify again for an EHF European Cup competition, Skjern hope to finish among the top two teams in Group D of the VELUX EHF Champions League, in which they face Metalurg, Zaporozhye, Schaffhausen, Baia Mare and the winner of the qualification tournament. “We hope to win our home matches and to take some important points abroad,” says Dahl Nielsen, who had been coach and director of 2014 VELUX EHF FINAL4 winners Flensburg a number of years ago. Playing hall Skjern Bank Arena The Skjern manager expects “an interesting group with some very strong teams. Kadetten Ranunkelvej 1 Schaffhausen have experience in playing Champions League and it is always a challenge to play in 6900 Skjern Ukraine, FYR Macedonia and Romania.” Denmark Capacity: 2,400 Team captain Thomas Klitgaard estimates the group as a challenging one: “We have to face very difficult opponents, which all have European experience - especially Kadetten, Metalurg and Zaporozhye. It will be some very interesting matches. But we gained a lot of international Club Address: experience from last season, which we hope to benefit from. We will fight hard to advance from the Skjern Handbold group.” Ostergade 40 6900 Skjern Denmark Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Media contact: Past achievements Jette Alstrup Champions League: Danish runners-ups +45 606 602 59 VELUX EHF Champions League [email protected] Newcomers: Magnus Dahl (Kristianstad) Participations (including 2015/16 season): 3 Online information: Markus Olsson (Kristianstad) Bjarte Myrhol (Rhein Neckar Löwen) Last 16 (1): 2003/04 Website: www.skjernhaandbold.dk Group Phase (1): 1999/2000, Facebook: skjernhaandbold Twitter:@SkjernHaandbold Left the club: Frederik Børm (SønderjyskE) Other Kristoffer Laursen (Skanderborg) Challenge Cup: Winners 2001/02, Nikolaj Markussen (Bjerringbro-Silkeborg) 2002/03 Kit colours Henrik Møllgaard (Paris Saint Germain) EHF Cup: Semi-final 2006/07, 2014/15 Light Cup Winners’ Cup: Quarter-final Player shirt: light blue Coach: Ole Nørgaard (since 2012) 2005/06 Player short: black Captain: Thomas Klitgaard Goalkeeper shirt: red Danish league: 2010, 2013 Danish cup: 2012 Super-Cup winner Dark Player shirt: dark blue Player short: dark blue Goalkeeper shirt: lightblue

131 Skjern Handbold (DEN)

Biggest win: 30:20 (18:11) v RK ‘Bosna’ Sarajevo BIH (h), 18.10.2003 Biggest defeat: 24:34 (11:18) v SC Magdeburg GER (a), 20.12.2003 Longest winning run: 1 match (20.11.1999) 1 match (18.10.2003) 1 match (22.11.2003) 1 match (14.12.2003) Longest unbeaten run: 2 matches (11.10.2003 – 18.10.2003) Longest losing run: 3 matches (30.10.1999 – 13.11.1999) Longest run without win: 3 matches (30.10.1999 – 13.11.1999) 3 matches (28.11.1999 – 11.10.2003)

Most goals: 30 v RK ‘Bosna’ Sarajevo BIH 30:20W (h), 18.10.2003 30 v SC Magdeburg GER 30:25W (h), 14.12.2003 Most goals opponent: 34 v SC Magdeburg GER 34:24L (a), 20.12.2003 Most goals both teams: 62 v Fotex KC Veszprém HUN 33:29L (a), 29.11.2003 Fewest goals: 16 v ZTR Zaporozhye UKR 16:20L (h), 13.11.1999 Fewest goals opponent: 20 v ZTR Zaporozhye UKR 16:20L (h), 13.11.1999 20 v RK ‘Bosna’ Sarajevo BIH 30:20W (h), 18.10.2003 Fewest goals both teams: 36 v ZTR Zaporozhye UKR 16:20L (h), 13.11.1999

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

1999/00 Skjern Handball DEN 6 1 0 5 134:150 –16 2:10 4th Gr. C 2003/04 Skjern Handball DEN 8 3 1 4 205:212 -7 7:9 Last 16 Total 14 4 1 9 339:362 +23 9:19

132 Skjern Handbold (DEN)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

14 Emil Siersbæk Bergholt DEN Line Player 25.8.1997 Ringkøbing-Skjern, DEN 190 85 19 Bjarke Fredsted Christensen DEN Left Wing 26.1.1992 Ringkobing-Skjern, DEN 186 82 9 Morten Balling Christensen DEN Left Wing 12.8.1987 Skive, DEN 189 88 12 Magnus Dahl NOR Goalkeeper 28.9.1988 Oslo, NOR 198 100 13 Jacob Lyhne Hansen DEN Left Back 4.5.1995 Esbjerg, DEN 200 94 35 Mathias Gliese Jensen DEN Right Wing 5.3.1997 Lemvig, DEN 182 82 33 Simon Storgaard Jensen DEN Centre Back 1.2.1995 Herning, DEN 190 87 20 Jesper Dahl Jørgensen DEN Right Wing 23.3.1994 Ringkobing-Skjern, DEN 190 87 7 Thomas Klitgaard DEN Line Player 10.12.1977 Aalborg, DEN 195 98 15 Lasse Mikkelsen DEN Centre Back 19.5.1988 Brønderslev, DEN 200 96 18 Bjarte Hakon Myrhol NOR Line Player 29.5.1982e Oslo, NOR 192 96 34 Morten Kirkeby Nielsen DEN Left Back 28.12.1997 Ringkobing-Skjern, DEN 200 96 4 Markus Olsson SWE Left Back 31.3.1990 Karlshamn, SWE 186 90 32 Simon Opstrup DEN Left Wing 5.1.1994 Ringkobing-Skjern, DEN 180 70 26 Simon Overgaard Poulsen DEN Centre Back 11.1.1993 Ringkobing-Skjern, DEN 187 85 21 Rene Toft Brølling Rasmussen DEN Right Wing 29.8.1989 Ringkobing-Skjern, DEN 176 83 22 Kasper Søndergaard Sarup DEN Right Back 9.6.1981 Skive, DEN 192 95 25 Daniel Svensson DEN Centre Back 3.4.1982 Copenhagen, DEN 190 101

1 Søren Pedersen DEN Goalkeeper 20.8.1986 Thistedm, DEN 191 98 16 Jacob Lund Kjaer DEN Goalkeeper 25.11.1992 Herning, DEN 185 81 30 Loke Peter Brasen DEN Goalkeeper 11.12.1997 Herning, DEN 202 92 Average: 25,1 190,5 89,8

Ole Norgaard coach • joined Skjern in the summer of 2012 debuting as the coach of a senior team • previously head of development of talents under the Danish Handball Federation • in his first season he led Skjern to the bronze medals in the Danish league and a ticket in the EHF Cup • calm and analysing coach who is good at making his players understand his plans and ideas

133 Magnus Dahl Bjarke Christensen goalkeeper left wing • joined Skjern from Swedish champions IFK • playing his 10th successive season in Skjern after Kristianstad ahead of the 2015/16 season joining from nearby Tarm Foersom IF • over 50 internationals for Norway guarantees a • total of 67 junior internationals for Denmark, but certain international experience still none at senior level • has also gained international experience from • good from the wing in the established attacking playing in Atletico Madrid, PSG and Wetzlar apart play, but his greatest strength is the counter-attack from the Norwegian clubs Nordstrand, Follo and • turned down an offer from Flensburg in 2013 to Fyllingen extend his contract with Skjern instead • in Skjern, replacing one of the greatest talents in Danish handball, Kristoffer Laursen who has left for league colleagues Skanderborg

Markus Olsson Lasse Mikkelsen left back centre back • just like Norwegian goalkeeper Magnus Dahl, • joined Skjern from league rivals KIF Kolding in the joined from new Swedish champions IFK Kristianstad summer of 2011 ahead of this season • 29 junior internationals, but the senior debut is • said goodbye to Kristianstad in style by scoring still waiting 11 goals in the Swedish championship final against • his 197 cm make him a tall playmaker, and beside Alingsas HK setting up his team’s attacking play, he is also • Skjern is his first club outside Sweden, while dangerous himself with a variety of shots having EHF Cup experience with Kristianstad from • like with so many other back court players, his three previous seasons, the CL will be new to him biggest idol is Nikola Karabatic • in Skjern, replacing 211 cm tall Danish international Nikolaj Markussen who has left for league rivals Bjerringbro Silkeborg

Bjarte Myrhol Thomas Klitgaard line player line player • joined Skjern in the summer of 2015 from Rhein- • in his seventh season in Skjern a key player in the Neckar Löwen central defence as well as on the line in the attack • in August 2011 diagnosed with cancer, a surgery • having started his career in Aalborg, he has had and chemo therapy changed his life foreign adventures in Spanish CBM Galdar and German MT Melsungen • always willing to fight and only two and a half months after the surgery he returned to the court • his skills have earned one international for Denmark as well as one junior international • after leaving first club in Sandefjord, he joined Veszprem, before arriving in Nordhorn and later • not only his age (37), but also his 248 league Mannheim matches for Skjern make him one of the most EC trophies: EHF Cup 2008, 2013 experienced players in the team

Daniel Svensson Rene Rasmussen back right wing • originally a left back and playmaker, but can play • playing his 7th season in succession for Skjern all three positions in the back court line after joining from third league club Raekker Moelle • playing his second season in Skjern after joining • highly reliable wing with a great take-off from the from Bundesliga side TUS-N-Lübecke in 2013 right wing position, fast in counter attacks • has also a career in Spanish handball behind him, • total of 33 junior internationals for Denmark. in Toledo Balonmano • his twin brother Joergen is also a handball player, • physically strong and a passionate fighter who is but on the opposite wing, playing for league rivals not afraid of taking risks in his way of playing and neighbours FC Midtjylland • got cancer in the spring 2013, but managed to be back on the handball court seven months later, fully cured

134 GROUP D HC Motor Zaporozhye (UKR)

The current situation in Ukraine has made things far from easy for for Motor Zaporozhye, but the three-time domestic champions keep their heads held high for the new season in the VELUX EHF Champions League.

Motor’s newcomer Sergiy Shelmenko is even holding some very high hopes to make it to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne: “As a player of Chekhovskie Medvedi I played in Cologne, so I am sure we can succeed with Motor as well.”

Besides Shelmenko, Boris Pukhovskiy from SKA Minsk is the biggest name among the five newcomers in Zaporozhye.

In addition, Motor have a new coach on their bench: Nikolai Stepanec, who replaces Sergej Bebeshko, who had resigned after missing the Last 16 of the previous Champions League season and now took over Belarussian champions and Champions League participant Meshkov Brest.

On the other hand, some well-known faces left Motor such as top shooter Sergyi Onufrienko, who joined French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain, Inal Aflitulin made it to Motor’s group phase opponent Baia Mare (Romania), while Oleg Skopincev went the opposite way of Shelmenko, signing for the Chekhov bears.

Playing hall Despite these losses, Stepanec is confident that “we are ready to fight with any rival of our TEC Terminal group.” Kievskaya 316 07400 Brovary Zaporozhye will face Metalurg, Skjern, Schaffhausen, Baia Mare and the winner of the Ukraine qualification tournament in Group D. “All teams look to be quite equal,” according to Stepanec, Capacity: 3,500 adding: “It is great to be part of the VELUX EHF Champions League again.”

Club Address: HC Motor Zaporozhye Ivanova Str. 24 Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Past achievements 69068 Zaporozhye Champions League: Ukrainian champions Ukraine VELUX EHF Champions League Newcomers: Participations (including 2015/16 Gleb Kalarash (St. Petersburg HC) Media contact: season): 3 Sergiy Shelmenko (Chekhovskie Medvedi) Dmitriy Karpushchenko Last 16 (1): 2013/14 Boris Pukhovskiy (SKA Minsk) +380 50 5581181 Group Phase (1): 2014/15 [email protected] Aidenas Malasinskas (Fraikin BM. Granollers) Serhi Orlovskiy (ZNTU-ZAS Zaporozhye) Other Online information: EHF Cup: Group Phase 2012/13 Left the club: Website: www.handball.motorsich.com Cup Winners’ Cup: Quarter-finals Egor Evdokimov (N/A) Facebook: HC-Motor 2011/12 Oleg Skopincev (Chekhovskie Medvedi) Inal Aflitulin (HCM Baia Mare) Ukrainian league: 3 titles (2013, 2014, Kit colours Alex Pedan (N/A) 2015) Light Richard Stochl (N/A) : 2 titles Player shirt: white/red Sergyi Onufrienko (Paris Saint-Germain Handball) Player short: white Goalkeeper shirt: yellow/black Coach: Nikolay Stepanets (since 2015, successor of Sergey Bebeshko) Dark Captain: Sergey Shelmenko Player shirt: blue Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: red/black

135 HC Motor Zaporozhye (UKR)

Biggest win: 24:18 (14:10) v St. Petersburg HC RUS (a), 21.11.2013 36:30 (16:16) v Aalborg Handball DEN (a), 15.02.2015 Biggest defeat: 44:27 (20:13) v MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN (a), 10.10.2013 Longest winning run: 2 matches (17.11.2013 – 21.11.2013) 2 matches (13.11.2014 – 20.11.2014) Longest unbeaten run: 2 matches (19.09.2013 – 26.09.2013) 2 matches (17.11.2013 – 21.11.2013) 2 matches (13.11.2014 – 20.11.2014) Longest losing run: 6 matches (20.03.2014 – 18.10.2014) Longest run without win: 6 matches (20.03.2014 – 18.10.2014) Most goals: 37 v Kadetten Schaffhausen SUI 32:37W (a), 20.11.2014 Most goals opponent: 44 v MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 44:27L (a), 10.10.2013 Most goals both teams: 71 v MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 44:27L (a), 10.10.2013 Fewest goals: 21 v Dunkerque HB Grand Littoral FRA 21:23L (h), 04.10.2014 Fewest goals opponent: 18 v St. Petersburg HC RUS 18:24W (a), 21.11.2013 Fewest goals both teams: 42 v St. Petersburg HC RUS 18:24W (a), 21.11.2013

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2013/14 HC Motor Zaporozhye UKR 12 4 1 7 333:367 -34 9:15 Last 16 2014/15 HC Motor Zaporozhye UKR 10 3 0 7 283:284 -1 6:14 5th Gr. D Total 22 7 1 14 616:651 -35 15:29

136 HC Motor Zaporozhye (UKR)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

69 Sergii Burka UKR Left Back 9.6.1987 Zaporozhye, UKR 208 110 11 Zakhar Denysov UKR Left Wing 1.3.1990 Ilychevsk, UKR 188 82 32 Vladyslav Dontsov UKR Right Back 22.9.1995 Zaporozhye, UKR 197 94 14 Dmytro Doroshchuk UKR Line Player 29.9.1986 Volyn reg., UKR 198 115 21 Gleb Kalarash RUS Line Player 29.11.1990 Moscow, UKR 205 94 20 Artem Kozakevych UKR Right Wing 2.10.1992 Novovolynsk, UKR 182 68 5 Iurii Kubatko UKR Right Back 28.8.1988 Zaporozhye, UKR 184 78 18 Kostyantyn Kurylenko UKR Left Back 10.7.1980 Zaporozhye, UKR 193 98 7 Aidenas Malasinskas LTU Centre Back 29.4.1986 Lietuva, LTU 189 84 27 Sergii Orlovskyi UKR Left Wing 18.4.1992 Zaporozhye, UKR 188 80 87 Barys Pukhouski BLR Centre Back 3.1.1987 St.Mazorita, BLR 186 100 83 Sergey Shelmenko RUS Right Back 5.4.1983 Kiev, UKR 195 98 10 Olexandr Shevelev UKR Line Player 2.12.1987 Zaporozhye, UKR 200 115 24 Ievgen Zhuk UKR Left Wing 4.8.1990 Zaporozhye, UKR 184 75 2 Stanislav Zhukov UKR Left Back 26.3.1992 Novovolynsk, UKR 198 94

55 Gennadiy Komok UKR Goalkeeper 5.7.1987 Zaporozhye, UKR 196 96 1 Valentyn Koshovy UKR Goalkeeper 5.2.1981 Zaporozhye, UKR 200 90 23 Yevgen Sapun UKR Goalkeeper 11.6.1985 Zaporozhye, UKR 185 85 Average: 27,55 193,1 92

Nikolay Stepanets coach • not a new face in Motor as he worked as their assistant coach in the past • in role of an interim coach he won two Ukrainian championship titles and also had his debut in the CL in their last two group phase • convinced the Motor’s managers to give him a chance to start the 2015/16 season as head coach • Kiev born, 50-year-old coached also domestic rivals Budivelnik Brovary and also steered Etoual Sportiv du Sahel to Tunisian league silver and the League Cup in 2007 • as Motor play in Brovary in the 2015/16 season, Stepanets returns where he made his first steps as a coach

137 Gennadiy Komok Ievgen Zhuk goalkeeper left wing • talented goalie last play the CL in the 2011/12 • promising Ukrainian prospect on the left wing season with Russian St.Petersburg, in the only year • after a few seasons in Burevestnik Lugansk he he spent abroad returned to his mother club • raised in Zaporozhye , he was number one • after Skopintsev left for Chekhov he should get goalkeeper in the team of city rivals ZTR, multiple CL more prominence on the playing court participant • scored 12 goals in two CL seasons with Motor • helped ZTR to win five national titles • has exellent accelaration and can surprise • a key player in the national team of Ukraine on with hard shots even from a back court position the way for their last major tournament EHF EURO 2010, currently taking a break for the national team

Sergey Burka Aidenas Malasinskas left back centre back • the tallest (208 cm) player of the Ukrainian • joined Motor in the summer of 2015, but championship joined Motor in 2012 from the city quickly became a key element in Motor rivals of ZTR • Lithuanian international has no problems with • collected four national titles with his former language barrier speaking Russian as well as all team club ZTR and added two with Motor of Motor • together with his current teammate Shevelev • played also for Kaunas clubs Lusis and was among players of the national team of Ukraine Granitas-Karys in his homeland followed by at their last major tournament - EHF EURO 2010 stints with Irun Bidasoa, Fraikin BM. Granollers, Naturhouse La Rioja • since then he has been a regular fixture in the Ukrainian selection • came from BM Puerto Sagunto and finished third in the ASOBAL top scorers list in the 2014/15 season

Barys Pukhouski Olexandr Shevelev centre back line player • moved to Motor Zaporozhye from SKA Minsk • one of not too many Ukrainians who played in in the summer of 2015 the European leagues recently • spent the end of the last season at his home • arrived from Dinamo Minsk (BLR), but played club SKA after leaving Hungary’s Csurgo for family in Astrakhan, Aalborg and in service of Ciudad Real reasons scored his first goals in the CL in 2011 • also had an experience of playing for Dinamo • his premiere appearance in the CL was in the Minsk in the past 2006/07 season with Ukrainian club Portovik • one of the leaders and the best all-time scorer • experience and physical strength make him a (571 goals) of the Belarus national team crucial figure in the center of defence and attack

Sergey Shelmenko Artem Kozakevich right back right wing • born in Ukraine and played for the national • Motor’s long hunt for one of the most talented team, but then acquired Russian citizenship and players in Ukraine was successfully completed in opted to play for Russia 2014 after the winger from Portovik Yuzhniy signed • after a number of seasons at Medvedi, • his dream to score first goals in the CL came Shelmenko left the team for Dinamo Minsk, but was true in the 2014/15 season unlucky as this club ceased to exist • shares the position with Yuriy Kubatko and • came back to Russia where he spent the rest is considered as one of the main specialists for of the 2013/14 season at St.Petersburg penalties • after a short second stint with Medvedi he signed for Motor in the summer of 2015

138 GROUP D Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI) After narrowly missing the VELUX EHF Champions League Last 16 last season, eight-time Swiss champions Kadetten Schaffhausen have their sights set on reaching the knockout stages again this time around, like they did in 2011 and 2012. Coached by former German international and world champion Markus Baur (coach of the German junior national team as well), Kadetten bolstered their squad for their ninth participation in Europe’s elite club competition since 2005.

In addition to four talents from their youth programme, the biggest newcomer is Austrian international Nikola Marinovic. The goalkeeper arrives from German club Frisch Auf Göppingen and replaces young German Jonas Maier, who left for TBV Lemgo alongside Swedish line player Anton Mansson.

In Marko Mamic (Dunkerque) and Rares Jurca (Basle), two more experienced players left Schaffhausen. (Pfadi Winterthur) is the biggest signing from within the domestic league.

The summer transfers gives manager Gabor Vass confidence that they can progress from Group D (opponents: Metalurg, Skjern, Baia Mare and Elverum). In his opinion, the VELUX EHF Champions League is “the most important international competition. Each participation shows every top club in Europe how they have developed.”

Team captain David Graubner shares the hopes of making it through from the first stage: “As simple as it sounds, as hard it will be: the objective for the next season is to qualify for the next round. Therefore, we want to finish the group phase in position one or two.” Playing hall BBC Arena In Graubner’s opinion “the teams in our group are equally strong, which makes it difficult to Schweizersbildstr. 10 say who is going to qualify for the next stage. We expect a lot of tight games and hope to be 8207 Schaffhausen strong enough in crunch time.” Switzerland Capacity: 3,000 Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Past achievements Champions League: Swiss champions Club Address: VELUX EHF Champions League Kadetten Schaffhausen Coach: Markus Baur (since 2013) Participations (including 2015/16 Schweizersbildstrasse 10 Captain: David Graubner season): 9 8207 Schaffhausen Last 16 (2): 2010/11, 2011/12 Switzerland Newcomers: Group Phase (5): 2005/06, 2006/07, Nikola Marinovic (Frisch auf Göppingen) 2007/08, 2012/13, 2014/15) Media contact: Luka Maros (Pfadi Winterthur) Qualification (1): 2009/10 Barbara Imobersteg Johan Koch (TV Emsdetten) +41 787203247 Christoffer Brännberger (Haslum Handballklub) Other [email protected] Albin Alili (Kadetten Espoirs) EHF Cup: final 2009/10 (Kadetten Espoirs) Cup Winners’ Cup: semi-final: 2007/08 Online information: Zoran Markovic (Kadetten Espoirs) Website: www.kadettensh.ch Kaj Stokholm (Kadetten Espoirs) Swiss league: 8 titles (2005, 2006, 2007, Twitter:@kadettensh 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015) Facebook: kadettensh Left the club: : 7 titles Jonas Maier (TBV Lemgo) Anton Mansson (TBV Lemgo) Kit colours Marko Mamic (Dunkerque) Light Rares Jurca (RTV Basel) Player shirt: orange Ruben Schelbert (N/A) Player short: black Benjamin Geisser (St. Otmar St. Gallen) Goalkeeper shirt: yellow Leszek Starczan (NLB Espoirs) Dark Player shirt: black Player short: orange Goalkeeper shirt: green

139 Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI)

Biggest win: 43:18 (23:08) v HC Bosna BH Gas Sarajevo BIH (h), 09.02.2012 Biggest defeat: 25:36 (13:19) v FC Barcelona Intersport ESP (a), 01.12.2012 2 matches (28.11.2010 – 05.12.2010) 2 matches (19.02.2011 – 23.02.2011) 2 matches (09.02.2012 – 16.02.2012) Longest unbeaten run: 2 matches (06.10.2007 – 13.10.2007) 2 matches (28.11.2010 – 05.12.2010) 2 matches (19.02.2011 – 23.02.2011) 2 matches (09.02.2012 – 16.02.2012) 2 matches (05.10.2014 – 09.10.2014) 2 matches (04.12.2014 – 12.02.2015) Longest losing run: 4 matches (06.10.2011 – 17.11.2011) 4 matches (17.10.2012 – 01.12.2012) Longest run without win: 5 matches (25.11.2007 – 14.10.2010) 5 matches (18.10.2014 – 04.12.2014) Most goals: 43 v HC Bosna BH Gas Sarajevo BIH 43:18W (h), 09.02.2012 Most goals opponent: 40 v Füchse Berlin GER 35:40L (h), 14.02.2013 Most goals both teams: 75 v Füchse Berlin GER 35:40L (h), 14.02.2013 Fewest goals: 22 v Portland San Antonio ESP 31:22L (a), 15.10.2005 22 v SC Pick Szeged HUN 22:23L (h), 11.11.2006 Fewest goals opponent: 18 v HC Bosna BH Gas Sarajevo BIH 43:18W (h), 09.02.2012 Fewest goals both teams: 45 v SC Pick Szeged HUN 22:23L (h), 11.11.2006

VELUX EHF Champions League record

MP W T L GF GA GD PTS Stage

2005/06 Kadetten Schaffhausen SUI 6 1 1 4 160:181 -21 3:9 3rd Gr. G 2006/07 Kadetten Schaffhausen SUI 6 2 1 3 168:169 -1 5:7 3rd Gr. B 2007/08 Kadetten Schaffhausen GCZ SUI 6 2 1 3 179:174 +5 5:7 3rd Gr. C 2010/11 Kadetten Schaffhausen SUI 12 5 1 6 362:376 -14 11:13 1/8-finals 2011/12 Kadetten Schaffhausen SUI 12 5 0 7 366:345 +21 10:14 1/8-finals 2012/13 Kadetten Schaffhausen SUI 10 2 0 8 284:330 –46 4:16 6th Gr. D 2014/15 Kadetten Schaffhausen SUI 10 2 2 6 264:297 –33 6:14 6th Gr. D Total 62 19 6 37 1783:1872 -89 44:80

140 Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

22 Albin Alili SUI Left Back 1.6.1996 Frauenfeld, SUI 196 94 10 Christoffer Brännberger SWE Line Player 29.12.1990 Farsta, SWE 200 105 17 Gabor Csaszar HUN Centre Back 16.6.1984 Celldömölk, HUN 188 94 3 Nikola Cvijetic SUI Right Wing 1.12.1989 Schaffhausen, SUI 183 83 8 David Graubner SUI Left Back 29.5.1984 Moosseedorf, SUI 194 93 21 Johan Koch DEN Line Player 29.11.1990 Svendborg, DEN 185 91 6 Dimitrij Küttel SUI Right Back 18.2.1994 Gersau, SUI 192 90 5 Manuel Liniger SUI Left Wing 10.9.1981 Winterthur, SUI 180 76 19 Zoran Markovic SUI Left Back 6.5.1995 Schaffhausen, SUI 197 92 20 Luka Maros SUI Left Back 20.3.1994 Zürich, SUI 196 88 2 Lucas Meister SUI Line Player 16.8.1996 Basel, SUI 197 100 22 Sergio Muggli SUI Centre Back 6.7.1993 Zürich, SUI 178 78 9 Andrija Pendic SUI Centre Back 12.3.1987 Arbon, SUI 190 90 Filip Pendic SUI Line Player 20.8.1988 Krusevac, SRB 190 95 7 Markus Richwien GER Right Wing 5.7.1985 Magdeburg, GER 186 84 11 Leszek Starczan POL Left Wing 28.11.1977 Olesnica, POL 183 90 14 Aleksandar Stojanovic SRB Right Back 22.6.1983 Jagodina, SRB 197 103 SLO Right Wing 26.3.1991 Luzern, SUI 190 88

12 Nikola Marinovic AUT Goalkeeper 29.8.1976 Belgrad, SRB 198 100 1 SUI Goalkeeper 19.11.1993 Bern, SUI 194 90 16 Kaj Stokholm SUI Goalkeeper 15.4.1995 Zürich, SUI 195 100 Average: 26,52 190,9 91,6

Markus Baur coach • one of the most prolific playmakers ever in Germany and was part of the “golden generation“ • as a player was “the extended arm” of coach Heiner Brand, so it was obvious that he would become a coach • started his coaching career at his former club Lemgo and in 2012 became part of the coaching staff of the German federation • 2014 was his most successful year as a coach, leading Kadetten to the Swiss championship and cup title and the German juniors to gold at the Men’s 20 EHF EURO

EC trophies: EHF Cup: 2006 OG: S 2004, WCh: G 2007, S 2003, EURO: G 2004, S 2002, B 1998

141 Nikola Marinovic Nikola Portner coach goalkeeper • for more than ten years the number 1 of the • quite international - born in France and Austrian national team goalkeeping number 1 of the Swiss national team • was born in Belgrade, but changed the • his father Zlatko was a famous handball player citizenship to Austrian in 2004 in ex-Yugoslavia • his first CL start with Austrian side Bregenz • had his first match in the Swiss league at the age of 17 • later transferred to various German clubs (Wetzlar, Balingen and Göppingen) • joined Kadetten in summer 2014, but after two seasons he leaves for Montpellier • Joined Kadetten before the 2015/16 season to replace Jonas Maier • Austrian handball player of the year in 2007

Manuel Liniger David Graubner left wing left back • experienced wing player had been part of the • Swiss international is one of the most successful Kadetten team from 2007 until 2010 experienced players in the Kadetten squad • twice semi-finalist of the Cup Winners’ • already played seven years for Schaffhausen Cup (becoming top scorer of the competition in until 2012, before he joined German side 2008/09) and finalist in the EHF Cup 2009/10 Großwallstadt, but returned one year later • started his career in Winterthur and also had • like Liniger part of the Kadetten team, which spell at German sides Wilhelmshaven, Lemgo and made it to three EC semi-finals, including the final of Balingen the EHF Cup in 2010, when they lost against Lemgo, former club of their coach Markus Baur • one of the all time top scorers of Swiss national team with over 800 goals • six-time Swiss champion

Gabor Csaszar Johan Koch centre back line player • had played professional handball in five • had been playing for German side Emsdetten different countries: Hungary, Denmark, Spain, before he joined Kadetten at the start of the France and now Switzerland 2015/16 season • joined Kadetten in the middle of the 2014/15 • replaces Swedish line player Anton Mansson, season, arriving from French powerhouse PSG Paris who left for Lemgo (Germany) • the playmaker of the Hungarian national team • had been teammate of Mikkel Hansen in his first club GOG Svendborg • part of two Olympic Games (2004, 2012) with Hungary, each time to finish fourth • played three years for current Swedish champions Kristianstad until 2013, before he moved • national champion in Hungary and Switzerland to Germany

Dimitrij Küttel Markus Richwien right back right wing • had 99 appearances in the Swiss youth and • German is the only current Kadetten player, junior national teams, scoring an overall of 341 goals who was part of a VELUX EHF FINAL4 tournament, playing at Cologne with Füchse Berlin in 2012 • had his debut in the Swiss men’s national team in 2014 • born in Magdeburg, he went through all youth teams of former CL winner SCM • belong to the successful Swiss junior team, which now is an integral part of the men’s team • in 2007 joined Füchse Berlin, where he became German international – debuting against • arrived from Aarau at Schaffhausen Switzerland in 2008 • shares the right back position with more • after winning the German cup and making it experienced Alexandar Stojanovic to the EHF Cup Finals on home court in 2014, signied for Kadetten, his first club abroad

142 GROUP D HCM Baia Mare (ROU) After 16 years, a men’s team from Baia Mare is back in the Champions League - in 1998 and 1999 they played the 1/16 round and came up short twice under their old name Minaur Baia Mare. HCM is, apart from HC Vardar, the only club with a male and a female Champions League participant. For the third time they became Romanian champions and by winning this they ended the long series of trophies for HCM Constanta. In Group D, Baia Mare will face Metalurg, Skjern, Zaporozhye, Schaffhausen and the winner of the Qualification Tournament - Elverum Handball Herrer.

Ivan Karacic arrives from Meshkov Brest, former Veszprem wing Tamas Ivancsik joined the Romanian side as well as his former team mate Uros Vilovski, Inal Aflitulin arrived from their opponents Zaporozhye and Vladislav Ostroushko from Hungarian side Csurgoi. Romanian champions have benefitted greatly from their Danish born coach Lars Walther, who had been coaching clubs in Denmark, Germany, Slovenia and Italy, before he took over Wisla Plock from 2010 to 2013 to lead them to the Polish championship and the VELUX EHF Champions League.

Since 2014, Walther has been Baia Mare’s coach. He expects tight games in their group with his country fellows from Skjern being the favourites for the top position: “Skjern, Kadetten, Motor and Metalurg are teams with a lot of Champions League experience, we are a potential underdog. “But we are here to learn. It is very important for us to show Europe that interesting things are happening in Romanian handball and especially in Baia Mare.”

Manager Liviu Bala hopes to gain international experience too: “Coming back to play in major Playing hall Sala Polivalenta Lascar Pana European club competition is a great honour for us. It is our aim to gain experience and to Bd. Unirii Nr.14 A qualify for the Last 16.” 430272 Baia Mare - Maramures Romania To reach this goal, team captain Viorel Fotache wants to focus on the home strength of his Capacity: 2,080 team: “Our aim is to try and win our home games because the away game will be difficult for us due to our lack of experience. Kadetten are the team with the most experience in our group and I am sure they will be in first place by the end of the Group Phase.”

Club Address: Unfortunately for Walther, two key players missed the season preparation - Antonio Pribanic HCM Baia Mare and Karacic are injured, but both are supposed to be back on track for the start of the Str. Valea Rosie 26 Champions League season. 4800 Baia Mare - Maramures Romania Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Past achievements Media contact: Champions League: Romanian champions Paul Ursachi VELUX EHF Champions League +40 757 275 832 Coach: Lars Walther since 2014 Participations (including 2015/16 [email protected] Captain: Viorel Fotache season): 1 Online information: Newcomers: Other Website: www.minaur.ro Uros Vilovski (Balatonfüredi) Challenge Cup: Quarter-final 2003/04, Facebook: hcminaur Tamas Ivancsik (Balatonfüredi) Ivan Karacic (Meshkov Brest) 2004/05 Ionut Ramba (HC Odorhei) EHF Cup: Round 3 2005/06 Kit colours Vladislav Ostroushko (Csurgoi KK) Romanian league: 3 titles (1998, 1999, Light Cristi Ghita (Selestat) Inal Aflitulin (HC Motor) 2015) Player shirt: blue-white Romanian Cup: 5 titles Player short: blue-white Albert Cristescu (HCM Constanta) Goalkeeper shirt: multicolour Left the club: Dark Steffen Stegavik (Elverum) Player shirt: yellow Nikola Eklemovic (retired) Player short: yellow Andrei Grasu (CSA Steaua) Goalkeeper shirt: multicolour Patricio Martinez Chavez (retired) Ivan Milas () Cristian Malmagro (Naturhouse La Rioja) Daniel Muresan (retired)

143 HCM Baia Mare (ROU)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

13 Inal Aflitulin RUS Centre Back 22.3.1988 Astrakhan, RUS 182 82 73 Daniel Bera ROU Left Wing 26.5.1990 Fagaras, ROU 181 81 11 Mihai Ionut Busecan ROU Line Player 1.6.1987 Baia Mare, ROU 195 105 55 Albert Georgian Cristescu ROU Line Player 30.5.1992 Moreni, ROU 194 97 15 Viorel Fotache ROU Left Back 15.5.1989 Galati, ROU 197 106 13 Radu Cristian Ghita ROU Right Back 22.11.1990 Bacau, ROU 189 92 9 Tamas Ivancsik HUN Right Wing 3.4.1983 Györ, HUN 179 75 18 Ivan Karacic BIH Centre Back 26.5.1985 Mostar, BIH 190 93 20 Tudor Mihai Marta ROU Right Wing 1.2.1988 Baia Mare, ROU 180 79 21 Bogdan Patru Mihai ROU Right Back 21.6.1982 Botosani, ROU 198 99 32 Vladislav Ostroushko UKR Left Back 5.3.1986 Cherkasy, UKR 202 101 7 Andrei Mihai Popescu ROU Centre Back 16.9.1989 Baia Mare, ROU 183 87 14 Antonio Pribanic CRO Line Player 13.12.1987 Rijeka, CRO 185 95 8 Ionut Ramba ROU Left Back 8.2.1991 Fagaras, ROU 198 100 25 Alexandru Sabou ROU Left Wing 20.4.1982 Baia Mare, ROU 189 89 17 Marius Sadoveac ROU Right Wing 7.5.1985 Timisoara, ROU 193 88 Paul Andrei Simulescu ROU 12.6.1995 23 Uros Vilovski HUN Line Player 25.2.1984 Senta, SRB 197 103

1 Razvan Mihai Pop ROU Goalkeeper 20.6.1985 Baia Mare, ROU 188 90 12 Peter Tatai HUN Goalkeeper 23.6.1983 Györ, HUN 195 98 Average: 28,25 190,3 92,6

Lars Walther coach • his best CL performance is the Last 16, with Slovenian powerhouse Gorenje Velenje, in 2006 • a local hero in Baia Mare, Walther led HCM to a historic double, the second in the club’s history and the first after 16 years • as a player made a trip through Europe, playing for a number of Danish clubs and for sides from Germany, Portugal, and Iceland • in 2000 started his coaching career at Virum Sorgenfri in Denmark, followed by stints at Roskilde, SG Flensburg-Handewitt, Velenje, Hildesheim, Conversano, Emsdetten and Orlen Wisła Płock

144 Peter Tatai Alexandru Sabou goalkeeper left wing • after leaving Pick Szeged in 2014, Tatai won his • born and raised in Baia Mare, Sabou made his first Romanian championship title with HCM Baia comeback after a seven-year exile in Constanta Mare in the 2014/15 season • integral part of HCM’s team which won their • Hungarian reached the CL semi-final with first title after a 16-year hiatus, it was his dream as a Veszprem in 2006, where he also claimed the Cup little boy to see Baia Mare win the championship Winners’ Cup and two Hunagarian league titles • with six Romanian championships and seven • his amazing saves have earned him a special Romanian Cups, is one of the most decorated place in the hearts of Baia Mare’s fans Romanian players ever

EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2008, EHF Cup 2014 EC trophies: EHF Cup 2002

Ionut Ramba Inal Aflitulin left back centre back • has three silver medals in the Romanian • very technical player, with a high handball IQ, championship with Stiinta Bacau, but left the club in he became an instant fan-favourite in Baia Mare bad terms, after a falling-out with the coach after his arrival from Zaporozhye in 2015 • his dream is to play in Bundesliga, he had • Astrakhan-born started playing in the youth several offers, but Bacau declined all of them team of Chekhovskie Medvedi and in 2011 he transferred to Motor • after a stint in HC Odorhei, where he won the Challenge Cup, he left for Baia Mare • has 15 games in the Russian national team and has played in the EHF EURO 2014 • his idol is Siarhei Rutenka, the legendary Belarussian left back • named the MVP of the Men’s 19 European Open in Sweden in 2007 EC trophies: Challenge Cup 2015

Antonio Pribanic Uros Vilovski line player line player • defensive specialist, has already played two • has been Tamas Ivancsik’s teammate in seasons in the CL with Pick Szeged Veszprem and Balatonfüredi • admits he knew nothing about HCM before his • came to Baia Mare after Nikola Eklemovic, arrival, but after one year he says that Baia Mare is a the former Veszprem and Baia Mare player, perfect city for him recommended him to sign with HCM • had trouble learning Romanian, but says he is • the Hungarian press branded Vilovski as a getting better day by day “guardian angel”, after he saved Zarko Sesum’s and Ivan Pesic’s life, after an incident in Veszprem which • being born in Rijeka, a port at the Adriatic Sea, cost the life of Romanian Marian Cozma his favourite hobbies are fishing, scubadiving and navigating EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2008, Champions Trophy 2008

Marius Sadoveac Tamas Ivancsik right back right wing • versatile left-hander plied his trade as a right • former teammate with Tatai and Vilovski in wing at HCM Constanta, but he seldom plays on the Veszprem, is Baia Mare’s most decorated player, wing in Baia Mare with seven Hungarian championships, six Hungarian Cups and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 2008 • played six years for Constanta, winning six titles and four Romanian Cups • his older brother, Gergö plays for Veszprem, while younger brother Adam is in Tatabanya KC • even if he was seen as a huge talent, he did not leave his home town, Timisoara, until he was 23, • played eight consecutive seasons in the CL as he did not believe he could adapt in another town (2007-2014), scoring at least 11 goals in each • married to a successful lawyer with whom he shares the exact date of birth EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2008, Champions Trophy 2008

145 Elverum Handball Herrer (NOR)

A six year long wait and their absence is no more - Norwegian handball is back in the VELUX EHF Champions League. After Fyllingen was the last team to be part of the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase in the 2009/10 season, now Elverum put Norway back on the map after two wins at the qualification tournament in Banja Luka against the OCI Lions (Netherlands) and Alpla Hard (Austria). Two years ago, the club located close to Hamar and Gjövik failed qualify against Porto after becoming Norwegian champions for the first time, now they made their dream come true, right before the club’s 70th anniversary in 2016. It is reported that more than 3,000 fans came to the outdoor matches in the 1960’s, so Elverum have a long handball tradition.

The mastermind behind the recent success is the only player-coach among the 28 Champions League participants: Swedish playmaker Michael Apelgren. Apelgren gained Champions League experience in Sävehof, and took over the coaches’ position in 2014 continuing on from current Norwegian national team coach , who is still part of Elverum’s coaching’ staff. In the 2013/14 season - after coming up short in the Champions League qualification - the biggest international success so far for the almost all-Scandinavian squad was making it to the group phase of the EHF Cup. Now they hope for more sold-out matches in their arena, when they host their Group D opponents.

Some of their more experience players like former team captain Leonel Ojala ended their career after becoming champions in spring, so Apelgren’s team is quite fresh. Now the whole club is eagerly awaiting their first ever Champions League Group Phase match against Swiss champions Schaffhausen. It is the goal of EHH to “develop the players and to put the club up there with the best names in handball. After our dream came true, we want to make the best Playing hall of playing in the Champions League.” Terningen Arena Hamarvegen 112 Nicolaj Mehl, right back in the squad, and, in addition, part of the club management, hopes 2418 Elverum that his club can “show Europe that the Norwegian league is better than the people believe. Norway Being part of the Champions League is a really big thing for us and Norwegian handball. Capacity: 2,400 “Though we face really good teams in the group phase, we hope to be lucky enough to cause some surprises on home ground.” Team captain Morten Nergaard shares those expectations: Club Address: “We want to make it difficult for all teams to beat us. Our club has dreamt of being part of the Elverum Handball Herrer Champions League for so many years, so now we are eager to get things started. We have a lot Postboks 295 of respect for our opponents and their great players, and we are really happy to host them in 2403 Elverum Norway.” Norway

Media contact: Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Erik Henriksen Champions League: Norwegian champions, Past achievements +47 400 21299 winner of the Qualification Tournament [email protected] VELUX EHF Champions League Coach: Michael Apelgren (since 2014) Participations (including 2015/16 Online information: Captain: Morten Neergaard season): 2 Website: www.ehh.no Qualification (1): 2013/14 Facebook: elverumhandball Newcomers: Twitter:@ElverumHandball Lars Norberg (Kolstad) Other David Wattström (Anderstorp SK) Cup Winners’ Cup: Quarter-final Petter Överby (Nötteröy) 2010/11 Kit colours Jörgen Jansrud (Falk Horten) EHF Cup: Group Phase 2012/13 Light Steffen Stegavik (Baia Mare) Player shirt: white Norwegian league: 3 titles (2009, 2013, Player short: black Left the club: 2015) Goalkeeper shirt: yellow Leonel Ojala (end of career) Henri Auer (end of career) Dark Kjetil Aanestad (end of career) Player shirt: black Jörgen Bakke (Varberg) Player short: black Rolf Sandberg (end of career) Goalkeeper shirt: green Erik Hallberg (Charlottenlund) Martin Karlsson (RP IF Linköping)

146 Elverum Handball Herrer (NOR)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height Weight

9 Michael Apelgren SWE Centre Back 20.8.1984 Stockholm, SWE 181 87 4 Karl Anders Victor Björkman SWE Right Wing 7.10.1983 Varnamo, SWE 180 80 7 Aleksander Borresen NOR Line Player 30.8.1985 Baerum, NOR 206 111 18 Jonas Burud NOR Right Wing 20.10.1993 Oslo, NOR 195 95 19 Hakon Bratvold Ekren NOR Centre Back 10.7.1994 Elverum, NOR 186 97 3 Torbjörn Fredriksen Eide NOR Left Back 27.11.1990 Melhus, NOR 193 95 14 Joergen Jansrud NOR Left Back 23.7.1996 Eidskog, NOR 195 93 15 Andre Lindboe NOR Left Wing 3.11.1988 Tonsberg, NOR 186 80 2 Didrik W. Linderud NOR Right Wing 7.12.1995 Oslo, NOR 183 87 11 Nikolaj Mehl DEN Right Back 3.8.1984 Struer, DEN 190 98 20 Luka Mitrovic SRB Left Back 17.5.1987 Vrsac, SRB 192 85 87 Morten Nergaard NOR Goalkeeper 26.2.1987 Elverum, NOR 189 92 10 Lars Nordberg NOR Back 23.4.1982 Elverum, NOR 197 100 24 Vegard Bakken Oeien NOR Goalkeeper 8.7.1994 Elverum, NOR 190 100 24 Petter Överby NOR Line Player 26.3.1992 Kongsvinger, NOR 200 110 21 Steffen Stormo Stegavik NOR Centre Back 30.11.1983 Trondheim, NOR 183 90 17 Erik Thorsteinsen Toft NOR Left Back 14.11.1992 Elverum, NOR 192 80 Average: 26,11 190,5 92,9

Michael Apelgren coach • joined Elverum as playing head coach ahead of the 2014/15 season • succeeded former Norwegian international Christian Berge, as Berge became national team coach of Norway • was a successful playmaker for Puerto Sagunto in the Spanish Liga Asobal before joining Elverum • as a player, he has also represented BM Granollers as well as several Swedish clubs • has five Swedish championships as a player • played five internationals for Sweden in his playing days.

147 Morten Nergaard Andre Lindboe goalkeeper left wing • has spent far most of his career in Elverum, • born in the women’s handball stronghold had a short foreign adventure by Danish Aalborg in Larvik played for four other Norwegian clubs before 2012 he joined Elverum in 2011 (Halsen, Larvik, Fram, Sandefjord) • played eight internationals for Norway • made a debut in the national team of Norway • one of the Elverum players who has European in April 2011 against Germany experience from the 2012/13 CL qualification and the EHF Cup Group Phase • took part at the EHF EURO 2014 scoring seven goals in three matches

Erik Toft Thorsteinsson Luka Mitrovic left back left back • versatile back court player, and though being • a versatile Serbian back court player who can right handed, he can actually play all three back also play the playmaker position which he has done court positions in several of his previous clubs • has always played in Elverum, the place where • playing his second season with Elverum after he was also born joining from Danish Norsjaelland Haandbold in the summer of 2014 • had his debut in Elverum’s league team already at the age of 16. • has played ten senior internationals for Serbia • is not the only famous name in his family, as • came from Metaloplastika Sabac in his his mother is in charge of a well-known Norwegian homeland originally, but before joining Elverum, TV program he played three years in Denmark (Nordsjaelland, Aalborg and Skive FH) • played 27 junior internationals for Norway

Hakon Bratvold Ekren Petter Överby centre back line player • has played all his handball career in Elverum • joined Elverum ahead of the 2015/16 season from league rivals Notteroy signing a two-year • played one senior international and 17 junior contract with an option for a further year internationals for Norway. • played 12 senior internationals for Norway, • physically strong player and an inventive including the EHF EURO 2016 qualifiers against playmaker, his idol used to be another quite Croatia inventive playmaker, Ivano Balic • by joining Elverum, he left his younger brother • apart from being good at organising his team’s Henrik who was among his teammates in Notteroy attacking play, he is also good at seeking his own chance by breaking through the opponents’ defence • strong and solid pivot who is good at making room on the line and with a fine scoring percentage from the line.

Nikolaj Mehl Karl Anders Björkman right back right wing • playing his second season in Elverum after • on his second stay with Elverum after a trip joining from league rivals Drammens HK in the back to his homeland Sweden to play for league club summer of 2014 H43 Lund from 2010-2012 • has been playing in Norway since 2012 • came originally from Anderstorps SK in the second Swedish league • has a past career in the Danish league clubs Team Tvis Holstebro and Lemvig Thyboron as well as • sustained a knee injury in last season´s second league club Faaborg HK Norwegian play-off final against Bodo, but was expected fit for the start of the 2015/16 season • has an academy exam in international trade and marketing

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140917_UNQ_Handball_A4.indd 1 9/18/14 14:29 PM 2014/15 Top Scorers

Rank Player Club Goals 1 Momir Ilic (SRB) MKB-MVM Veszprém (HUN) 114 2 Kiril Lazarov (MKD) FC Barcelona (ESP) 106 3 Mikkel Hansen (DEN) Paris Saint-Germain Handball (FRA) 103 4 Karol Bielecki (POL) KS Vive Tauron Kielce (POL) 92 5 Timur Dibirov (RUS) HC Vardar (MKD) 78 6 Zsolt Balogh (HUN) MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN) 76 Marko Vujin (SRB) THW Kiel (GER) 76 8 Nikola Karabatic (FRA) FC Barcelona (ESP) 75 9 Igor Karacic (CRO) HC Vardar (MKD) 74 10 Alex Dujshebaev (ESP) HC Vardar (MKD) 73 11 Dragan Gajic (SLO) Montpellier Agglomeration HB (FRA) 71 Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson (ISL) FC Barcelona (ESP) 71 13 Dean Bombac (SLO) MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN) 69 14 Bo Dybdal Spellerberg (DEN) KIF Kolding Kobenhavn (DEN) 66 15 Uwe Gensheimer (GER) Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) 65 Zlatko Horvat (CRO) HC PPD Zagreb (CRO) 65 17 Alexander Dereven (RUS) Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS) 62 Thomas Mogensen (DEN) SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) 62 19 Renato Sulic (CRO) MKB-MVM Veszprém (HUN) 60 20 Dmitry Zhitnikov (RUS) Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS) 59

2014/15 All-Star Team

150 Past Winners

2015 FC Barcelona (ESP)

2014 SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER)

2013 HSV Hamburg (GER)

2012 THW Kiel (GER)

2011 FC Barcelona Borges (ESP)

2010 THW Kiel (GER)

2009 BM Ciudad Real (ESP)

2008 BM Ciudad Real (ESP)

2007 THW Kiel (GER)

2006 BM Ciudad Real (ESP)

2005 FC Barcelona-Cifec (ESP)

2004 RK Celje Pivovarna Laško (SLO)

2003 Montpellier HB (FRA)

2002 SC Magdeburg (GER)

2001 Portland San Antonio (ESP)

2000 FC Barcelona (ESP)

1999 FC Barcelona (ESP)

1998 FC Barcelona (ESP)

1997 FC Barcelona (ESP)

1996 FC Barcelona (ESP)

1995 Elgorriaga Bidasoa (ESP)

1994 TEKA Santander (ESP)

151 History: 22 years of EHF Champions League 1993 – 2005

1993/94 1999/00 Final: ABC Braga vs TEKA Santander 22:22/21:23 (43:45) Final: THW Kiel – FC Barcelona 28:25 / 24:29 (52:54) The inaugural year of the Men’s EHF Champions League saw the THW Kiel became the first German team to make it into the Final but classic home and away knockout matches being replaced with a even a 28:25-victory in the final’s first leg was not enough to end totally new system. 32 teams went into two qualification rounds, Barcelona’s EHF Champions League winning streak. Backed by half eliminating 24 clubs. The remaining eight teams were placed into of the Spanish national team and international stars like Christian two groups of four teams each playing in a round-robin system. TEKA Schwarzer and , Barcelona won their fifth title. Santander and ABC Braga topped their respective groups and faced each other in the final. Santander narrowly kept the upper hand and started what should become an eight-year Spanish club winning 2000/01 streak in the Men’s EHF Champions League. Final: Portland San Antonio – FC Barcelona 30:24 / 22:25 (52:49) For Barcelona it was a whole new feeling to watch another team celebrating at the end of the Champions League Final. Following five 1994/95 consecutive titles an era came to end when Spanish King Juan Carlos Final: Elgorriaga Bidasoa Irun vs Badel Zagreb 30:20 / 26:27 (56:47) handed the huge tropy to Portland San Antonio at the end of all- The final of the EHF Champions League’s second season became the Spanish Final. match of a lifetime for Irun’s Nenad Perunicic, nicknamed “the canon” or “Il Conquistadore” by the fans. He was his team’s key player in the final and, in his first year in Spain, not only he lifted the EHF 2001/02 Champions League but also the national championship trophy with Final: Fotex Veszprem vs SC Magdeburg 23:21 / 25:30 (48:51) Irun. One year after Barcelona’s dominance had ended in the EHF Champions League, the dominance of Spanish clubs also came to an end, when SC Magdeburg became the first German team to win 1995/96 the competition. And late at night, at the end of a glittering party, Final: FC Barcelona vs Elgorriaga Bidasoa Irun 23:15 / 23:23 (46:38) Stefan Kretzschmar and coach Alfred Gislason were still up for In the season that was marked by the “Bosman decision”, which had jokes: “Training is on the agenda. The entire team is going to run substantial effects on transfer regulations and transfer fees in sport, through the whole town until 08:00 tomorrow morning,” they both FC Barcelona won their first EHF Champions League title. No other proclaimed. should be capable of dethroning the Catalan side for the next four years. 2002/03 Final: Portland San Antonio – Montpellier HB 27:19 / 19:31 (46:50) 1996/97 A new star was born during the finals of the 2002/03 EHF Champions Final: FC Barcelona vs Badel Zagreb 31:22 / 30:23 (61:45) League season. Montpellier’s Nikola Karabatic scored 11 goals in the In their second consecutive EHF Champions League Final Barcelona first leg in Spain and another six in front of his home fans, enabling dominated both matches against Badel Zagreb. And while the Spanish his team to turn around the eight goal defeat from the first leg and to side celebrated their second EHF Champions League triumph, the become the first French side to win the EHF Champions League. Croatian side had lost their second final. Also in 1996/97 the so called “fast break” was born due to a rule change, making handball more 2003/04 attractive and athletic than ever before. Final: Celje vs Flensburg- Handewitt 34:28 / 28:30 (62:58) In March 2003 the EHF had decided on a new structure for the competition. Three teams from Spain and Germany now had a 1997/98 starting slot. Two representatives from Hungary, Slovenia, Denmark Final: FC Barcelona vs Badel Zagreb 28:18 / 28:22 (56:40) and Croatia would start in the Group Phase. Overall 32 teams (8 Barcelona beat Zagreb once more to win their third consecutive EHF groups of 4 teams each) made up the Group Phase. Flensburg had Champions League title. But at least as much news as the repeated profited from the new system but Slovenian side Celje was too strong triumph made the wedding of Barcelona player Inaki Urdangarin who in the final. married Christina, youngest daughter of Spanish King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, on 4th October 1997. 2004/05 Final: BM Ciudad Real vs FC Barcelona Cifec 28:27 / 27:29 (55:56) 1998/99 Following four years without being present in the final, Barcelona Final: Badel Zagreb vs FC Barcelona 22:22 / 18:29 (40:51) won their sixth EHF Champions League title. And while the spectator Once again there were tears in Zagreb and joy in Barcelona. The record for one match was 10,000 fans, the whole city celebrated Spanish team beat Zagreb in their third consecutive final and lifted Barcelona’s victory. “We did a lap of honour in the Stadion Nou Camp the EHF Champions League trophy for the fourth time in a row. in front of 100,000 spectators and were celebrated by the whole Zagreb’s coach Velimir Klajic had to admit that Barcelona “at this town,” remembers Barcelona’s Dane Lars Krogh Jeppesen. moment in time, were quite simply the best club team in the world.”

152 History: 22 years of EHF Champions League

2005 – 2015

2005/06 2010/11 Final: Portland San Antonio vs BM Ciudad Real 19:25 / 28:37 (47:62) Final: FC Barcelona vs Renovalia Ciudad Real 27:24 Spanish businessman and BM Ciudad Real president, Domingo Diaz de Since 2010 the event is known as the VELUX EHF Champions League. Mera, had put together a team that proved to be unbeatable in the 40,000 fans stormed to Cologne to attend the VELUX EHF FINAL4 2005/06 Champions League season. Mera bought superstars from all weekend and TV viewing audience figures went to a new height. 310 over Europe and the team around Olafur Stefansson, Mirza Dzomba, million viewers from 76 countries worldwide watched 2,800 hours of Didier Dinart et al. paid justified Mera’s expenses when they beat TV transmissions 2010/11. Barcelona extended their lead as the most Spanish rival San Antonio in the final. successful club in EHF Champions League history when won their seventh title, beating Ciudad Real in the Final.

2006/07 Final: SG Flensburg- Handewitt vs THW Kiel 28:28 / 27:29 (55:57) 2011/12 The EHF Champions League, through the efforts of the 2005 Final: THW Kiel vs BM Atletico Madrid 26:21 founded EHF Marketing GmbH, became a unified look. Since 2006, The German powerhouse sensationally lost in their first home match TV spectators across Europe know they are watching a men’s EHF of the season against Montpellier, but no other team was able to Champions League match when they see the distinct blue lagoon overcome THW Kiel throughout the remaining of the season. Gíslason and black supplied by flooring specialists Gerfloor in addition to the led his team to the third trophy in the club’s history becoming the first season’s individual yellow and blue handball supplied by adidas. On coach who won with two different teams. Defending champions from the sport side of things, Kiel won their first EHF Champions League Barcelona were eliminated in the quarter-finals by AG København, but title, beating arch rival Flensburg-Handewitt. the Danish side was stopped in the semi-final by Atlético Madrid, who made it to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 for the fourth time in a row.

2007/08 Final: BM Ciudad Real vs THW Kiel 27:29 / 31:25 (58:54) 2012/13 In the 2007/08 season a second Group Phase with four groups of four Final: FC Barcelona vs HSV Hamburg 29:30 AET teams each replaced the Last 16-matches and the quarter-finals. HSV Hamburg go into the new season as the defending champion. For The first teams of each group qualified for the semi-finals and in the the first time the extra-time had to decide the winner. In 20 years of final 2006 champion Ciudad Real faced 2007 champion THW Kiel. The EHF Champions League history there have only been two champions, Spanish side prevailed and could win their second EHF Champions Montpellier in 2003 and Celje in 2004, who neither came from League trophy. Spain nor from Germany. The All-Stars team of the 20 years were announced: Goalkeeper Tomas Svensson (SWE), Left Wing Stefan 2008/09 Kretzschmar (GER), Left Back Filip Jícha (CZE), Line Player Andrei Final: THW Kiel vs BM Ciudad Real 39:34 / 27:33 (66:67) Xepkin (ESP), Centre Back (FRA), Right Back THW Kiel and BM Ciudad Real faced each other in the final for the (Oláfur Stefansson), Right Wing Mirza Džomba (CRO), Best defender second year in a row and even though Kiel had won the first leg of the Didier Dinart (FRA) final by five goals, it was Ciudad Real that won the EHF Champions League for a second consecutive time. Kiel were still in the lead 2013/14 by 20:16 after 39 minutes but with a series of 10:3 goals within 11 Final: SG Flensburg-Handewitt vs THW Kiel 30:28 minutes Ciudad Real turned the match in their favour. For the third year in a row a team from prevailed as SG Flensburg-Handewitt took both of their opponents at the 2009/10 VELUX EHF FINAL4 by surprise. In the semi-final the “Vranjes boys” Final: FC Barcelona Borges vs HW Kiel 34:36 eliminated giants of FC Barcelona after a penalty-shoot-out thriller In the 2009/10 season the number of participating teams in the first and made the Cinderrella story perfect by beating their neighbours Group Phase was reduced from 32 to 24. Four groups of six teams from Kiel 30:28 in the final. each were formed and the first four teams qualified for the knockout phase which replaced the second group phase. For the first time the 2014/15 VELUX EHF FINAL4 tournament, which combined the Semi-finals and Final: FC Barcelona vs MKB-MVM Veszprem 28:23 the Final, was held in Cologne, Germany, to decide the champion. The defending champions from SG Flensburg-Handewitt were THW Kiel won their second title when they beat Barcelona. eliminated already in the Last 16 as well as Rhein-Neckar Löwen. The end of the three-year-old reign of Bundesliga was sealed only in Cologne as THW Kiel were unable to repeat their 2014 semi-final win against Veszprem. However, the effort of Hungarian champions for their premiere trophy were denied by FC Barcelona who rose to the throne for the eighth time in the EHF history.

153 All-time club standings (1993-2015)

# TR Name of the club MP W D L GF:FA GD P NP % G 1 1 FC Barcelona Lassa ESP 228 170 16 42 7053:5830 +1223 356:100 (19) 78,07 B 2 2 THW Kiel GER 220 158 13 49 6869:5909 +960 329:111 (19) 74,77 A 3 3 MKB-MVM Veszprém HUN 202 136 8 58 5844:5231 +613 280:124 (20) 69,31 A 4 4 HC PPD Zagreb CRO 208 103 22 83 5498:5344 +154 228:188 (22) 54,81 A 5 5 BM Atletico Madrid ESP 144 111 5 28 4502:3803 +699 227:61 (10) 78,82 A 6 6 RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko SLO 174 98 9 67 4989:4671 +318 205:143 (18) 58,91 A 7 7 Montpellier HB FRA 154 89 10 55 4448:4202 +246 188:120 (16) 61,04 B 8 8 SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER 130 82 9 39 3929:3599 +330 173:87 (11) 66,54 A 9 9 HSV Hamburg GER 98 68 9 21 3088:2670 +418 145:51 (7) 73,98 10 10 Portland San Antonio ESP 100 64 6 30 2929:2594 +335 134:66 (9) 67,00 11 11 Chekhovskie Medvedi RUS 126 59 15 52 3875:3724 +151 133:119 (14) 52,78 C 12 12 KIF Kolding Kobenhavn DEN 104 52 9 43 2982:2932 +50 113:95 (12) 54,33 B 13 13 MOL-Pick Szeged HUN 118 51 9 58 3221:3264 -43 111:125 (13) 47,03 B 14 14 KS Vive Tauron Kielce POL 90 52 6 32 2612:2513 +99 110:70 (9) 61,11 B 15 15 Reale Ademar Leon ESP 100 50 6 44 2875:2817 +58 106:94 (10) 53,00 D 16 16 Rhein-Neckar Löwen GER 70 40 10 20 2166:1981 +185 90:50 (6) 64,29 B 17 17 Chambery Savoie Handball FRA 74 29 3 42 2028:2133 -105 61:87 (8) 41,22 18 18 HC Metalurg MKD 62 25 5 32 1549:1633 -84 55:69 (7) 44,36 D 19 19 RK Gorenje Velenje SLO 62 26 1 35 1779:1775 +4 53:71 (6) 42,74 A 20 20 SC Magdeburg GER 40 24 3 13 1166:1077 +89 51:29 (4) 63,75 21 22 HC Vardar MKD 68 21 9 38 1796:1980 –184 51:85 (9) 37,50 B 22 23 Orlen Wisla Plock POL 66 22 2 42 1740:1922 –182 46:86 (9) 34,85 A 23 24 Kadetten Schaffhausen SUI 62 19 6 37 1783:1872 -89 44:80 (8) 35,48 D 24 26 Paris Saint-Germain Handball FRA 42 20 3 19 1167:1159 +8 43:41 (5) 51,19 A 25 46 TATRAN Presov SVK 36 7 4 25 1005:1157 -152 18:54 (7) 25,00 C 26 47 Naturhouse La Rioja ESP 22 7 3 12 651:693 -42 17:27 (3) 38,64 C 27 50 HC Motor Zaporozhye UKR 22 7 1 14 616:651 -35 15:29 (3) 34,09 D 28 55 HC Meshkov Brest BLR 34 5 2 27 875:1031 -156 12:56 (6) 17,65 C 29 63 Skjern Handbold DEN 14 4 1 9 339:362 –23 9:19 (3) 32,14 D 30 83 Futebol Clube do Porto POR 10 2 1 7 241:278 -37 5:15 (2) 25,00 C 31 102 Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu TUR 10 1 0 9 253:303 –50 2:18 (2) 10,00 A 32 111 Alpla HC Hard AUT 6 0 0 6 138:180 -42 0:12 (1) 0,00 Q NR Elverum Handball Herrer NOR 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0:0 (1) 0,00 D NR HCM Baia Mare ROU 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0:0 (1) 0,00 D NR Vojvodina SRB 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0:0 (1) 0,00 C NR IFK Kristianstad SWE 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0:0 (1) 0,00 B NR RK Borac m:tel BIH 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0:0 (0) 0,00 Q NR OCI-LIONS NED 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0:0 (0) 0,00 Q

^ = Excluding Qualifying matches L – losses The club name is the last used name in the CL GF:GA – goals for:goals against TR – total ranking P – points MP – matches played NP – number of participations W – wins % = winning percentage D – draws G - group All stats in this guide are provided by Roy Knoppert

154 2015/16 VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase

Media Guide by

EHF Media & Communications, 15/09/2015

Contributors: Björn Pazen, Peter Bruun, Bence Martha, Zoran Milosavljevic, Kevin Domas, Magda Pluszewska, Bruno Pinevic, Sergey

Nikolaev, Francisco Miranda, Igor Grachev, Amina Idrizi, Nejc Adnik, Eren Cetin, Fulya Oktem, Tomas Cuncik, Adria Barrio, Adrian Costeiu,

Nemanja Savic, Roy Knoppert

155 For further information please contact: Vladislav Brindzak EHF Media & Communications +43 1 80151 161 [email protected]

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