Media Guide VELUX EHF Champions League Season 2012/2013 Group Phase

Group B

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GROUP B – expert´s view 3

THW Kiel 4

BM Atlético de Madrid 7

MKB Veszprém KC 10

IK Sävehof 13

RK Celje Pivovarna Laško 16

HCM Constanta 19

Schedule of matches 22

2

TEAMS:

1. THW Kiel 2. MKB Veszprém KC 3. BM Atlético Madrid 4. IK Sävehof 5. Celje Pivovarna Laško 6. HCM Constanta

Expert Francois-Xavier Houlet says: What a group this is! Kiel, Madrid (formerly known as Ciudad Real) and Celje have won seven of the last nine Champions League titles! Furthermore, Kiel and Madrid are last year#s finalists. And despite many changes in their respective rosters, both “giants” belong to the top favourites.

Kiel’s main challenge is the integration of five new players into the team. Especially, new top- shooter Marko Vujin faces the very difficult task to follow the big footsteps that left.

Atlético Madrid had to cope with the departures of, among others, Dinart, Strbik, Chema or Abalo. But after having signed Barrachet, Gojun and Superstar Balić there is no doubt that Madrid will continue to be one of the top teams. Veszprém are for many people the dark horse that could surprise the favourites. With Ugalde, Chema Rodriguez or coach Ortega speaks, the Hungarian champion now plays with a Spanish accent. I believe, this bunch of players can go very far in the competition.

Celje, Sävehof and Constanta will likely compete for fourth place in Group B. Celje and Constanta have signed some strong players and can rely on their home crowd support, which is why it will be difficult for Sävehof to repeat last season’s feat when they won the qualification tournament and then finished third place in the group. But who knows what else is this team is capable of.

3

THW KIEL ()

Qualification for the 2012/13 VELUX EHF Champions League season: German champions

Season Preview: Club Address: Five titles in one season, a record for eternity in THW Kiel German Bundesliga with 34 victories in 34 Ziegelteich 30 matches and their third trophy in the VELUX 24103 Kiel, Germany EHF Champions League: The season 2011/12 was a remarkable milestone in the successful Contact numbers: history of THW Kiel. The German record Tel. +49-170-4021775 champions took the title in May in Cologne Fax. +49-431-6703930 after beating Atlético Madrid in the final – and Email: info@thw-.de after winning this major club competition Club website: www.thw-provinzial.de already in 2007 and 2010. Arena: But now the “Zebras” have to cope and to Sparkassen-Arena-Kiel adapt with major changes in their squad: Key Europaplatz 1, 24103 Kiel player Kim Andersson (SWE) left to KIF Kolding Capacity: 10000 in Denmark after he had originally signed a contract at later-on bankrupt Danish side AG Media contact: København. And Andersson, silver medallist at Christian Robohm the in London, was one of the +49 1635306300 key figures at THW. His successor in the right [email protected] back position is Serbian Marko Vujin, arriving from MKB Veszprém (HUN), additionally Kiel Online: signed three strong former København players. Club website: www.thw-provinzial.de Twitter: @thw_handball The transfers of left wing Guðjón Valur Facebook: thwhandball Sigurðsson (ISL) and Rene Toft Hansen (DEN) ehfCL.com had been confirmed in an early stage of the previous season. Before the start of the new Club achievements: season, Kiel signed Olympic Games top scorer EHF Champions League: (SWE). Participation (incl. 2012/13 season): 16 Winner (3): 2007, 2010, 2012 With this renewed squad coach Alfred Gislason Final (3): 2000, 2008, 2009 is aiming high again: “It is always the objective Semi-final (2): 1997, 2001 of THW Kiel to win all possible titles. Our major Quarter-final (5): 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2011 aims are to qualify for the VELUX EHF FINAL4 Group Phase (2): 1995, 1996 and to become German champions again”, he said. Even before the start of the VELUX EHF EHF Cup: Champions League season - they defended 3 titles: 1998, 2002, 2004 their title of the German Super, however failed to repeat last year´s success at the IHF Super German champions: Globe in , , after Atlético took 17 titles: (1957, 1962, 1963, 1994, 1995, 1996, revenge for their recent defeat in the final. 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007,

2008, 2009, 2010 und 2012)

German Cup winners:

8 titles

4

The squad

No. First Name Family Name Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 13 Marcus Ahlm SWE Line player 07.07.1978 106 200 15 Jannick Boldt GER Right wing 10.01.1993 82 186 19 GER Left wing 10.04.1993 80 189 18 Niclas Ekberg SWE Right wing 23.12.1988 86 191 21 Tommy Fängler GER Left back 28.11.1990 103 192 31 Momir Ilic SRB Left back 22.12.1981 104 200 39 Filip Jicha CZE Left back 19.04.1982 105 201 33 Dominik Klein GER Left wing 16.12.1983 85 190 16 Moritz Krieter GER 05.02.1994 89 193 8 Tjark Müller GER Centre back 02.06.1993 88 188 25 FRA Centre back 16.12.1979 92 189 1 FRA Goalkeeper 02.11.1976 92 191 12 SWE Goalkeeper 10.07.1986 88 189 24 Aron Palmarsson ISL Centre back 19.07.1990 100 193 9 Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson ISL Left wing 08.08.1979 82 187 11 Christian Sprenger GER Right wing 06.04.1983 90 190 7 Rene Toft Hansen DEN Line player 01.11.1984 103 200 14 Marko Vujin SRB Right back 07.12.1984 100 200 13 GER Line player 22.03.1989 110 200 20 Christian Zeitz GER Right back 18.11.1980 95 186

New signings (including former club): Left the club (including new club):

• Guðjón Valur Sigurðsson (AG • Henrik Lundström (Redbergslids Kobenhavn, DEN) Göteborg, SWE) • Rene Toft Hansen (AG Kobenhavn, • Kim Andersson (KIF Kolding, DEN) DEN) • (HSG Wetzlar, • Niclas Ekberg (AG Kobenhavn , DEN) GER) • Patrick Wiencek (VfL Gummersbach, • Daniel Kubeš (MT Melsungen, GER) GER) • Milutin Dragičevič (HCM Constanta, • Marko Vujin (MKB Veszprém, HUN) ROU)

5

Key players

Thierry Omeyer:

No current player of all VELUX EHF Champions League clubs has collected more titles than the French goalkeeper: three times world champion, twice Olympic champion, two times EHF EURO champion, four times VELUX EHF Champions League champion, world handball player of the year and nearly 20 domestic titles are on Omeyer’s tally. His reflexes between the sticks make him the first choice for the French national team and THW Kiel – and he like the ‘big matches’.

Filip Jícha:

The left and centre back was the first Czech player ever to be world handball player of the year. Jicha – two times EHF Champions League winner in 2010 and 2012 – was twice top scorer of this competition, too. He is a danger to all defence sides with his one-against-one action and his tough shots, he is also a strong defence player.

Markus Ahlm

The THW team captain is playing his last season in Kiel after winning the VELUX EHF Champions League three times. The line player is the core of the THW defence and has been a constant threat from the six metre line for more than a decade.

Coach Alfred Gislason

The Icelander (53) is the only current coach, who has won the VELUX EHF Champions League with two different clubs - in 2002 with SC Magdeburg and in 2010 and 2012 with THW Kiel. His current team has become four-time German champions, three-time German cup winners, four-time German supercup winner, two-time EHF Trophy winners, collected an EHF Cup along with an IHF Super Globe title. In his active career Gislason played 190 international matches for Iceland and became German champion twice with Essen. After retiring he stayed in Germany, his first club as a coach was Hameln, followed by Magdeburg and Gummersbach – and he also coached the Icelandic national team until 2007. In 2008 he became coach of THW Kiel. 6

BM ATLÉTICO MADRID ()

Qualification for the 2012/13 VELUX EHF Champions League season: Spanish runners- up

Season Preview: Club Address: The amount of changes in the squad of Atlético BM Atletico Madrid Madrid was far greater than in the past few Estado Vicente Calderón years, but thanks to strong reinforcements Paseo Virgen del Puerto 67 Madrid hopes to lift the trophy in Cologne. 28005 Madrid, Spain

They have lost a lot of their big stars since the Contact numbers: last final of the VELUX EHF FINAL4. Croat Jakov Tel.+34-629-691092 Gojun will replace long-term defence specialist Fax.+34-913-624322 , who made his way to Paris [email protected] alongside right wing – however, they [email protected] still have French representation, since has signed for the Spanish side from Arena: Chambery. Palacio Vistalegre C/ Utebo 1 Big stars like Isaias Guardiola (Rhein Neckar 28025 Madrid Löwen) and Chema Rodriguez (MKB Capacity: 14,000 Veszprém) have left the Spanish capital – however, in August the three times VELUX EHF Media contact: Champions League winner made a huge Angela Pons signing by picking up two times world handball +34 690228518 player of the year Ivano Balić as a new [email protected] playmaker. Online: Just before winning the IHF Super Globe in Club website: www.bmatleticodemadrid.com Doha in a final victory that saw the Spaniards Twitter: @AtletiBalonmano come out on top against THW Kiel, Madrid top Facebook: BM-Atlético-Madrid goalkeeper transferred to arch ehfCL.com rival from Barcelona – his successor is young Norwegian Magnus Dahl, on loan from Paris Club achievements: Handball. Coach is still EHF Champions League: focused on his goals – to fight the old duel Participations (including 2012/13 season): 10 against Barcelona for the Spanish title and to Winner (3): 2006, 2008, 2009 return to Cologne for the fourth consecutive Final (3): 2005, 2011, 2012 year in June 2013. Semi-final (1): 2004, 2010 Quarter-final (1): 2007 Newcomer Ivano Balić shares similar goals: “We have a good chance to reach the FINAL4 in Cup Winners´ Cup: Cologne. And then it is only two games, Winner 2002, 2003 anything can happen.” Coach, players and City Cup: manager Luis Miguel Lopez are confident that the team has the same strength as their Finalist 1999 opponents: “Talant works as hard as never Spanish champions: 5 titles:(2004, 2007, 2008, before and he really likes to integrate new 2009, 2010) players, especially young players, to his Spanish Cup winners: 4 titles system,” Lopez said.

7

The squad

No. First Name Family Name Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 13 Akuizu ESP Line player 08.12.1982 116 195 34 Ivano Balic CRO Centre back 01.04.1979 96 190 4 Xavier Barachet FRA Right back 19.11.1988 95 195 21 Joan Canellas Reixach ESP Centre back 30.09.1986 100 198 12 Magnus Dahl NOR Goalkeeper 28.09.1988 100 198 14 David Davis Camara ESP Left wing 25.10.1976 85 185 12 Antonio Diaz Garcia ESP Goalkeeper 31.07.1994 100 192 4 Eduard Fernandez Roura ESP Line player 26.06.1979 119 190 28 Alvaro Ferrer Vecilla ESP Centre back 17.03.1982 95 190 15 CRO Right back 18.04.1986 112 203 1 Jose Javier Hombrados Ibanez ESP Goalkeeper 07.04.1972 97 195 22 POL Right back 03.02.1982 103 199 5 Jonas Källman SWE Left wing 17.07.1981 100 200 77 MKD Right back 10.05.1980 99 195 11 Nikolaj Markussen DEN Left back 01.08.1988 95 211 20 Josep Masachs Gelma ESP Right wing 04.07.1983 70 175 15 Garcia Roberto Parrondo ESP Right wing 12.01.1980 86 187 17 Angel Romero Rodriguez ESP Line player 05.06.1984 113 202 2 Miguel Sanchez Migallon ESP Right back 08.02.1995 90 200

New signings (including former club): Left the club (including new club):

• Magnus Dahl (loaned from Paris • Arpad Sterbik (FC Barcelona Handball) Intersport) • Xavier Barachet (Chambery Savoie) • Chema Rodriguez (MKB Veszprém) • Jakov Gojun (RK Zagreb) • Didier Dinart (Paris Handball) • Ivano Balić (RK Zagreb) • Luc Abalo (Paris Handball) • Alvaro Ferrer (Leon) • Raul Entrerrios (Nantes) • Josep Masachs (Zaragoza) • Isaias Guardiola (Rhein Neckar Löwen) • Angel Romero (Valladolid)

8

Key players

José Hombrados

The goalkeeping veteran was the first ever player to win the VELUX EHF Champions League title five times with three different clubs: Santander, Portland and Ciudad Real. After the “dream duo” with Arpad Sterbik came to an end, Hombrados has even more responsibility on his 40 year-old shoulders with his new and young colleague Magnus Dahl.

Kiril Lazarov

A classic shooter from FYR Macedonia, Lazarov is the most successful scorer at a single EHF EURO event (2012 in ) with 61 goals and a world championship (2009 in ) with 92 goals. The Macedonian was also twice top scorer of the EHF Champions League – but still the title of the major club competition is missing in his cabinet despite playing for top clubs like Veszprem, Zagreb and now Madrid. .

Ivano Balić

Two-times world handball player of the year world and Olympic champion – but never winner of the EHF Champions League. Balic was the biggest transfer of this season at Madrid, and the experienced and creative character could well inspire the Atletico team with his sensational ideas and passes.

Coach Talant Dujshebaev

He arrived as a player in 2001 and he has stayed as a coach until now: 44-year-old Dujshebaev has been loyal to his club for more than a decade. And he is the key to their success – since he became coach, this club became three-time CL winner, three-time finalist, four-time Spanish champion, four-time Spanish cup winner, three- time IHF Super Globe winner and three-time EHF Trophy winner. And he is the only current coach, who has won the CL as a player (1994 with Santander) and as coach. Twice world player of the year, he was Olympic champion in 1992 and world champion in 1993 with CIS and won two silver medals at the EHF EURO with Spain. 9

MKB VESZPRÉM KC ()

Qualification for the 2012/13 VELUX EHF Champions League season: Hungarian champions

Season Preview: Club Address: The language is Spanish at Lake Balaton: After MKB Veszprém KC finding a successor for coach in Marcius 15. ut 5 Spain, four players from the Liga Asobal 8200 Veszprém, Hungary followed former Barcelona legend Antonio Carlos Ortega: László Nagy, Marco Oneto, Contact numbers: (all Barcelona) and Chema Tel. +36-30-9423650 Rodriguez (Atlético Madrid) joined the Fax. +36-88-566400 Hungarian record champion. The ambitions in Email: [email protected] Veszprém are high, even though their top scorer Marco Vujin transferred to Kiel. Arena: Veszprem Arena After being eliminated five straight times by Külso Kadartai ut Spanish teams in the last five years - either in 8200 Veszprem the Last 16 or in the quarter-finals - they are Capacity: 5020 hoping to make it to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 and hopes are boosted by the spectacular Media contact: transfer of Nagy (pictured right in his former Zsolt Sevinger, +36 305024547 uniform), who was bought out of his contract in [email protected] Barcelona. Another interesting transfer was the signature of Iranian , one of the Online: biggest Asian talents. Club website: www.mkbveszprem.eu Twitter: @ mkbveszpremkc It is the clear goal of Veszprém to achieve Facebook: mkbveszprem better results in this year's VELUX EHF ehfCL.com Champions League than the results over the previous two years and they also are hoping to VELUX EHF Champions League records: win all possible titles on domestic ground. Participations (including 2012/13 season): 18 Final (1): 2002 For club manager Csaba Hajnal the Semi-final (2): 2003, 2006 international results need to be improved: “We Quarter-final (8): 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, were not satisfied with the past two seasons. In 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010 the VELUX EHF Champions League we would Last 16 (2): 1994, 2011, 2012 like to make it at least to the quarter-finals.” Group Phase (3): 1995, 1996, 2008

Their most experienced player Carlos Pérez Cup Winners Cup: shares this opinion: “On a club level the most Winner: 2008 important competition is the Champions Final: 1997 League. We would like to go as far as possible.”

But at the start of the season Veszprém will Hungarian champions: 20 titles:(1985, 1986, have to cope with some injury problems 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, including their playmaker Gábor Császár, who 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, broke his foot at the Olympics. 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)

Hungarian Cup winners: 21titles

10

The squad

No. First Name Family Name Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 32 Mirko Alilovic CRO Goalkeeper 15.09.1985 110 200 16 Adam Borbely HUN Goalkeeper 22.06.1995 118 196 7 Gabor Csaszar HUN Centre back 16.06.1984 98 188 1 Nandor Fazekas HUN Goalkeeper 16.10.1976 92 192 3 Peter Gulyas HUN Right wing 04.03.1984 100 200 4 Gergö Ivancsik HUN Left wing 30.11.1981 87 190 9 Tamas Ivancsik HUN Right wing 03.04.1983 75 179 21 Moorchegani Iman Jamali IRI Left back 11.10.1991 102 202 34 Otto Kancel SVK Left back 01.02.1995 88 202 17 Balazs Laluska HUN Right back 20.06.1981 100 202 19 Laszlo Nagy HUN Right back 03.03.1981 113 208 29 Marco Antonio Oneto Zuniga ITA Line player 03.06.1982 117 204 35 Zivan Pesic SRB Line player 07.07.1993 108 197 10 Carlos Enrique Reinaldo Perez HUN Left back 26.08.1971 107 198 25 Jose Maria Rodriguez Vaquero ESP Centre back 05.01.1980 91 185 5 Istvan Timuzsin Schuch HUN Line player 05.06.1985 105 197 36 Janos-Tamas Stranigg HUN Centre back 02.02.1995 80 190 33 Renato Sulic CRO Line player 12.10.1979 105 192 30 Mirsad Terzic BIH Left back 12.07.1983 103 196 23 Cristian Ugalde Garcia ESP Left wing 19.10.1987 80 186 2 Uros Vilovski SRB Line player 25.02.1984 103 197

New signings (including former club): Left the club (including new club):

• László Nagy (FC Barcelona) • David Koražija (destination unknown) • Iman Jamali Moorchegani (Foolad • Marko Vujin (THW Kiel) Mobarakeh Sepahan Sport Club/Iran) • Szilveszter Liszkai (Bacau/Romania) • José Maria Rodriguez Vaquero (BM • Tomáš Urban (Tatabánya-Carbonex Atlético Madrid) KC) • Marco Antonio Oneto Zuniga • Cristian Ugalde Garcia (FC Barcelona)

11

Key players

László Nagy:

It was THE transfer of year, when right back Nagy returned to his home-country after 12 years at FC Barcelona. 2.10 metres tall Nagy started a major handball euphoria in Hungary and Veszprem. The two times VELUX EHF Champions League winner is one of the best left handed players in the world with strengths in attack and defence.

Mirko Alilović:

Together with Hungarian international Nandor Fazekas, Alilovic is part of one of the best goalkeeper duos in the current VELUX EHF Champions League season. Arriving from Celje three years ago the Croatian silver medallist from the 2009 World Championship and 2010 EHF EURO has improved in Veszprem to become a top-class goalkeeper.

Gábor Császár:

The best Hungarian scorer at the London 2012 Olympics and the best Veszprem scorer (besides Marko Vujin, who left to THW Kiel) in the previous season. Czaszar is a superb mixture of a playmaker and shooter, an organiser and scorer for his teams – but currently is recovering from an ankle injury.

Coach Antonio Carlos Ortega

Six-time winner of the EHF Champions League, five EHF European Cup triumphs, six times Spanish champion, 14 different cup titles in Spain, a silver medallist at the EHF EURO 1998 and Olympic bronze medallist in 2000 – Ortega’s cabinet of medals and trophies is absolutely huge. As a player for FC Barcelona Intersport he won every possible title at least three times. In 2005 he started his coaching career in Antequera, now he has left Spain for the first time to take on the challenge in Veszprém.

12

IK SÄVEHOF (Sweden)

Qualification for the 2012/13 VELUX EHF Champions League season: Swedish champions

Season Preview: Club Address: Swedish side IK Sävehof were one of the IK Sävehof biggest surprises in the past season, and they Box 201 want to continue this pattern. The club from 43324 Partille Partille is the only team to qualify directly for Sweden the Men’s VELUX EHF Champions League and Women's EHF Champions League, both teams Contact numbers: became Swedish champions again, with the Tel. +46-736-845755 men’s team celebrating their hat-trick of titles Email: [email protected] after 2010 and 2011. New coach Magnus Club website: www.savehof.se Johansson, successor of Mikael Franzén, made a big signing in Norwegian top talent Kent Arena: Robin Tønnesen. On the other side of things, Scandinavium Emil Berggren, one of their top scorers left to Valhallagatan 1 Bergischer 06 in Germany. 401 25 Göteborg Capacity: 12044 Making it to the Last 16 and developing their OR young team are the major goals at Sävehof and Frölundaborg they also plan to repeat good run at titles in Slottskogsgatan 150 Sweden. 41476 Gothenburg Capacity: 7600 Sävehof manager Peter Möller is looking forward to the new VELUX EHF Champions Media contact: League season, but knows how good their Rüdiger Osterloh opponents in the Group Phase will be: “We +46 736845755 were placed in probably the best group with [email protected] both finalists of the last season THW Kiel and Atlético Madrid and beside that we are in with Online: top teams Veszprém and Celje.” Club website: www.savehof.se Twitter: @ IK_Savehof But team captain Robert Johansson is hoping Facebook: IK-Sävehof for something positive against those top guns: ehfCL.com “It will be a challenge to play against those really great clubs. We will fight to the end, we Club achievements: want to reach the Last 16.” EHF Champions League: Participations (including 2012/13 season): 5 Last 16 (2): 2005, 2012 Group Stage (2): 2006, 2011

Challenge Cup Semi-final 2003

Swedish champions: 5 titles (2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012) No cup competition in Sweden

13

The squad

No. First Name Family Name Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 21 Tobias Albrechtson SWE Centre back 07.04.1988 83 183 6 Michael Apelgren SWE Centre back 20.08.1984 87 181 27 Kristian Bliznac SWE Left back 27.05.1983 108 204 18 Adam Bucht SWE Line player 15.08.1993 93 190 9 David Florander SWE Right back 08.01.1994 85 191 1 Thomas Forsberg SWE Goalkeeper 04.09.1980 92 195 22 Erik Forsell Schefvert SWE Centre back 10.10.1991 91 190 25 Olle Forsell Schefvert SWE Left back 13.08.1993 90 196 10 Viktor Fridén SWE Right wing 16.06.1987 77 188 16 Peter Johannesson SWE Goalkeeper 12.05.1992 94 191 2 Robert Johansson SWE Left wing 26.01.1984 86 190 13 Tobias Johansson SWE Right wing 08.04.1989 91 191 24 Fredrik Larsson SWE Left back 14.04.1984 95 195 12 Isak Lindh SWE Goalkeeper 24.10.1993 82 187 8 SWE Line player 30.09.1989 118 200 23 Viktor Ottosson SWE Left wing 21.07.1990 82 187 5 Viktor Rhodin SWE Line player 31.01.1994 116 198 17 Viktor Röxner SWE Centre back 10.04.1993 81 186 15 Kent Robin Tönnesen NOR Right back 05.06.1991 90 194

New signings (including former club): Left the club (including new club):

• Kristian Bliznac (Alingsås HK) • (Ålborg/Denmark) • Kent Robin Tønnesen (Haslum • Anton Blickhammar (Falk/), HK/Norway) • Emil Berggren (Bergischer • plus six players from youth team 06/Germany), • Robert Månsson (Malmö) • Jesper Parker (end of career), • Alen Kulenović (Bosnia) • Erik Fritzon (end of career), • Gabriel de Santis (Kristiansund/Norway)

14

Key players

Fredrik Larsson:

The 28 year-old left back is the Sävehof player with the biggest international experience. Larsson signed for THW Kiel, but then was loaned to Aragon in Spain before joining Sävehof. Two seasons ago he was the key for the qualification for the Group Phase, in the past season he was the top scorer and also the mastermind of his team, which made it to the Last 16.

Kent Robin Tönnesen:

He was wanted by a huge number of top clubs all over Europe, but finally the biggest Scandinavian talent signed for Sävehof. The Norwegian youngster (21) played a brilliant season at his former club, Haslum, leading them to the Norwegian championship and becoming men’s national team player. The right back is known for his shots and his ability to have the highest jumps in his team. Tönnesen is the only non-Swedish player in his team.

Michael Apelgren:

The playmaker of Sävehof also played in Spain before (Granollers) and returned to his home country in 2010. His passes are brilliant, but also the shooting efficiency of the 28 year-old centre back is very high.

Coach Magnus Johansson:

Before the start of this season, Magnus Johansson switched from women's to men's coaching. The 42-year-old new Sävehof men’s team coach had been coaching the successful women’s team of his club, leading them to four straight Swedish championships. Magnus Johansson was also assistant coach of the Swedish women’s national team from 2008 to 2011, leading the team to their first ever Olympics in 2008 and to a EHF EURO silver medal in 2010. Johansson had started his coaching career at Redbergslids, providing the men’s team with four Swedish championship titles.

15

CELJE PIVOVARNA LAŠKO (Slovenia)

Qualification for the 2012/13 VELUX EHF Champions League season: Slovenian runners- up

Season Preview: Club Address: After missing out on a chance to play in the Celje Pivovarna Lasko VELUX EHF Champions League in the Opekarniska Cesta 15 2011/12 season, the 2004 EHF Champions 3000 Celje, Slovenia League winner RK Pivovarna Laško is back on track. The Slovenian runners-up showed an Contact numbers: improvement in the previous season by Tel. +386-3-4914500 reaching the semi-final of the EHF Cup Winners Fax. +386-3-4918292 Cup. Email: [email protected]

However, one experienced key player has left Arena: the Slovenian side: Petar Metličić, who has Dvorana Zlatorog made his way to Montpellier. Despite the Opekarinska cesta 15 departure of Metličić, Celje have signed some 3000 Celje strong Slovenian and Hungarian Capacity: 5830 reinforcements in Sebastian Skube, arriving from last season’s VELUX EHF Champions Media contact: League quarter-finalist Cimos Koper, and Máté Nejc Ajdnik, +386 40687766 Lékai who made his way from . [email protected]

The main goal of the club in Slovenian Online: championship is to give it their all until last Club website: www.rk-celje.si round of competition and they hope to finish in Twitter: @ RKCPL the highest possible position. The very young Facebook: rkceljepivovarnalasko team, with a lower mean average age than last ehfCL.com season are learning from game to game and from season to season. Their domestic rivals Club achievements: Gorenje and Koper have more experience in EHF Champions League: their squads, but Celje hope they can qualify Participations (including 2012/13 season): 18 again for the VELUX EHF Champions League. Winner (1): 2004

Semi-final (6): 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, Many of Celje´s young players will have to learn 2005 fast. “Our main goal is to compete with top Quarter-final (2): 2002, 2006 teams Madrid and Veszprem in Zlatorog and Last 16 (2): 1996, 2007 show everybody that our young team is able to Main Round (2): 2008, 2009 compete in the Champions League. We hope Group Phase (3): 1994, 1995, 2011 to surprise some of the big teams in a full Qualification (1): 2010 Zlatorog hall. Playing in front of 5000 supporters is a dream of every player. For a lot Cup Winners' Cup: of guys in my team this will be their first Semi-finalist 2002, 2012 experience. We will grab every opportunity with both hands,” club manager Roman Slovenian champions: 18 titles (1991, 1992, Pungartnik promised. 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,

2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010) 16Slovenian Cup winners: 16 titles

The squad

No. First Name Family Name Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 8 Blaz Janc SLO Right wing 20.11.1996 85 185 99 Urh Kastelic SLO Goalkeeper 27.02.1996 92 200 66 Mate Lekai HUN Centre back 16.06.1988 83 190 1 Urban Lesjak SLO Goalkeeper 24.08.1990 99 187 51 Borut Mackovsek SLO Left back 11.09.1992 95 203 6 Gasper Marguc SLO Right wing 20.08.1990 74 180 5 Ziga Mlakar SLO Right back 16.05.1990 91 192 12 Dejan Peric SRB Goalkeeper 22.09.1970 96 186 15 Vid Poteko SLO Line player 05.04.1991 94 193 2 Gregor Potocnik SLO Left back 22.08.1992 100 197 11 Nikola Ranevski SLO Left wing 16.04.1990 74 184 9 David Razgor SLO Centre back 13.07.1989 78 180 16 Matevz Skok SLO Goalkeeper 02.09.1986 96 189 14 Sebastian Skube SLO Centre back 03.04.1987 88 188 10 Alem Toskic SRB Line player 12.02.1982 104 190 20 Matic Verdinek SLO Left wing 13.04.1994 87 193 26 Igor Zabic SLO Line player 15.08.1992 95 201 24 Nemanja Zelenovic SRB Right back 27.02.1990 93 194 7 Rok Zuran SLO Left back 07.08.1987 96 190 77 Luka Zvizej SLO Left wing 09.12.1980 87 185

New signings (including former club): Left the club (including new club):

• Sebastian Skube (RK Cimos Koper) • Petar Metličić (MAHB Montpellier), • Máté Lékai (Pick Szeged), • Nejc Poklar (RK Cimos Koper) • Blaž Janc (promoted from Celje B team)

17

Key players

Dejan Perić:

Being 42 is no reason to retire for a handball goalkeeper – and Dejan Peric remains the Methuselah of the VELUX EHF Champions League. The Serbian born goalkeeper still is able to shut up shop completely and gives stability to the young Celje defence. Peric is playing his 14th season in the VELUX EHF Champions League.

Sebastian Skube:

With 42 goals in the VELUX EHF Champions League season 2011/12, Sebastian Skube was one of the key to success for Cimos Koper. Now the 25-year-old Slovenian international has transferred from the last season’s quarter-finalist to the Slovenian runners-up. The hopes are high that the back court ace can strengthen Celje squad on an international level.

Máté Lékai:

The Hungarian international was part of the national team reaching the Olympic semi-final in London. Playmaker Lekai arrived from the Hungarian runners-up Pick Szeged before this season and is will be the leader of the young team despite his young age of only 24.

Coach Vladan Matić:

The former Yugoslavian national team player, who was twice bronze medallist at Men's World Championships (1999 and 2001), played for Partizan Belgrade and Pick Szeged, before he became a coach in 2006 at the Hungarian top team. Matic’s biggest success in Szeged was the Hungarian championship in 2007, his team won the Hungarian cup in 2008. Each time Szeged was either the cup finalist and runners-up in the championship in final era at Pick. He moved on and coached Hungarian side Ferencvaros, before taking over Celje in 2011. Since last season, Matic is forming a younger team, which already became Slovenian cup winner and championship runners- up in 2012.

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HCM Constanta (Romania)

Qualification for the 2012/13 VELUX EHF Champions League season: Romanian champions

Season Preview: Club Address: On domestic ground they are out of reach for HCM Constanta any opponent and aim for the third straight str. Mircea cel Batran no 99B, e double of championship and cup again, but in 900726 Constanta, Rumania the VELUX EHF Champions League, HCM Constanta are eagerly awaiting the next Contact numbers: qualification for the knock-out stage. Tel. +40-241-488604 Fax. +40-241-488605 For the seventh time the Romanian champions Email: [email protected] have made their way to the Group Phase, but only once – in the 2009/10 season – they had Arena: qualified for the next stage of the competition. Sala Polivalenta This season they even had to go through the Tineretului Park qualification, but Constanta did not have any Bucharest problems in beating their opponents, including Capacity: 6000 finalist Tatran Prešov on their way to the OR dream destination. Sala Sportuliror Romeo Iamandi Strada MesteacanuluiI 20 HCM did not only sign four new international 120031 Buzau experienced players, but a new coach too. Capacity:3000 Zvonko Šundovski is the new chief on the bench and he will have a double function in this Media contact: season, as he remains coach of the Macedonian Sorin Cealera, +40 722293344 national team. [email protected]

The most important newcomer is well-known Online: at the Black Sea: Milutin Dragičević. From 2005 ehfCL.com until 2007 he wore the Constanta jersey before changing to Silkeborg (Denmark) and Club achievements: later-on to THW Kiel. Now Dragičević is back EHF Champions League: were he started. Another inspiring newcomer Participations (including 2012/13 season): 7 is Serbian international Dalibor Čutura, arriving Last 16 (1): 2010 from Ademar León. Group Phase (5): 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012

But despite those transfers, Constanta are far Cup Winners Cup: away from being the favourite in their group B Semi-final: 2006 with opponents like the two 2012 finalists Kiel and Atlético Madrid, Veszprém or Celje. Challenge Cup:

Semi-final: 2004 New club vice president Marius Puscasi is looking forward those top opponents: “We are Romanian champions: 7 titles ( 2004, 2006, honoured to play again in the Champions 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) League, in a very strong group. Our team is Romanian Cup winners: 4 titles stronger than last season and we hope to make a spectacular handball show.”

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The squad

No. First Name Family Name Nat. Position Date of Birth Weight Height 22 Aleksandar Adzic MNE Left back 18.09.1975 103 192 18 Branislav Angelovski MKD Centre back 21.02.1977 92 191 77 George Ionut Buricea ROU Left wing 01.08.1979 80 179 90 Bogdan Andrei Criciotoiu ROU Right back 13.03.1990 105 196 28 Iuliu Alexandru Csepreghi ROU Left back 28.03.1987 100 195 17 Dalibor Cutura SRB Centre back 14.06.1975 91 190 2 Milutin Dragicevic SRB Line player 21.04.1983 82 187 4 Iulian Halca ROU Right back 22.02.1993 82 188 5 Javier Humet Gaminde ESP Right back 22.01.1990 87 196 20 Ionut Ciprian Iancu ROU Goalkeeper 18.02.1994 86 192 16 Mihai Catalin Popescu ROU Goalkeeper 15.03.1985 100 190 25 Alexandru Gheorghe Sabou ROU Left wing 20.04.1982 89 189 15 Marius Sadoveac ROU Right wing 07.05.1985 88 193 7 Alexandru Viorel Simicu ROU Left back 08.10.1988 96 202 1 Ionut Rudi Stanescu ROU Goalkeeper 14.08.1979 103 196 11 Marius Stavrositu ROU Centre back 03.09.1980 80 182 14 Laurentiu Mihai Toma ROU Right wing 28.06.1981 90 194 6 Alberto Val Sancho ESP Line player 06.03.1986 95 208 12 Alexandru Vasiliu ROU Goalkeeper 20.09.1987 104 192

New signings (including former club): Left the club (including new club):

• Milutin Dragicevic (THW Kiel), • Alexandru Stamate (Baia Mare), • Daliobor Cutura (Ademar Leon), • Gheorghe Irimescu (CSU Caras • Javier Humet (CAI Aragon), Severin), • Alberto Val (CAI Aragon) • Chike Onyejekwe (CSM Ploiesti), • Ianco Ionut (CSM Ploiesti) • Marius Novanc (Bacau), • Nikolaos Riganas (destination unknown)

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Key players

Dalibor Čutura:

He was a ‘late developer’ in the Serbian national team - Dalibor Cutura made his debut at the age of 36 – but then he became a key figure, winning the silver medal at the EHF EURO 2012 at home. After a long term playing in Spain – last season at VELUX EHF Champions League quarter-finalist Ademar Leon – now the playmaker takes up the next challenge in Romania at the age of 37.

Milutin Dragicevic:

The most important Constanta newcomer is well-known on the Black Sea: From 2005 until 2007 Serbian Milutin Dragicevic wore the Constanta jersey before changing to Silkeborg (Denmark) and later to THW Kiel. Now Dragicevic is back were he started.

Juliu Alexandru Csepreghi:

The left back is constantly one of the top scorers of the Romanian national team as well as for Constanta. Csepreghi now starts in his fifth season at the Romanian double winner – having more than 120 VELUX EHF Champions League goals on his tally so far.

Coach Zvonko Šundovski:

45-year-old Šundovski is currently coaching Macedonian national team since October 2011 alongside coaching Constanta. He started his coaching career at Pelister Bitola in 2003, leading this team to the Macedonian double (cup and championship). In 2006 he became Macedonian national team coach for the first time, Shundovski made the way for Lino Červar at Metalurg Skopje. Since the start of this season, Constanta is his first “away job” as a coach.

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2012/13 Men's European Cup EHF Champions League Group Phase

Group B matches won draw lost goal-difference points 1 GER THW Kiel 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0 2 HUN MKB Veszprém KC 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0 3 ESP BM Atletico Madrid 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0 4 SWE IK Sävehof 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0 5 SLO Celje Pivovarna Lasko 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0 6 ROU HCM Constanta 0 0 0 0 0:0 0 0 MatchID: 201311020102- 033 SWE IK Sävehof vs. ROU HCM Constanta 27.09.2012 19:00 Göteborg / SWE Ref.: Baranowski, Lemanowicz POL Del.: Oie NOR 031 HUN MKB Veszprém KC vs. SLO Celje Pivovarna Lasko 29.09.2012 17:00 Veszprem / HUN Ref.: Mazeika, Gatelis LTU Del.: Nachevski MKD 032 ESP BM Atletico Madrid vs. GER THW Kiel 30.09.2012 18:00 Madrid / ESP Ref.: Gjeding, Hansen DEN Del.: Konecny CZE 035 ROU HCM Constanta vs. HUN MKB Veszprém KC 03.10.2012 20:00 Bucuresti / ROU

036 SLO Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs. ESP BM Atletico Madrid 06.10.2012 16:30 Celje / SLO

034 GER THW Kiel vs. SWE IK Sävehof 07.10.2012 16:45 Kiel / GER

037 GER THW Kiel vs. ROU HCM Constanta 11.10.2012 20:00 Kiel / GER

039 SLO Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs. SWE IK Sävehof 13.10.2012 20:00 Celje / SLO

038 ESP BM Atletico Madrid vs. HUN MKB Veszprém KC 14.10.2012 18:00 Madrid / ESP

041 SWE IK Sävehof vs. ESP BM Atletico Madrid 17.10.2012 19:00 Göteborg / SWE

042 HUN MKB Veszprém KC vs. GER THW Kiel 18.10.2012 19:00 Veszprem / HUN

040 ROU HCM Constanta vs. SLO Celje Pivovarna Lasko 18.10.2012 20:00 Buzau / ROU

22

EHF Report | 09.24.2012 11:58 | 4/12

2012/13 Men's European Cup EHF Champions League Group Phase

045 ROU HCM Constanta vs. ESP BM Atletico Madrid 15.11.2012 18:30 Bucuresti / ROU

044 SLO Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs. GER THW Kiel 17.11.2012 16:30 Celje / SLO

043 SWE IK Sävehof vs. HUN MKB Veszprém KC 18.11.2012 16:30 Göteborg / SWE

047 GER THW Kiel vs. SLO Celje Pivovarna Lasko 21.11.2012 19:00 Kiel / GER

046 HUN MKB Veszprém KC vs. SWE IK Sävehof 24.11.2012 19:00 Veszprem / HUN

048 ESP BM Atletico Madrid vs. ROU HCM Constanta 25.11.2012 17:00 Madrid / ESP

051 ROU HCM Constanta vs. SWE IK Sävehof 29.11.2012 20:00 Buzau / ROU

049 SLO Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs. HUN MKB Veszprém KC 01.12.2012 19:00 Celje / SLO

050 GER THW Kiel vs. ESP BM Atletico Madrid 02.12.2012 17:15 Kiel / GER

052 SWE IK Sävehof vs. GER THW Kiel 09.02.2013 15:30 / SWE

053 HUN MKB Veszprém KC vs. ROU HCM Constanta 09.02.2013 17:15 Veszprem / HUN

054 ESP BM Atletico Madrid vs. SLO Celje Pivovarna Lasko 10.02.2013 18:00 Madrid / ESP

055 SLO Celje Pivovarna Lasko vs. ROU HCM Constanta 16.02.2013 16:30 Celje / SLO

056 ESP BM Atletico Madrid vs. SWE IK Sävehof 17.02.2013 18:00 Madrid / ESP

057 GER THW Kiel vs. HUN MKB Veszprém KC 17.02.2013 19:00 Kiel / GER

23

EHF Report | 09.24.2012 11:58 | 5/12

2012/13 Men's European Cup EHF Champions League Group Phase

058 ROU HCM Constanta vs. GER THW Kiel 20.02.2013 20:00 Bucuresti / ROU

060 SWE IK Sävehof vs. SLO Celje Pivovarna Lasko 21.02.2013 19:00 / SWE

059 HUN MKB Veszprém KC vs. ESP BM Atletico Madrid 23.02.2013 17:15 Veszprem / HUN

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EHF Report | 09.24.2012 11:58 | 6/12 Title sponsor

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