Women’s EHF Cup 2017/18 Group Phase Media Guide Table of contents

Welcome words 3 GROUP C

Media contacts 4 Head-to-head stats 36

Map of participating clubs 5 Vistal Gdynia 37

2017/18 Playing system diagram - stages & dates 6 Viborg HK 40

Important regulations - ranking of teams 8 Byasen 43

First round preview 9 Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK 46

GROUP A GROUP D

Head-to-head stats 10 Head-to-head stats 49

Brest Bretagne 11 50

Randers HK 14 H 65 Höörs HK 53

SCM Craiova 17 HC Zalau 56

Kuban 20 DHK Banik Most 59

Qualification top scorers 62 GROUP B Past seasons’ winners 63 Head-to-head stats 23

Vipers 24

Handball Club Lada 27

Issy Paris Hand 30

Koebenhavn Haandbold 33

2 Welcome words

Dear Media Representative,

Welcome to the second season of the Women’s EHF Cup in the new EHF Cup Media Contact format. Before the 2016/17 season the Cup Winners’s Cup has merged Vladislav Brindzak with the Women’s EHF Cup into one competition - the new Women’s EHF EHF Media and Communications Cup. Just like in the men’s version of the EHF Cup, the new competition [email protected] also included the group phase preceded by qualification rounds and +43 1 80 151 161 followed by quarter-finals. The semi-finals and the final are played in a home and away games format. Online www.eurohandball.com In the following media information you will find the essential facts europeancup.eurohandball.com you will require for the final two games and the participating teams. www.twitter.com/EHF Additional information can be found on the eurohandball.com website. www.facebook.com/EHF

Media portal

All media representatives are invited to register for the EHF media portal on http://members.ehf.eu. The European Handball Federation’s media portal is a one-stop-shop for media representatives offering all the EHF’s media news such as press releases, event flash quotes directly after matches, press conference highlights, draw reactions and downloads of all relevant information including, but not limited to, media guides and event logos. Furthermore photographs that are free for editorial use will be available for download.

For further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the EHF Media and Communications Department and we will be happy to help you with any information you may require.

3 EHF/M Media contacts

Media matters TV and Radio

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

Clubs – Media contacts

GROUP A GROUP B GROUP C GROUP D

Brest Bretagne Handball Vistal Gdynia Larvik Nicolas Roué Terje Marcussen Krystian Gancza Bjørn Bjune +33 662 32 50 91 +47 905 818 15 +48 501 005 609 +47 900 324 27 nicolas.roue@brest- [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] bretagnehandball.fr

Randers HK Viborg HK H 65 Höörs HK Anne B. Laursen Alsu Lateeva Kim Pedersen Christoffer Ekmark +45 4292 1342 [email protected] +45 61 71 53 53 +46 76 3966052 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

SCM Craiova Issy Paris Hand Byasen Handball Elite HC Zalau Daniela Gradinaru Jean-Marie Sifre Mona Ulvin George Tadici +40 351 176 806 +33 6 26066173 +47 73 515800 +40 745 264 003 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Kuban Koebenhavn Haandbold Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK DHK Banik Most Nikolay Buyanov Janni Møller Thomsen Ahmet Cevher Radek Madera +7 988 2424993 +45 223 55 225 +90 544 4187541 +420 731 437755 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

4 WOMEN’S EHF CUP TEAMS

Byasen Trondheim Group Phase 2017/18 NOR

Larvik NOR Vipers Kristiansand NOR

Randers HK DEN H 65 Höörs HK SWE

Viborg HK Vistal Gdynia DEN POL

Koebenhavn Haandbold DEN

Brest Bretagne Handball FRA

Handball Club Lada Issy Paris Hand RUS FRA

Kuban RUS

Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK TUR

DHK Banik Most H.C. Zalau SCM Craiova CZE ROU ROU 2017/2018 WOMEN'S EHF CUP Qualification Qualification Qualification Group Quarter Semi Finals Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Matches finals finals 28 teams 32 teams 24 teams 16 teams 8 teams 4 teams 2 teams 09/10.09.2017 14/15.10.2017 11/12.11.2017 R1: 06/07.01.2018 03/04.03.18 07/08.04.18 05/06.05.18 first leg first leg first leg R2: 13/14.01.2018 first leg first leg first leg R3: 20/21.01.2018 16/17.09.2017 21/22.10.2017 18/19.11.2017 R4: 27/28.01.2018 10/11.03.18 14/15.04.18 12/13.05.18 NATION second leg second leg second leg R5:03/04.02.2018 second leg second leg second leg R6:10/11.02.2018 DRAWS: 18.07.2017 18.07.2017 24.10.2017 23.11.2017 13.02.2018 13.02.2018 17.04.2018 1 DEN Randers HK 2 RUS Lada 3 2nd CL QT1 2nd CL QT1 4 2nd CL QT2 2nd CL QT2 5 HUN Erd HC 6 ROU SCM Craiova 7 3rd CL QT1 3rd CL QT1 8 3rd CL QT2 3rd CL QT2 9 4th CL QT1 4th CL QT1 10 4th CL QT2 4th CL QT2 11 CZE DHK Banik Most 12 DEN Kobenhavn Handbold 13 GER TusSies Metzingen 14 RUS Kuban 15 FRA Issy Paris Hand 16 HUN DKKA Dunaujvaros KA 17 ROU HC Dunarea Braila 18 NOR Tertnes Handball Elite 19 DEN Viborg HK 20 GER Buxtehuder SV 21 RUS Zvezda Zvenigorod 22 FRA ES Besancon Feminin HB 23 HUN DVSC-TVP 24 ROU HC Zalau 25 NOR Glassverket 26 RUS Astrakhanochka 27 DEN Silkeborg-Voel KFUM 28 GER HSG Blomberg-Lippe 29 FRA Cercle Dijon Bourgogne 30 HUN Vaci NKSE 31 ROU CSM Roman NOR Byasen Handball Elite 32 Winners2 of Semifinals

33 TUR Ankara Yenimahalle BSK Winners4 of Quarterfinals 34 SWE Lugi HF 35 POL Metraco Zaglebie Lubin 36 ESP Super Amara Bera Bera 37 SRB ZRK Medicinar 38 SUI LC Brühl Handball 16 Winners of Qualification Round 2 Round of Qualification 16 Winners 39 CZE DHC Slavia Praha 40 UKR Galychanka 41 GRE O.F.N. Ionias Matches Group the of group each of teams placed 2nd and 1st 42 NED Succes Schoonmaak/VOC 43 ITA Jomi Salerno 44 POR Colegio de Gaia 45 BEL HB St. Truiden HC BNTU-BelAZ Minsk 46 BLR matches group ChL the of teams placed 4th four and 3 Round Qualification of Winners 12 47 KOS KHF Prishtina 14 Winners of Qualification Round 1 Round of Qualification 14 Winners 48 BIH HZRK Grude 49 CYP A.S. Latsia 50 AZE Nur Mingechavir 51 SUI LK 52 NED Morrenhof Jansen Dalfsen 53 POL KRAM Start Elblag 54 ISR HC Holon

6

published version, 10.07.2017 vs. Finals first leg 05/06.05.18 second leg 12/13.05.18 Finals 2 teams vs. vs. first leg 07/08.04.18 second leg 14/15.04.18 Semi-nals Semi-nals 4 teams 1 vs. vs. vs. vs. 2 first leg 03/04.03.18 second leg 10/11.03.18 Quarter-nals Quarter-nals 8 teams WEHFC GroupWEHFC Phase R1 06/07.01.2018 R2 13/14.01.2018 R3 20/21.01.2018 R4 27/28.01.2018 R5 03/04.02.2018 R6 10/11.02.2018 Group Phase Group Group Phase Group of the WCL Groupof the WCL Matches Season 2017/18 playing dates playing Season 2017/18 includes 4 fourth ranked teams 12 teams Women’s EHF Cup 2017/18 playing system playing EHF 2017/18 Cup Women’s vs. 12 vs.12 Qualication R3 Qualication first leg 11/12.11.2017 second leg 18/19.11.2017 Qualication Round 3 Round Qualication 16 teams

21/22.10.2017 16/17.09.2017 14 vs. vs. teams 14/15.10.2017 09/10.09.2017 16 vs.16 14 vs.14 Qualication R1 Qualication R2 Qualication first leg - second leg - first leg - second leg - Qualication Round 1 Round Qualication 2 Round Qualication

7 Important regulations

Scoring of the matches and ranking

General After completion of the Group Phase if three or more teams All matches of the Women’s EHF Cup shall be played in 2 x 30 have scored the same number of points: minutes with a half-time break of 10 minutes. The EHF reserves the right to extend the half-time break in special circumstances a) number of points in matches of all teams directly involved to 15 minutes. b) goal difference in matches of all teams directly involved c) higher number of plus goals in matches of all teams directly The matches shall be scored as follows: a) win = 2 points b) involved draw = 1 point c) loss = 0 points d) goal difference in all matches of the group e) higher number of plus goals in all matches of the group; Teams’ rankings are obtained by adding up the number of points won. If the ranking of one of these teams is determined, the criteria are consecutively followed until the ranking of all teams is Group Phase determined.

If two or more teams have scored the same number of points, If no ranking can be determined, a decision shall be obtained the ranking will be determined as follows: by drawing lots. Lots shall be drawn by the EHF, if possible in the presence of a responsible of each club. During the Group Phase: If one of the participating clubs is the organiser of the EHF a) higher goal difference in all matches; Cup Finals the ranking of the 2nd ranked teams of the Group b) greater number of plus goals in all matches; Phase is as follows:

After completion of the Group Phase if two teams have a) number of points in matches against all teams of the group; scored the same number of points: b) goal difference in those matches as mentioned in a); c) greater number of plus goals in those matches as mentioned a) number of points in matches of the two teams directly in a); involved b) goal difference in matches of the two teams directly involved If no ranking can be determined, a decision shall be obtained c) higher number of goals scored in the away match by drawing lots. Lots shall be drawn by the EHF, if possible in d) goal difference in all matches of the group the presence of a responsible of each club. e) higher number of plus goals in all matches of the group Find all the Women’s EHF Cup regulations on eurohandball.com

8 Group phase gets underway in Gdynia

The group round of the Women's EHF Cup is scheduled to start with eight matches at the weekend.

Sixteen teams from nine countries are set to compete in the Cup quarter-final. After that, the Danish team did not feature group stage of the Women’s EHF Cup, in only the second in European club competition for four years before making a season with this stage of the competition. comeback this season.

The opening match will be held on Friday 7 January in Gdynia, In qualification, Koebenhavn beat France’s Dijon and Hungary’s where the Polish champions are scheduled to face Byasen. Dunaujvaros and they hope to continue this good run despite Four games take place on Saturday and three further matches facing three tough opponents in Group B. will complete the weekend program on Sunday. GROUP C • Brest, Vipers, Gdynia and Larvik resume their European season in the EHF Cup after EHF Champions League exit Playing their maiden season in the Women’s EHF Champions • Only five teams – Randers, Kuban, Brest, Lada and Byasen – played in the League turned out to be a tough lesson for the Polish EHF Cup Group Phase last season champions. In the group with Bucuresti, Nykobing and Krim, • Byasen are the only group phase participants to progress all the way they lost all their six matches and thus must continue in the from Qualification Round 1 EHF Cup.

In December, Gdynia changed their head coach as Agnieszka GROUP A Truszynska was replaced by the experienced Giennadiy Kamelin. Adding to the turbulent times was the decision of Last season, Randers reached the EHF Cup quarter-finals, and team captain Malgorzata Gapska to retire midway through the now the team of coach Niels Agesen hope to advance from the season. group again. However, the Danish side have been drawn into a tough quartet, so one of their goals is to get more international The opening group game will not be easy for the Polish team as experience. their opponents do not hide their ambitions. Byasen narrowly missed promotion to the EHF Cup quarter-final last season Randers had a positive start to 2018 as they narrowly beat and now they are eager to do better. Byasen are the only team Ringkobing in the Danish league (21:20). Yet there is no time in the competition who made it from the first qualification to relax as the schedule is extremely tight – Agesen’s team will round to the group phase, beating Poland’s Elblag, Belarus’ play eight more games in January. Now they are scheduled Gomel and ’s Braila. It should be also noted that their to face Kuban, whom Agesen sees as the group’s favourites. right wing Marit Jacobsen won a silver medal with at The team from Krasnodar started the current tournament in December’s World Championship. Qualification Round 2 where they brushed aside Serbia’s ZRK Medicinar before beating Astrakhanochka in an all-Russian GROUP D duel in Round 3. Larvik are one of the two teams in the group phase, together Compared to the previous season, Kuban’s squad have been with Viborg, who have won the EHF Champions League in the rejuvenated, but the head coach is still the famous Evgeni past. The Norwegian side are used to playing in the continental Trefilov who kept his second job as the Russia national coach top flight, yet this season they finished last in their group and after a quarter-final exit at last month’s World Championship. have to start from scratch in the EHF Cup. Larvik’s squad have been rejuvenated in the recent years, so the head coach Tor GROUP B Odvar Moen looks at the situation realistically. “Maybe the EHF Cup is the right place for us at the moment,” he says. Ambitious Lada were left disappointed last season after failing to reach even the quarter-finals. However, now the In this competition, the Norwegian side certainly have a chance Russian club are ready to make up for that frustration. The to go quite far. It is important to have a good start, so Larvik team from Togliatti has undergone many changes over the hope to claim two home points from Zalau. summer, yet they are still very competitive. Runners-up in the Russian league last season, they started 2018 on top of their The Romanian team, who were the EHF Cup finalists in 2012, domestic competition with 11 wins in 12 games. And in the play on the European stage after a three-year break. On their EHF Cup, Lada had no problems beating France’s Besancon in way to the group stage, Zalau beat Turkey’s Ankara Yenimahalle qualification. It was notably Lada who eliminated Koebenhavn and ’s Hypo. in their previous international season – in the 2013/14 EHF

9 Group A head-to-heads Historic encounters of the Group A opponents in the EC

Brest Bretagne Handball vs Kuban 1-0-1 (47:46) 2:2 14.01.2017 Brest Bretagne Handball vs Kuban, EHF Cup – Group A 27:21 (14:11) 12.02.2017 Kuban vs Brest Bretagne Handball, EHF Cup – Group A 25:20 (17:8)

No previous encounters in European competitions Brest Bretagne Handball vs Randers HK Brest Bretagne Handball vs SCM Craiova Randers HK vs SCM Craiova Randers HK vs Kuban SCM Craiova vs Kuban

10 GROUP A Brest Bretagne Handball (FRA) Boosted by two newly-crowned world champions, and Cleopatre Darleux, Brest Bretagne hope for a brighter future in international competitions.

The French runners-up were taught a tough lesson in their maiden EHF Champions League season. Drawn in the “group of death” with Györ, Rostov and Midtjylland and hit hard by the long-term injury of Allison Pineau, Brest were defeated six times in six matches – despite some strong performances.

Now, Pineau is back, after playing a successful role in the French national team at 2017. With her, Brest's chances of proceeding to the EHF Cup quarter-finals, as in the previous season, look much better. However facing Randers, Craiova and Krasnodar in group A mean there are still challenges ahead.

“It is highly important for us and the development of the team that we are still part of international competitions, though the schedule in January and February will be extremely tough,” says coach Laurent Bezeau.

With almost half his squad coming off the back of the World Championship in Germany, Bezeau must now refocus the team to make sure they are ready for the task ahead. Playing hall Arena Brest 140 Boulevard de Plymouth 29200 Brest Road to the Group Phase France Capacity: 4,077 4th ranked from the EHF Champions League Group Matches GROUP B Club Address: @ Rostov-Don (RUS) L26:24 (14:13) Brest Bretagne Handball vs Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) L23:26 (10:13) ARENA 140 Boulevard de Plymouth vs FC Midtjylland (DEN) L22:23 (10:12) 29200 Brest, France @ FC Midtjylland (DEN) L27:23 (12:7) vs Rostov-Don (RUS) L23:29 (14:15) Media contact: @ Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) L26:17 (13:7) Nicolas Roué +33 662 32 50 91 nicolas.roue@brest- bretagnehandball.fr Newcomers Past achievements Online information: Louise Sand (Sävehof) Website: www.brest- Filippa Idehn (Esberg) EHF Cup: bretagnehandball.fr (Nantes) Quarter-final (1): 2016/17 Facebook: Brest-Bretagne-Handball- Jovan Stoiljkovic (Nantes) Officiel Sladjana Pop-Lazic (Metz) Other Twitter: @BBH_Officiel Lindsay Burlet (Metz) Champions League: group matches (Chambray) 2017/18 Kit colours Left the club: French league: - (runners-up 2017) Light Alice Durand French cup: 1 title (2016) Player shirt: pink Nabila Tizi Player short: black Deborah Dangueger (Issy Paris) League cup: 1 title (2012) Goalkeeper shirt: white Marine Desgrolard (Chambray) Dark Stéphanie Akoa N’sama (end of career) Player shirt: black Gaëlle Le Hir (end of career) Player short: black Goalkeeper shirt: blue

11 Brest Bretagne Handball (FRA) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 23 Elodie Affreingue FRA Right Back 01/10/1997 Paris, FRA 174 13 Lea Breneol FRA Centre Back 09/01/1997 Brest, FRA 172 66 Lindsay Burlet FRA Right Back 06/06/1994 Villepinte, FRA 180 55 Pauline Coatanea FRA Right Wing 06/07/1993 Saint-Renan, FRA 165 8 Maud Eva Copy FRA Left Wing 06/11/1992 Brest, FRA 174 16 Cleopatre Darleux FRA Goalkeeper 01/07/1989 Mulhouse, FRA 176 6 Lauryn Derrien FRA Centre Back 16/07/1999 Brest, FRA 166 5 ROU Right Back 28/03/1987 Baia Mare, ROU 174 10 Sophie Herbrecht FRA Centre Back 13/02/1982 Mulhouse, FRA 174 12 Filippa Idéhn SWE Goalkeeper 15/08/1990 Sofia, Jönköping, SWE 183 22 Eva Jarrige FRA Right Back 17/02/2000 Clermont Ferrand, FRA 181 11 Amandine Lagattu FRA Left Wing 10/02/1999 Brest, FRA 168 77 Marion Limal FRA Left Back 12/01/1987 Fontaine les Dijon, FRA 184 2 Sarah Lobe Eleme FRA Left Back 02/01/1998 Troyes, FRA 171 29 Elodie Manach FRA Centre Back 27/02/1990 Brest, FRA 163 99 Marta Mangué Gonzalez ESP Left Wing 23/04/1983 Las Palmas, ESP 170 9 Astride N'Gouan FRA Line Player 09/07/1991 Saint Denis, FRA 187 7 Allison Marie Pineau FRA Centre Back 02/05/1989 Chartres, FRA 181 20 Sladana Pop-Lazic SRB Line Player 26/07/1988 Belgrade, SRB 178 78 Sandra Pouchart FRA Goalkeeper 29/11/1978 Landivisiau, FRA 180 17 FRA Right Wing 09/02/1994 Dijon, FRA 165 1 Agathe Quiniou FRA Goalkeeper 31/10/2000 Brest, FRA 178 14 Camille Rassinoux FRA Centre Back 03/04/1992 La Roche sur Yon, FRA 175 18 Louise Sand SWE Left Wing 27/12/1992 , SWE 164 21 Jovana Stoiljkovic SRB Left Back 30/09/1988 Belgrade, SRB 180 4 Amandine Tissier FRA Centre Back 10/09/1993 Sable-Sur-Sarthe, FRA 179 3 Alicia Toublanc FRA Right Wing 03/05/1996 Saint-Brieuc, FRA 168

12 Brest Bretagne Handball (FRA) Coach and key players profiles

Laurent Bezeau Cleopatre Darleux coach goalkeeper • led Brest to become the first club to win the • has been with Sävehof since 2007 when joining French cup while playing in the second league and from league colleagues Kroppskultur has been key to the team’s success • had her real break-through at Sävehof in 2014/15 • arrived in Brest in 2009, before leaving in 2012 to after being a bit in the shadow of Filippa Idehn until coach the Tunisia national team, then returning one then; carrying an increased responsibility after season later Idehn left for Danish in summer 2015 • confesses he does not usually sleep the night • has played 18 internationals for , mostly before games, as there are too many questions in sharing the job with Idehn his head that he cannot answer

EC trophies: CWC 2014 WCh: G 2017, S 2009, 2011

Allison Pineau Pauline Coatanea centre back right wing • after four seasons away from France, she decided • one of the top players to have joined Brest from to come back home in the summer of 2016 Nantes in the summer of 2017; the second being Jovana Stoiljkovic • during those four years, she wore the jerseys of several European powerhouses: HCM Baia Mare, • born in Brest, she moved to Nantes in 2012 Vardar Skopje and Krim Ljubljana before returning to her hometown, where her family live • elected IHF Player of the year in 2009, when she was only 20 • aged 24, she was elected best right wing of the Junior WCh 2012 • gained a lot of experience, which turns her into a real team-leader, in the national team and also • made her national team debut in March 2017 with Brest

EURO: B 2016, OG: S 2016, WCh: G 2017, S 2009, 2011

13 GROUP A Randers HK (DEN) A new coach, several new players, a new director (Per Rasmussen) and the hope to proceed: this is the base of Randers HK ahead of their second straight participation in the Women’s EHF Cup Group Phase.

Last year only one goal was missing to make it to the semi-finals, this time the former Danish champions have high hurdles to take ahead already in the group phase as they face French champions Brest, Kuban Krasnodar (Russia) and SCM Craiova (Romania).

Niels Agesen was coach of Nykøbing when the Danish club eliminated Randers in the EHF Cup Quarter-finals last season – and later won the domestic league. Now Agesen is the new head coach of Randers after succeeding Ryan Zinglersen. He leads one of three Danish sides in the group phase.

Apart from aiming for a top eight ranking in the domestic league, Agesen hopes to gain international experience.

“We were drawn into a very tough group. Kuban is the favourite to win in my opinion, but both Brest and Craiova are strong teams with many international players,” says Playing hall Agesen, adding that another Russian side, Lada, are his main favourites to lift the Arena Randers trophy. “I think we can learn a lot from playing against such great teams.” Fyensgade 1 8900 Randers Capacity: 3,000

Club Address: Road to the Group Phase Randers HK Sjaellandsgade 57 EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 8900 Randers 1st leg: @ BNTU-BelAZ Minsk Reg. (BLR) L23:22 (14:12) Denmark 2nd leg: vs BNTU-BelAZ Minsk Reg.(BLR) W26:23 (15:13) Aggregate score: 48:46 Media contact: Anne B. Laursen +45 4292 1342 [email protected]

Online information: Newcomers: Past achievements Website: www.randershk.dk Mathilde Juncker (SK ) Facebook: randershk Rikke Thorngaard (Randers HK juniors) EHF Cup Twitter: Randershk Lærke Christensen (SK Aarhus) Winners (1): 2009/10 Instagram: Randershk1995 Cecilie Hansen (Ringkøbing) Semi-final (1): 2015/16 Anne Sofie Hjort (SK Aarhus) Quarter-final (2): 2008/09, 2016/17 Martina Thörn (FC Midtjylland) Last 16 (1): 2000/01 Sara Johansson (Sweden) Kit colours Other Light Left the club: Champions League: 2012/13 main Player shirt: blue (Odense) round, 2010/11, 2011/12 group matches Player short: blue Mie Højlund (Odense) Cup Winners’ Cup: 2011/12, 2014/15 Goalkeeper shirt: blue/green/black (Nykøbing Falster) Last 16 Lotte Vestergaard (end of career) City Cup: 1999/2000 runners-up Dark Jovana Risovic (Hungary) Player shirt: orange Martine Moen (Norway) Danish league: 1 title (2012) Player short: black Danish cup: 1 title Goalkeeper shirt: blue/green/black

14 Randers HK (DEN) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 10 Gitte Evendorff Andersen DEN Right Wing 21/07/1989 Randers, DEN 172 13 Mathilde Borlund Bonde DEN Wing 14/05/2000 Mariagerfjord, DEN 160 4 Laerke Sofie Christensen DEN Right Back 26/05/1996 Frederikshavn, DEN 185 20 DEN Right Back 15/05/1988 Randers, DEN 182 19 Amalie De Place DEN Wing 05/05/1999 Randers, DEN 174 24 Josefine Dragenberg DEN Line Player 10/04/1997 Herning, DEN 186 25 Maria Fisker DEN Left Wing 03/10/1990 Favrskov, DEN 170 38 Frederikke Gulmark DEN Left Back 16/07/1994 Rudersdal, DEN 178 11 SWE Right Wing 11/05/1994 Backa, SWE 181 9 Christina Jakobsen Hansen DEN Wing 25/02/2000 Randers, DEN 178 8 Cecilie Hansen Morch DEN Centre Back 08/12/1993 Randers, DEN 175 37 Sara Hoffmann DEN Wing 23/05/1999 Horsens, DEN 170 17 Sara Johansson SWE Right Back 02/10/1992 Lindesberg, SWE 176 1 Mathilde Rahbek Juncker DEN Goalkeeper 03/03/1993 Roskilde, DEN 180 18 Cecilie Blach Kilsgaard DEN Wing 11/01/2000 Favrskov, DEN 165 14 Camilla Larsen Degn DEN Left Wing 19/12/1997 Randers, DEN 179 32 Caroline Gronkjaer Madsen DEN Goalkeeper 02/04/1999 Aarhus, DEN 173 5 Mari Kristine Søbstad Molid NOR Left Back 08/08/1990 Trondheim, NOR 178 6 Clara Monti Danielsson SWE Line Player 30/01/1992 Lund, SWE 176 15 Anne Sofie Hjort Nielsen DEN Left Back 05/07/1992 Herning, DEN 186 43 Josefine Omann Jensen DEN Wing 08/01/2000 Horsens, DEN 175 29 Mathilde Riger Orkild DEN Wing 17/02/2000 Brønderslev, DEN 176 Signe Hylleberg Schaar DEN 26/09/2001 16 Martina Thörn SWE Goalkeeper 21/02/1991 Västerås, SWE 178 2 Rikke Thorngaard DEN Left Back 14/08/1998 Norddjurs, DEN 170 44 Cille Lippert Valbjörn DEN Wing 30/04/2000 Randers, DEN 170

15 Randers HK (DEN) Coach and key players profiles

Niels Agesen Martina Thörn coach goalkeeper • won the Women´s EHF Cup as well as the • joined Randers in the summer of 2017 from Women´s Cup Winners´ Cup while being head coach Danish league rivals FC Midtjylland at TTH Holstebro • has international experience from the Swedish • led NFH Nykøbing Falster Håndboldklub to their national team as well as from the Women´s EHF first Danish championship in history in the 2016/17 Champions League season • played for Norwegian Glassverket in the CL • changed to Randers ahead of this season in order and the EHF Cup before continuing her career in to work close to his home and his family Denmark • known for his thorough preparations and for his • with her 178 cm, she is a relatively tall goalkeeper way of being around his players with a fine reach • has a bachelor´s degree in sports and health • also known for cooperation with the defence and for her ability to position herself correctly in the goal EC trophies: EHF Cup 2013 (as coach)

Maria Fisker Daniela Gustin left wing right wing • joined Randers ahead of last season from CSM • joined Randers from Füchse Berlin ahead of the Bucuresti 2017/18 season • her greatest triumph this far was winning the CL • signed a two-year contract with Randers, but with Bucuresti in 2016 has agreed with the club to leave already after the current season for personal reasons • national coach Klavs Bruun Jørgensen's usual first-choice for the left wing position in the Danish • successful part of the Swedish national team at national team the Women's World Championship 2017 • for a long time, played with a special head • known for her usually high scoring percentage protection after suffering a brain concussion in a from the wing as well as for being good on fast game, but lately, she has not felt the need for this breaks protection anymore • can also play the right back • can also play the playmaker position, which she has done a lot for Randers this season.

EC trophies: CL 2016 WCh: B 2013

16 GROUP A SCM Craiova (ROU)

Despite it being just their second appearance in European Cup competition, after reaching the Last 16 of the 2015/16 Cup Winners’ Cup, SCM Craiova are aiming high in the EHF Cup. Brest, Krasnodar and Randers are the tough opponents who await in Group A, but coach Bogdan Burcea and his team see a good chance of proceeding to the quarter-finals in their maiden voyage at this level.

“Mainly we focus on winning our home matches,” says Burcea prior to the start. With three players, SCM Craiova were represented in Romania’s World Championship squad more than champions CSM Bucuresti (two) and the Romanian runners-up can even count on the most experienced player in the squad, Valentina Adrean-Elisei, who has been in all of Romania’s medal winning teams since 2005.

Goalkeeper Yuliya Dumanska and team captain Cristina Florianu were also present in Germany, where Romania suffered from a last-second elimination by the Czechs in the Last 16. But on club level, the Craiova players had caused one major surprise in the qualification, eliminating experienced Hungarian side Debrecen in the third round to proceed to the group phase. Playing hall Sala Polivalenta Craiova “To make it this far is already the greatest performance in the history of our club,” Bvd. Stirbei Voda, No. 32 says Burcea, for whom Brest and Krasnodar are the favourites in their group. Craiova Romania Alongside their Romanian stars, Craiova count on the two Serbian internationals Capacity: 4,215 Zeljka Nikolic and Jelena Trifunovic and Montenegrin new arrival Bobana Klikovac. Goalkeeper Florentina Stanciu, is Craiova-born, but switched citizenship to Iceland Club Address: after playing several years for Stjarnan in Reykjavik. SCM Craiova Cod Fiscal 21119218 Brestei, Nr. 4 200581 Craiova Road to the Group Phase Romania EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 1st leg: vs DVSC-TVP (HUN) W24:19 (16:11) Media contact: 2nd leg: @ DVSC-TVP (HUN) L26:24 (13:14) Daniela Gradinaru Aggregate score: 48:45 +40 351 176 806 [email protected] Newcomers: Online information: Bobana Klikovac Past achievements Website: www.scmcraiova.ro Cristina Lung Facebook: SCMCRAIOVA.RO Teodora Popescu - Nicoleta Tudor Other Andreea Pricopi Cup Winners' Cup: 2015/16 Last 16 Lorena Stoican Kit colours Alexandra Colac Romanian league: - Light Romanian cup: - (runners-up 2017) Player shirt: white Left the club: Player short: black Laurissa Laundre Goalkeeper shirt: yellow/deep blue Daniela Babeanu Dark Mirela Pasca Player shirt: blue Yulia Zaremba Player short: black Alexandra Andrei Goalkeeper shirt: red/white Yaroslava Burlachenko Andra Talu

17 SCM Craiova (ROU) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 15 Valentina Neli Ardean Elisei ROU Left Wing 05/06/1982 Focsani, ROU 171 19 Alexandra Colac ROU Left Wing 19/01/1998 Motru, ROU 169 20 Yuliya Dumanska ROU Goalkeeper 15/08/1996 Gorodenka, UKR 178 89 Florina Cristina Florianu ROU Left Back 29/09/1989 Slatina, ROU 184 71 Bobana Klikovac MNE Line Player 19/07/1995 Cetinje, MNE 181 1 Cristina Daniela Lung ROU Goalkeeper 04/01/2000 Craiova, ROU 185 14 Zeljka Nikolic SRB Right Wing 12/07/1991 Priboj, SRB 164 13 Aura Teodora Popescu ROU Line Player 07/11/1998 Craiova, ROU 175 9 Dana Andreea Pricopi ROU Centre Back 20/02/1994 Brasov, ROU 175 2 Maria Andreea Radoi ROU Right Back 02/12/1992 Tirgu Carbunesti, ROU 170 6 Carmen Selaru ROU Left Wing 24/09/1991 Caracal, ROU 170 16 Florentina Stanciu ISL Goalkeeper 28/07/1982 Craiova, ROU 184 55 Beatrice Lorena Stoican ROU Right Back 29/07/1998 Craiova, ROU 174 11 Ana Maria Ticu ROU Centre Back 23/02/1992 Rimnicu Vilcea, ROU 170 5 Jelena Trifunovic SRB Right Back 04/08/1991 Kraljevo, SRB 181 26 Nicoleta Tudor ROU Left Back 26/11/1988 Galati, ROU 183 88 Patricia Maria Vizitiu ROU Right Back 15/10/1988 Petrosani, ROU 176

18 SCM Craiova (ROU) Coach and key players profiles

Bogdan Burcea Iulia Dumanska coach goalkeeper • former Corona Brasov coach is one of the most • born in Ukraine, but got her Romanian citizenship respected coaches in Romania in 2016 • has been assistant coach for the Romanian • has been the first choice between the goalposts national team, when Tadici was serving as a first in the Romanian national team during the WCh 2017 team coach • when she came to Romania, Dumanska did not • has been named ’s assistant in know the Romanian language and started learning the Women’s Romanian U21 coach in December after the trainings 2017 • calls her first two coaches from Baia Mare "mother" and "father", recognising their merits for her ascension

Cristina Florianu Valentina Ardean Elisei left back left wing • first took up handball when she was 11, in her • one of the most important Romanian players in hometown, Slatina the last 15 years, being a finalist in the CL in 2010 and winning the silver medal in 2005 at the WCh • her first steps were as a goalkeeper • missed three seasons in the last 10 years, after • usually plays with the 89 number on her back, the tearing her ligaments year she was born • good friend with national team goalkeeper Paula • top scorer of the Romanian League in the 2016/17 Ungureanu, serving as the bride's maid during her season, with 186 goals wedding

EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2007, 2002 EURO: B 2010, WCh: S 2005

19 GROUP A Kuban (RUS) After Russia’s 34:17 demolition by Norway in the Women’s IHF World Championship Quarter-finals, coach Evgeny Trefilov and two of his Kuban players, goalkeeper Viktoriia Kalinina and line player Ekaterina Matlashova, will turn their attention to club handball again. In the Women’s EHF Cup, Trefilov’s side have tough nuts to crack as they face French champions Brest, who are coming from the EHF Champions League, Randers and Craiova in Group A.

“There are no weak opponents in this group,” Trefilov says. “Brest are the favourites, Craiova eliminated the strong Hungarian side Debrecen in qualification and Danish clubs are always serious contenders. So it will be interesting.” After an easy second qualification round against Medicinar from Serbia, Kuban faced former champions Astrakhan in an all-Russian duel in Round 3 and made it through despite an away defeat. Many top stars have left Kuban, like Marina Sudakova (Rostov-Don), (Vardar Skopje) or Ekaterina Marennikova and Yana Uskova, who both ended their careers. Also, Olympic champion Viktoriya Zhilinskayte is currently out because of pregnancy. Trefilov mainly count on the home matches in the group phase - and the support from the stands: “I hope the winter will be hot for our opponents at Krasnodar. Last season, we had a great audience at the Sports Palace, which really helped us in qualifying for the quarter-finals.” But there Kuban were eliminated, like three times before. Eventual finalists Bietigheim were the final destination of the still all-Russian squad, which on domestic level hope to snatch away the trophy from current champions Rostov. In the learning process for his rejuvenated squad, international competition is crucial, according to Trefilov: “This is Playing hall very important, both for the growth of the skill of the players and for our fans. European Palace of Sports "Olimp" competitions always cause an increased interest among TV viewers and fans.” Krasnodar Beregovaja str. 144 Road to the Group Phase 350007 Krasnodar, Russia Capacity: 2,500 EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 1st leg: @ Astrakhanochka (RUS) L29:27 (15:13) 2nd leg: vs Astrakhanochka (RUS) W33:29 (18:14) Club Address: Aggregate score: 60:58 Kuban Radio str., 5 EHF Cup, Qualification Round 2 350038 Krasnodar 1st leg: @ ZRK Medicinar (SRB) W23:33 (12:16) Russia 2nd leg: vs ZRK Medicinar (SRB) W35:22 (15:10) Aggregate score: 68:45 Media contact: Nikolay Buyanov Newcomers: +7 988 2424993 Ekaterina Barkalova Past achievements [email protected] Snezhana Makhneva (both Stavropolye-SKFU) Ksenia Karpacheva (Lada Togliatti) EHF Cup Online information: Ekaterina Matlashova (Luch Moscow) Quarter-final (4): 2008/09, 2009/10, Website: www.whckuban.ru Elizaveta Sobina (Dinamo-Sinara Volgograd) 2012/13, 2016/17 Facebook: whckuban Last 16 (1): 2010/11 Twitter: @whckuban Left the club: Instagram: whckuban Marina Sudakova (Rostov-Don) Other Polina Kuznetsova (Vardar Skopje) Cup Winners’ Cup: 1999/2000 Ekaterina Marennikova (end of carrier) runners-up, 1997/98, 1998/99, Kit colours Yana Uskova (end of career) 2000/01 quarter-finalists Light Irina Antonova (Astrakhanochka) City Cup: 1994/95 semi-finalits Player shirt: yellow Natalia Danshina (without a club) IHF Cup Winners' Cup: 1987, 1988 Player short: green Ksenia Dyachenko (Lada Togliatti) winners Goalkeeper shirt: red Valentina Goncharova (Turkey) IHF European Champions Cup: 1990 Iana Zhilinskayte runners-up Dark Soviet league: 1989, 1992 Player shirt: green Olga Gorshenina (both Alba Fehervar) Viktoriia Divak (France) Russian league: - (runners-up 1997- Player short: green 2000) Goalkeeper shirt: blue Oksana Koroleva (end of carreer) Viktoriya Zhilinskayte (pregnancy)

20 Kuban (RUS) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 88 Liubov Arishina RUS Centre Back 07/05/1988 Samara, RUS 177 66 Ekaterina Barkalova RUS Left Wing 05/06/1995 Kropotkin, RUS 182 4 Alexandra Davidenko RUS Left Wing 07/07/1998 Timashevsk, RUS 169 24 Anna Efimkina RUS Right Wing 25/01/1999 Krymsk, RUS 173 89 Ekaterina Fanina RUS Left Wing 27/11/1989 Volgograd, RUS 165 57 Yaroslava Frolova RUS Centre Back 18/05/1997 Volgograd, RUS 178 10 Julia Gariaeva RUS Right Back 24/05/1996 Primorsko-Axtarsk, RUS 180 11 Yulia Golikova RUS Right Back 24/02/1997 Ufa, RUS 186 7 Diana Golub RUS Right Wing 25/11/1992 Krasnodar, RUS 172 1 Victoriia Kalinina RUS Goalkeeper 08/12/1988 Krasnodar Reg, RUS 183 12 Polina Kaplina RUS Goalkeeper 16/08/1999 Irkutsk, RUS 179 55 Ksenia Karpacheva RUS Centre Back 30/04/1994 Sengiley, RUS 177 97 Valeriia Khristenko RUS Right Back 14/02/1997 Krasnodar, RUS 185 44 Oxana Koroleva RUS Left Back 17/07/1984 Astrakhan, RUS 186 84 Margarita Kushnyr RUS Goalkeeper 05/06/1996 Rostov region, RUS 178 23 Snezhana Makhneva RUS Left Wing 11/06/1990 Kuibyshev region, RUS 166 19 Ekaterina Matlashova RUS Line Player 25/09/1994 Astrakhan, RUS 181 16 Irina Mikhaylyuta RUS Goalkeeper 16/06/1993 Krasnodar, RUS 186 31 Julia Nalivko RUS Centre Back 22/08/1994 Krasnodar, RUS 170 33 Milana Rzaeva RUS Right Back 25/11/1998 Krasnodar, RUS 175 99 Victoria Samarskaya RUS Goalkeeper 15/02/1994 Krasnodar, RUS 182 5 Lada Samoilenko RUS Left Back 10/06/1998 Tikhoretsk, ROU 174 8 Iana Savinova RUS Left Wing 03/01/1991 Samarskaya, RUS 169 85 Elizaveta Sobina RUS Left Back 07/12/1995 Krasnodar region, RUS 185 87 Valentina Vernigorova RUS Right Back 15/06/1997 Volgograd, RUS 185 12 17 Liudmila Vydrina RUS Left Back 18/09/1996 Krasnodar, RUS 191 21 Viktoriya Zhilinskayte RUS Left Back 06/03/1989 Uray, RUS 188 17

21 Kuban (RUS) Coach and key players profiles

Evgenii Trefilov Viktoria Kalinina coach goalkeeper • one of the most renowned and experienced • plays for Kuban since 2013, with a one-year break coaches in the present-day handball in 2015/16 when she moved to Astrakhanochka • moved to Kuban from Astrakhanochka in • also spent four seasons at Zvezda Zvenigorod in the summer of 2016, after helping the team from the past Astrakhan to sensationally win the Russian League • one of the two Kuban players (alongside Ekaterina • has been coaching Russia national team since Matlashova) who took part in the WCh 2017 1999, with a brief interruption in the 2012/13 • emotional person who likes to cheer up her season, and led them to a number of major titles teammates • known for his temper and emotional style of coaching

EC trophies: CL 2008, Cup Winners’ Cup 2002, EHF Cup 2007, 2012 OG: G 2016 OG: G 2016, WCh: G 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009

Diana Golub Ekaterina Matlashova right wing line player • the 25-year-old is one of very few home-grown • this is her first season at Kuban after moving from players at Kuban Luch Moscow • following the departure of many experienced • born in Astrakhan and started her career at players last summer, she became one of the key Astrakhanochka figures and top scorers of the team • won a silver medal with Russia at the 2012 • known as Diana Zakaryan before the current Women's Junior Youth World Championship season, she changed her last name after marrying • started the 2017 WCh as a reserve, but replaced Alexei Golub, an ex-player of SKIF Krasnodar the injured Ekaterina Ilina during the tournament

22 Group B head-to-heads Historic encounters of the Group B opponents in the EC

Vipers Kristiansand vs Handball Club Lada 1-0-1 (55:55) 2:2 15.10.2016 Handball Club Lada vs Vipers Kristiansand, EHF Cup – Qualification Round 2 29:23 (17:11) 22.10.2016 Vipers Kristiansand vs Handball Club Lada, EHF Cup – Qualification Round 2 32:26 (15:15)

Handball Club Lada vs Koebenhavn Haandbold 2-0-0 (60:46) 4:0 01.03.2014 Lada vs Kobenhavn Handbold, EHF Cup – Quarter-final 27:19 (15:7) 08.03.2014 Kobenhavn Handbold vs Lada, EHF Cup – Quarter-final 27:33 (14:20)

No previous encounters in European competitions Vipers Kristiansand vs Issy Paris Hand Vipers Kristiansand vs Koebenhavn Haandbold Handball Club Lada vs Issy Paris Hand Issy Paris Hand vs Koebenhavn Haandbold

23 GROUP B Vipers Kristiansand (NOR) The Vipers took one sharp bite, but Kristiansand bit off more than they could chew in their premier Women’s EHF Champions League campaign. The Norwegian runners- up pulled off a sensational 29:19 victory over two-time winners Buducnost, but this was the only win for World Championship All- goalkeeper and her teammates. After five defeats, they continue their campaign in the EHF Cup, a competition in which they reached the semi-finals in 2003/04 season. The all- Scandinavian contains current national team players such as Lunde and young Emile Hegh Arntzen, rising star Larsen, as well as the experienced Kristine Lunde and Linn Sulland.

For coach Kenneth Gabrielsen, the first goal in the new environment is to win all home matches and then become cleverer in away games, with the main goal to make it to the quarter-finals. However, their group phase opponents are anything but easy, facing former Champions League finalists and EHF Cup winners Lada, Issy from Paris and Koebenhavn. “We are in a group composed only of good teams. It will be fun and we look forward to it. I guess the group is completely open and we have the opportunity to reach the quarter-finals like all the other teams,” says Gabrielsen, who also hopes that the hard-learned lessons from the top flight matches will help his side Playing hall in the upcoming group phase. Aquarama Kristiansand Tangen 8 For Gabrielsen, many teams can finish on top of the EHF Cup: “Several participants 4608 Kristiansand would fit very well in the Champions League. Every team in our group have the Norway potential to win. Lada look very strong this season and I have seen a few of Capacity: 2,200 Copenhagen’s matches and they really have something going on.” Road to the Group Phase Club Address: Vipers Kristiansand 4th ranked from the EHF Champions League Tangen 8 Group Matches 4608 Kristiansand GROUP D Norway QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENTS @ (FRA) L30:22 (14:12) GROUP 1 (Kristiansand) vs Buducnost (MNE) W29:19 (15:11) Media contact: Semi-final: vs HC Gomel W43:19 (27:10) vs SG BBM Bietigheim L24:29 (8:16) Final: vs HC Podravka Vegeta W42:14 (22:6) Terje Marcussen @ SG BBM Bietigheim L25:24 (16:13) +47 905 818 15 vs Metz Handball (FRA) L22:25 (11:12) [email protected] @ Buducnost (MNE) L26:23 (11:13) Newcomers: Online information: Past achievements Website: www.vipers.no (Byåsen) Malin Aune (Oppsal) Facebook: VipersKristiansand EHF Cup: Kristine Lunde-Borgersen (return from Semi-final (1): 2003/04 Twitter: @VipersKrSand retirement) Last 16 (1): 2004/05 Katrine Lunde (Rostov Don) Pernille Wang Skau (Halden) Kit colours Eline Fagerheim (Gjøvik) Other Sunniva Andersen (Gjerpen) Light Champions League: 2017/18 group matches Player shirt: yellow Cup Winners‘ Cup: quarter-finals 2015/16 Left the club: Player short: blue Thorey Rosa Stefansdottir (FRAM Reykjavik) Goalkeeper shirt: red or blue Norwegian league: - (runners-up 2016/17) Sanne Bak-Pedersen (Grane Arendal) Norwegian cup: - (runners-up 2010) Dark Mona Bruskeland Player shirt: blue Camilla Holmøy Feenstad Player short: blue Martine Rønning (all retired) Goalkeeper shirt: red or purple Annick Lipman (Gjerpen) Hanne Andve (Molde) Elisabeth Benestad (Grane Arendal) Anne Ch. Benestad (Grane Arendal) Ulrika Olsson (Skuru IK) 24 Vipers Kristiansand (NOR)

Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 3 Emilie Hegh Arntzen NOR Back 01/01/1994 Skien, NOR 183 26 Karine Emilie Dahlum NOR Right Wing 16/12/1999 Kristiansand, NOR 175 12 Eline Fagerheim NOR Goalkeeper 19/06/1998 Gjøvik, NOR 180 1 Sakura Hauge NOR Goalkeeper 07/01/1987 Bergen, NOR 174 24 Lina Marie Jensen NOR Back 15/03/1996 Stavanger, NOR 182 10 Vilde Jonassen NOR Left Wing 01/09/1992 Kristiansand, NOR 165 9 Mathilde Kristensen DEN Line Player 07/04/1993 Viborg, DEN 177 20 NOR Left Back 24/12/1992 Stavanger, NOR 178 6 Malin Larsen Aune NOR Right Wing 04/03/1995 Ranheim, NOR 165 13 Kristine Lunde Borgesen NOR Centre Back 30/03/1980 Kristiansand, NOR 183 16 Katrine Lunde NOR Goalkeeper 30/03/1980 Kristiansand, NOR 181 27 Sunniva Amalie Naes Andersen NOR Left Wing 12/11/1996 Skien, NOR 175 8 Kristin Noersteboe NOR Right Back 09/09/1990 Bærum, NOR 178 2 Karoline Olsen NOR Left Wing 16/06/1998 Kristiansand, NOR 171 4 Tonje Refsnes NOR Right Back 13/11/1994 Kristiansand, NOR 170 7 Kari Skaar Brattset NOR Line Player 15/02/1991 Fredrikstad, NOR 183 14 Pernille Wang Skaug NOR Right Wing 29/01/1992 Halden, NOR 178 15 Linn Jorum Sulland NOR Right Back 15/07/1984 , NOR 178 22 NOR Centre Back 20/09/1990 Trondheim, NOR 179

25 Vipers Kristiansand (NOR) Coach and key players profiles

Kenneth Gabrielsen Katrine Lunde coach goalkeeper • coach of Norway’s junior team besides being in • one of the best goalkeepers in the world who has charge of Vipers a big collection of major trophies won both with clubs and the Norwegian national team • was with Glassverket ever since he took them to the promotion into the Norwegian league in the • her move to Rostov-Don after five years at 2011/2012 season, but left for Vipers in the summer Hungary’s Györ was one of the biggest of 2016 transfer events in Europe in summer 2015 • awarded Coach of the Year for the 2014/15 • joined Vipers in the summer of 2017 season by the players of the Norwegian league. • has reunited with her twin sister Kristine Lunde • in his playing days, he represented Sandefjord TIF in Vipers in the Norwegian league and in the EHF Cup

EC Trophies: CL 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, EHF Cup 2017 OG: G 2008, 2012, B 2016, EURO: 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, S 2002, B 2012, WCh: G 2011, S 2007, B 2009, S 2017

Linn Jørum Sulland Kari Brattset right back left wing • joined Vipers after a year in Györ Audi ETO KC in • joined from Glassverket in the summer of 2016 the summer of 2016 • was part of the Norwegian team at the recent • can also play the right wing World Championship • represented Larvik for six years before going • represented other Norwegian clubs Sarpsborg IL abroad in 2015 and Fredrikstad previously • reached the 500-goal plateau in the national • physically strong and efficient line player, also team, but has lately suffered from the keen good in the defence competition among left-handed players in Norway • was nominated for the All-star Team of the • in 2005/06 the best player of the domestic league Norwegian league in 2014, 2016 and 2017 and also was the top scorer • top scorer of the European Beach Handball Championship in 2007

EC Trophies: CL 2011 WCh: S 2017 OG: G2012, EURO: G 2008, 2010, S 2012, WCh: G 2011, 2015, S 2007

26 GROUP B Handball Club Lada (RUS) Last season they began the group phase as one of the main contenders, but narrowly missed out on progressing from the competition’s tightest group. The club will celebrate its 20th anniversary in April and hope to mark it with a successful European campaign. The first goal for the Russian runners-up, featuring team captain and Olympic champion Daria Dmitrieva, is to proceed to the quarter-finals, but getting that far will not be straight forward for the 2007 EHF Champions League finalists and EHF Cup winners in 2012 and 2013, with duels against Issy, Vipers and Koebenhavn in Group B.

Coach Levon Akopyan expects a high level, as “our group is very strong and is composed of equal teams. I hope all matches will be attractive for our fans and useful for the players. We are looking forward to take on interesting tasks.”

Some changes occurred in his all-Russian squad as six players left and eight new arrivals have been integrated into the most important talent pool of Russian handball. They dealt with upcoming opponents Kristiansand in the qualification last season and had little trouble qualifying this season, leaving French side Besancon behind with two clear wins. For Akopyan, being part of the group phase is crucial for the Playing hall development of Russian handball and his talents. “There are only a very few teams Sportkomplex USK "Olimp" with such a chance. We are glad that participation in this competition can play a great Primorsky boulvar 49 role particularly for the growth of skill of our young players. We want to go as far as 445860 Togliatti possible; we think it will be very important for handball promotion in our club, city, Russia region and country.” Capacity: 2,700 Though many opponents have Lada on their list of favorites, the coach remains quite humble: “All 16 group phase participants are in the same position at the start. We are no exception. And we are ready for the next round." Club Address: Handball Club Lada Alsu Lateyeva Road to the Group Phase Primorsky boulvar 49, 445860 Togliatti EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 Russia 1st leg: vs ES Besancon Feminin (FRA) W30:22 (14:7) Media contact: 2nd leg: @ ES Besancon Feminin (FRA) Alsu Lateeva W32:36 (16:19) [email protected] Aggregate score: 66:54 Newcomers: Online information: Ksenia Dyachenko (Kuban Krasnodar) Website: www.handball.ru Natalia Ivanova (Zvezda Zvenigorod) Facebook: HCLadaTogliatti Maria Kerchikova (Universitet Izhevsk) Twitter: LadaToglatti Past achievements Anastasia Lagina (Luch Moscow) Instagram: lada_tlt Elena Mikhaylichenko (Sports school EHF Cup Olymp Togliatti) Winners (2): 2011/12, 2013/14 Anastasia Novoselova (from maternity leave) Kit colours Other Kristina Tarasova (Zagnosspor, Turkey) Light Champions League: 2006/07 runners-up, Polina Vedekhina (Dinamo-Sinara) Player shirt: blue 2007/08 semi-final Player short: blue Cup Winners’ Cup: 2001/02 winners, Left the club: Goalkeeper shirt: black 2015/16 runners-up Ksenia Karpacheva (Kuban Krasnodar) Dark Elizaveta Malashenko (Astrakhanochka) Russian league: 6 titles (2002, 2003, 2004, Player shirt: yellow Anastasia Portyagina (Universitet Izhevsk) 2005, 2006, 2008) Player short: blue (Astrakhanochka) Russian cup 1 title (2006) Goalkeeper shirt: green Daria Terekhova (Luch Moscow) Olesya Tsivka (end of career)

27 Handball Club Lada (RUS) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 47 Valentina Barynina RUS Left Wing 22/10/1996 Togliatti, RUS 171 11 Daria Dmitrieva RUS Centre Back 09/08/1995 Togliatti, RUS 178 71 Ksenia Dyachenko RUS Left Back 07/12/1994 Krasnodar, RUS 180 86 Maria Gafonova RUS Line Player 21/06/1987 Maykop, RUS 175 14 Veronika Garanina RUS Left Back 16/05/1992 Togliatti, RUS 175 20 Violetta Goletc RUS Centre Back 24/01/1997 Togliatti, RUS 178 23 Varvara Iureva RUS Line Player 29/06/1998 Togliatti, RUS 180 44 Natalia Ivanova RUS Left Back 01/04/1995 Yaroslavl, RUS 180 7 Julia Kakmolja RUS Line Player 08/03/1986 Togliatti, RUS 174 4 Maria Kerchikova RUS Right Back 30/04/1995 Kizilorda, KAZ 186 33 Inna Kostina RUS Right Wing 08/03/1998 Togliatti, RUS 169 57 Anna Krasnova RUS Right Wing 29/01/1995 Togliatti, RUS 168 9 Ekaterina Kudriavtseva RUS Left Back 24/11/1999 Togliatti, RUS 186 1 Anastasia Lagina RUS Goalkeeper 11/08/1995 Yaroslavl, RUS 178 8 Elena Mikhaylichenko RUS Centre Back 14/09/2001 Togliatti, RUS 177 28 Alena Nosikova RUS Left Wing 09/09/1993 Togliatti, RUS 174 77 Anastasia Novoselova RUS Right Wing 11/04/1990 Togliatti, RUS 170 12 Margarita Orlova RUS Goalkeeper 16/11/1998 Togliatti, RUS 181 21 Aleksandra Sannikova RUS Right Wing 26/01/1993 Togliatti, RUS 166 25 Olga Sherbak RUS Back 14/03/1998 Sevastopol, RUS 177 87 Irina Snopova RUS Right Back 07/06/1995 Volgograd, RUS 182 91 Kristina Tarasova RUS Left Wing 05/10/1991 Astrakhan, RUS 174 29 Elena Utkina RUS Goalkeeper 29/05/1990 Volgograd, RUS 180 13 Polina Vedekhina RUS Back 06/01/1994 Volgograd, RUS 176

28 Handball Club Lada (RUS) Coach and key players profiles

Levon Akopyan Elena Utkina coach goalkeeper • the 73-year-old started his coaching career back • born in Volgograd and started her career at the in 1972 local club Dinamo • coached a number of Soviet and Russian teams • moved to Lada in the summer of 2015 and led them to six titles of the national champion • took part in 2016 EHF EURO in Sweden as a • has been working at Lada since the summer of member of the Russian team 2013 • won the gold medal at the Summer Universiade in • was an assistant to Evgenii Trefilov in the Russia Gwangju in 2015 national team that won gold at the 2016 Olympics

EC trophies: Challenge Cup 1995, EHF Cup 2014

Daria Dmitrieva Polina Vedekhina centre back left back • the only 2016 Olympic champion in Lada’s current • born in Volgograd, the 23-year-old became the roster three-time Russian champion with the local team Dinamo-Sinara • born in Togliatti and started to play handball there, but moved to Volgograd at the age of 14 • moved to Toliatti in the summer of 2017 and quickly became one of Lada’s key players • with Dinamo-Sinara Volgograd, she became the Russian champion three straight times: in 2012, • was the first-choice left back of Russia team at 2013 and 2014 2017 World Championship • moved back to her home town in 2015, signing • her handball idol is , a famous with Lada French centre back

OG: G 2016

29 GROUP B Issy Paris Hand (FRA) It was something of a miracle, when Issy clinched their berth for the group phase of the Women’s EHF Cup. After a 31:21 away defeat at Erd in the first leg of Qualification Round 3, it looked like elimination at the hands of the Hungarian side was on the cards for a second year in a row. However, Issy struck back in dramatic style, winning 31:20 to secure a place among the competition’s 16 best teams.

“We are truly happy to be where are after this incredible comeback, a result of mental strength,” says coach Arnaud Gandais prior to the start of the group phase, in which his side will face Kristiansand, Lada and Koebenhavn in Group B. “We know that we are the underdogs in this group, but we will try to take the challenge and to gain as much experience as possible against strong opponents,” Gandais adds.

One of his top stars, Norwegian World Championship MVP Stine Oftedal, left for Györ in the summer, but her sister Hanna has remained, alongside fellow Norwegian and team captain . Issy managed to sign some young yet already experienced players such as Romanian line player , French international Tamara Horacek and Austrian wing .Another star is Dutch left back , bronze medallist and second top scorer of the 2017 World Championship in Germany. Playing hall Palaise de Sport Robert Charpentier Thus, Issy hope for a domestic trophy and “to go as far as possible” in the EHF Cup. 4/6 Boulevar des Freres Voisin “We are really proud to be part of this stage. Gaining this international experience will 92130 Issy-Les-Moulineaux help us a lot in the improving French league. So we are highly motivated to start,” says France Gandais, for whom Brest and Lada are the main contenders for the trophy, adding: “The Capacity: 1,800 Scandinavian sides such as Vipers and the Danish teams also have a chance.”

Club Address: Road to the Group Phase Issy Paris Hand 5 Avenue Jean Bouin EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 92130 Issy les Moulineaux 1st leg: @ ÉRD HC (HUN) L31:21 (18:8) France 2nd leg: vs ÉRD HC (HUN) W31:20 (13:7) Aggregate score: 52:51 Media contact: Jean-Marie Sifre EHF Cup, Qualification Round 2 +33 6 26066173 1st leg: @ Glassverket (NOR) W17:26 (5:10) [email protected] 2nd leg: vs Glassverket (NOR) W23:22 (13:11) Aggregate score: 49:39 Online information: Website: www.issyparishand.fr Facebook: issyparishand Newcomers: Past achievements Twitter: issyparishand Déborah Dangueuger (Brest Bretagne Handball) Instagram: issyparishand Crina Pintea (Thüringer HC) EHF Cup Tamara Horacek (Metz Handball) Quarter-finals (3): 1995/96, 2008/09, Chloé Bulleux (Siofok KC) 2014/15 Sonja Frey (Cercle Dijon Bourgogne) Kit colours Last 16 (1): 1996/97 Veronika Malá (VfL Oldenburg) Light Qualification Round 2 (1): 2016/17 Player shirt: gold/white Left the club: Player short: black Other (Érd HC) Goalkeeper shirt: blue/black Champions League: 2012/13 qualification Stine Oftedal (Györ Audi ETO KC) Cup Winners’ Cup: 2012/13 runners-up, Dark Doungou Camara (Havre Athletic Club HB) 2015/16 semi-finals Player shirt: black/gold Karolina Zalewski (end of career) Challenge Cup: 2013/14 runners-up Player short: black (end of career) Goalkeeper shirt: blue/black Kalidiatou Niakaté (Nantes Loire Atlantique HB) French league: - (runners-up 2012, 2014, (end of career) 2015) French Cup: - (runners-up 2016)

30 Issy Paris Hand (FRA)

Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 18 Lois Abbingh NED Left Back 13/08/1992 Groningen, NED 177 12 Victoria Alric FRA Goalkeeper 18/04/1997 Paris, FRA 184 24 Chloe Bulleux FRA Right Wing 18/11/1991 Annecy, FRA 172 4 Romane Damiens FRA Right Back 02/03/1999 La Garenne-Colombes, FRA 177 1 Deborah Dangueuger FRA Goalkeeper 28/04/1994 Metz, FRA 174 84 Melvine Deba FRA Right Wing 08/01/1998 Paris, FRA 165 14 Melissa Delalande FRA Left Back 11/06/1999 Nogent-sur-Marne, FRA 172 28 Christen Delgado de Graca FRA Back 13/01/1999 Paris, FRA 176 23 Sophia Fehri FRA Line Player 17/05/1996 Paris, FRA 184 21 Mabana-Ma Fofana FRA Line Player 20/06/1998 Paris, FRA 182 48 Sonja Frey AUT Left Wing 22/04/1993 Wien, AUT 169 75 Margot Galtier FRA Right Wing 04/03/1998 Montpellier, FRA 170 92 Zeina Golba FRA Wing 01/12/1999 Chatenay-Malabry, FRA 168 11 Tamara Horacek FRA Centre Back 05/11/1995 Pozega, CRO 178 22 Deborah Lassource FRA Back 22/09/1999 Maisons-Laffite, FRA 172 17 Louise Lefevre FRA Back 20/07/1998 Paris, FRA 178 67 Veronika Malá CZE Left Wing 06/05/1994 Pisek, CZE 169 19 Alice Mazens FRA Left Back 26/07/1998 Villiers, FRA 172 10 Hanna Bredal Oftedal NOR Right Back 04/07/1994 Oslo, NOR 175 15 Adja Ouattara FRA Line Player 14/10/2001 Paris, FRA 179 27 Lila Päkel FRA Centre Back 26/03/1998 Paris, FRA 174 7 Crina Elena Pintea ROU Line Player 03/04/1990 Podu Turcului, ROU 186 6 Oceane Sercien Ugolin FRA Left Back 15/12/1997 Cherbourg-Octeville, FRA 176 16 Silje Margaretha Solberg NOR Goalkeeper 16/06/1990 Bærum, NOR 178 26 Maryse Taombe FRA Wing 05/01/2000 Saint-Denis, FRA 170

31 Issy Paris Hand (FRA) Coach and key players profiles

Arnaud Gandais Silje Solberg coach goalkeeper • arrived in the club in 2004, fourteen years ago • after winning almost everything there was to win and he's been successively coach for 10 years, then with Team Tvis Holstebro, including two European general manager, then coach again since fall 2016 cups, Solberg landed in Paris in 2016 • has led Issy-Paris twice to a European cup final, in • one of the reasons she signed with the club was 2013 and 2014, but has never managed to win one to play with , one of her best friends, who since left to play in Györ • sets ambitious goals for his club, hoping that 50% of the squad may one day come from its own • aged 27, she's a regular fixture in the Norwegian handball school national team, even though she didn't play at the last world championship • from 2005 to 2008, not only was he coach of the Issy-Paris but also working in the city's • played her first international game aged only 21 administration, at the sports department EC trophies: EHF Cup 2015, CWC 2016 EURO: G 2014, 2016, S 2012 , WCh: G 2015, S 2017

Lois Abbingh Hannah Oftedal left back right back • might only be 25 and playing in Issy-Paris for her • younger sister of Stine second season, but she's already one of the key • they played together for three seasons, "a dream players of the squad come true" according to both • former centre back, she can also play on the left • long-term girlfriend of Norwegian superstar back position Sander Sagosen • played in the CL in the past, for two seasons with • the pair is now reunited since the young Romanian side Baia Mare Norwegian player arrived in Paris in the summer of • enjoyed her first national team game with the 2017 Netherlands in 2009, when she was just 17

EURO: S 2016, WCh: S 2015, B 2017

32 GROUP B Koebenhavn Haandbold (DEN) When the bronze final of the 2017 World Championship in Germany threw-off, no other club was represented by more players than Koebenhavn Haandbold with their two Dutch players - and - celebrating medals, and the Swedes , and leaving the court empty-handed. Except for Bont, all four are newcomers in the side of coach Claus Mogensen. After a four-year-absence in international competitions and a renaming, the club from the Danish capital is now back on track. The 2009 Cup Winners’ Cup winners had eliminated Dunaujvaros, the last EHF Cup winners of the old format, by two victories in the qualification. Now, Koebenhavn will face Lada, Kristiansand and Issy in their first-ever group phase in club history when they take to the court for the Group B clashes.

“Our objective is to qualify to the quarter-finals, but we expect a really tough task to get there,” says coach Mogensen, adding: “I think everyone can beat each other, so winning the home matches will be essential. It is such a tough group with three teams leading their domestic leagues. I expect a lot of exciting matches and we are really looking forward to it.”

In Mogensen’s opinion, two of the main contenders for the trophy are already part of group B: “Lada are the favourites to win the EHF Cup,” he said. “I think their biggest Playing hall rivals will be Vipers and Brest, but I can assure you that we will also do our outmost to Frederiksberg Opvisningshal challenge those teams in the final stages of the competition.” Jens Jessens Vej 10 2000 Frederiksberg Lada were the team who eliminated Koebenhavn in their last international appearance, Denmark the 2014 quarter-finals but now, the club hopes that the international restart will open a Capacity: 1,367 bright future. Club Address: Koebenhavn Haandbold Road to the Group Phase Frederiksberg Hallen Jens Jessens Vej 20 EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 2000 Frederiksberg 1st leg: vs DKKA Dunaujvaros KA (HUN) W22:21 (11:12) Denmark 2nd leg: @ DKKA Dunaujvaros KA (HUN) W20:23 (11:12) Aggregate score: 45:41 Media contact: Janni Møller Thomsen EHF Cup, Qualification Round 2 +45 223 55 225 1st leg: @ Cercle Dijon Bourgogne (FRA) W23:32 (14:15) [email protected] 2nd leg: vs Cercle Dijon Bourgogne (FRA) W28:27 (15:11) Aggregate score: 60:50 Online information: Website: www.kbhbold.dk Newcomers: Facebook: kbhbolddk Hanna Blomstrand (Lugi) Past achievements Twitter: kbhbolddk Johanna Bundsen (Sävehof) Instagram: kbhbolddk Jenny Alm (Team Esbjerg) EHF Cup Mia Møldrup (Nantes) Quarter-final (1): 2013/14 Kelly Dulfer (Oldenburg) Round 3 (1): 2006/07 Kit colours Marie Tømmerbakke (Opsall IF) Annika Meyer (Buxtehuder SV) Other Light Line Bjørnsen (Glassverket) Player shirt: orange Champions League: 2000/01, 2008/09, 2009/10 group matches Player short: black Left the club: Goalkeeper shirt: green Cup Winners’ Cup: 2008/09 winners, Ine Stangvik (Team Esbjerg) 2003/04 semi-final Dark Christina Elm (Sävehof) Player shirt: black Ronja Johansen (Lyngby HK) Danish league: - (runners-up 2017) Player short: black Maria Dueholm Sørensen (end of career) Goalkeeper shirt: orange Sofie Flader (Aarhus United) (Györ) (FCM)

33 Koebenhavn Haandbold (DEN) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 15 Jenny Alm SWE Left Back 10/04/1989 Bäve, SWE 184 17 Martine Andersen DEN Goalkeeper 16/11/1999 Odsherred, DEN 174 90 Bidstrup DEN Centre Back 02/02/1990 Valby, DEN 168 7 Line Bjoernsen NOR Right Wing 03/07/1992 Stavanger, NOR 179 22 Hanna Blomstrand SWE Right Back 25/08/1996 Falun, SWE 173 19 Debbie Bont NED Right Wing 09/12/1990 Edam-Volendam, NED 174 30 Esther Bondensgard DEN Centre Back 12/03/1999 Frederiksberg, DEN 176 1 Johanna Bundsen SWE Goalkeeper 03/06/1991 Uddevalla, SWE 185 31 Millie Thora Caswell DEN Line Player 13/03/1999 København, DEN 174 32 Naja Bruus Christiansen DEN Line Player 22/08/2000 Halsnæs, DEN 174 20 Anne Cecilie Dornonville de la Cour DEN Right Back 08/12/1993 Aarhus, DEN 178 21 Kelly Dulfer NED Left Back 21/03/1994 Schiedam, NED 186 44 Rikke Ebbesen DEN Left Wing 13/06/1992 Aalborg, DEN 171 3 Louise Fons DEN Left Wing 18/02/1985 Kolding, DEN 167 33 Andrea Sofie Haastrup-Vang DEN Left Wing 26/05/1999 Frederiksberg, DEN 170 34 Andrea Ulrikka Aagot Hansen DEN Right Wing 22/05/2000 Frederiksberg, DEN 178 35 Matilde Dalbo Kirkegaard DEN Line Player 06/12/2000 København, DEN 171 10 Stine Knudsen DEN Left Wing 27/04/1992 Fredericia, DEN 160 27 DEN Centre Back 04/11/1981 Kobenhavn, DEN 173 18 Maria Schmidt Lykkegaard DEN Line Player 27/02/1996 Copenhagen, DEN 172 6 Annika Meyer DEN Line Player 30/05/1994 Haderslev, DEN 177 45 Mia Marie Tarp Moldrup DEN Right Back 06/04/1991 Esbjerg, DEN 180 14 Mai Kragballe Nielsen DEN Centre Back 15/12/1997 København, DEN 172 28 Myrthe Schoenaker NED Left Back 01/06/1992 Olst, NED 176 12 Marie Sundfoer NOR Goalkeeper 10/01/1993 Oslo, NOR 172 5 Louise Ambjörn Svalastog Spellerberg DEN Line Player 01/10/1982 Kolding, DEN 180 36 Jaqueline Tandrup DEN Goalkeeper 29/05/1999 Frederiksberg, DEN 168 37 Emilie Frese Theil DEN Centre Back 25/07/2000 Greve, DEN 177 38 Amalie Tolderlund DEN Line Player 24/07/2000 Frederiksberg, DEN 168 39 Viola Viktoria Tranberg DEN Left Back 11/08/2000 København, DEN 172 2 Cecilie Buk Vester DEN Line Player 03/04/1990 København, DEN 173

34 Koebenhavn Haandbold (DEN) Coach and key players profiles

Claus Mogensen Johanna Bundsen coach goalkeeper • joined Kobenhavn in the summer of 2016 from • joined Kobenhavn ahead of the 2017/18 season Norwegian Byasen from Swedish IK Sävehof • runners-up with Kobenhavn in his first season • part of the Swedish team at the WCh 2017 in in the club and was awarded Coach of the year in Germany Denmark • has lots of international experience from the • took Byasen to the semi-final of the Women's Cup Swedish national team as well as from her seven CL Winners' Cup in the 2013/14 season seasons with Sävehof • awarded Coach of the Year in Norway in the 2016 • typically Swedish goalkeeper with an upright style and good ability to read the shooters • known for his tactical skills, his thorough analysis of coming opponents and his communicative skills • nominated for the Team of the Autumn in the towards his players Danish league in 2017/18

EURO: B 2014

Hanna Blomstrand Mia Rej right back centre back • joined Kobenhavn in the 2017 summer from • joined Kobenhavn in the summer of 2014 from Swedish league club HF Lugi Lund Swedish Höör, but it took her nearly a year to get her debut for the Danish club due to a serious knee • plenty of EHF Cup experience from her time in injury Lugi • awarded Player of the Year in Kobenhagen • part of the Swedish team at the WCh 2017, where Handbold in the 2015/16 season as well as last she played a decisive role in the quarter-final against season Denmark • had her debut in the Danish national team in the • known for her speed and her ability to change spring 2016, but was not nominated for the final direction very quickly as well as for variety of shots squad for the Women's World Championship 2017 from different angles • gained CL experience already in the 2009/10 • won the Women´s EURO 17 2013 with Sweden season with FCK Handbold • elegant playmaker who can make herself as well as her teammates good and who benefits from her huge experience

35 Group C head-to-heads Historic encounters of the Group C opponents in the EC

Vistal Gdynia vs Viborg HK 0-0-1 (22:26) 0:2 23.09.2012 Viborg HK vs Vistal Laczpol Gdynia, EHF Champions League – Qualification Tournament Group 1 26:22 (12:11)

Viborg HK vs Byasen Handball Elite 2-0-0 55:43) 4:0 24.10.2009 Byasen HE vs Viborg HK, EHF Champions League – Group A 21:26 (6:12) 09.01.2010 Viborg HK vs Byasen HE, EHF Champions League – Group A 29:22 (13:10)

No previous encounters in European competitions Vistal Gdynia vs Byasen Handball Elite Vistal Gdynia vs Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK Viborg HK vs Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK Byasen Handball Elite vs Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK

36 GROUP C Vistal Gdynia (POL) Six defeats in the Women’s EHF Champions League group phase, a new coach and a new team captain - many things have happened at Gdynia since the start of their first-ever Champions League mission in September. The Polish champions were taught six harsh lessons by the powerhouses of European club handball including 2016 champions CSM Bucuresti, Danish champions Nykøbing and former CL winners Krim Ljubljana.

But the Baltic Sea-based team now restart their European campaign in group C of the Women’s EHF Cup where they will face two top Scandinavian sides (Viborg HK and Byasen Handball Elite) along with Turkish champions Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK.

This new challenge will be handled by a new coach after Giennadiy Kamelin took over the team from Agnieszka Truszynska on 1 December who will now only focus on the preparation of the Polish U18 women’s team ahead of the IHF Women’s Youth World Championship in August 2018 on home soil. Along with Truszynska leaving, experienced team captain and Polish international Malgorzata Gapska has also ended her career, but this could mean a chance for fresh faces to emerge. Playing hall Dragao Caixa “Our young team hopes to gain experience in the EHF Cup which will hopefully pay off in Via Futebol Clube do Porto the future,” said Kamelin, ahead of the group phase which starts next month. “We hope 4350419 Porto that in this competition we manage to take some points against again strong opponents. Portugal Viborg, in my opinion, are not only the favourites of winning the group, but also the Capacity: 2,225 trophy in the end.” Along with Viborg, Kamelin also added Brest Bretagne, Kristiansand Playing hall and H65 Höör to his list of main contenders for the title. Hala Sportowo Widowiskowa w Gdyni Gdynia, EHF Challenge Cup semi-finalists in 2010, are making their debut in this stage Kazimierza Gorskiego 8 of the EHF Cup - after their maiden voyage in the EHF Champions League and to make it Gdynia, Poland back to the elite club competition again is their major goal in domestic competitions after Capacity: 4,800 winning the Polish title last season. Road to the Group Phase Club Address: Vistal Gdynia 4th ranked from the EHF Champions League Group Matches Ul. Kazimierza Gorskiego 10 GROUP A 81-302 Gdynia @ NFH - Nykøbing Falster (DEN) L27:21 (14:10) Poland vs CSM Bucuresti (ROU) L23:34 (9:18) vs RK Krim Mercator (SLO) L19:29 (10:11) Media contact: @ RK Krim Mercator (SLO) L29:22 (16:11) Krystian Gancza vs NFH - Nykøbing Falster (DEN) L28:36 (10:15) +48 501 005 609 CSM Bucuresti (ROU) L34:22 (17:14) [email protected] Newcomers: Past achievements Online information: Alicja Pękala Website: www.vistalreczna.pl EHF Cup: Facebook: pilkarecznagdynia Left the club: Round 2 (1): 2010/11 Monika Kobylinska Qualification Round 1 (1): 2016/17 Kinga Lalewicz Gabriela Urbaniak Aleksandra Dorsz Other Kit colours during the season: Malgorzata Gapska (end of Champions League: 2017/18 group Light career) matches, 2012/13 qualification Player shirt: yellow Challenge Cup: semi-finals 2009/10 Player short: blue Cup Winners’ Cup: Last 16 2012/13 Goalkeeper shirt: orange Dark Polish league: 2 titles (2012, 2017) Player shirt: blue : 3 titles Player short: blue Goalkeeper shirt: green

37 Vistal Gdynia (POL) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 87 Jagoda Blaszkowska POL Left Wing 07/01/1998 Gdynia, POL 164 71 Martyna Boryslawska POL Left Back 22/03/1995 Plock, POL 180 12 Malgorzata Gapska POL Goalkeeper 03/09/1983 Gdansk, POL 176 22 Kinga Gutkowska POL Left Back 14/06/1995 Kwidzyn, POL 165 3 Katarzyna Janiszewska POL Right Back 26/10/1995 Sztum, POL 166 10 Oliwia Kaminska POL Goalkeeper 09/09/1998 Tczew, POL 181 16 Weronika Kordowiecka POL Goalkeeper 13/09/1995 Warszawa 176 24 Natalia Kowalczyk POL Centre Back 08/02/1998 Brodnica, POL 175 19 Joanna Kozlowska POL Left Back 19/01/1995 Sztum, POL 183 77 Patrycja Kulwinska POL Line Player 31/03/1989 Gdansk, POL 176 4 Aneta Labuda POL Right Back 07/01/1995 Zary, POL 160 7 Kornelia Malecka POL Right Back 24/03/1999 Reszel, POL 180 49 Patricia Matieli Machado BRA Centre Back 11/11/1998 Sao Paulo, BRA 168 5 Alicja Pekala POL Right Wing 19/10/1998 Kwidzyn, POL 179 37 Marta Slwinska POL Centre Back 06/03/1998 Gdynia, POL 178 14 Magdalena Stanulewicz POL Left Wing 17/09/1992 Gdansk, POL 162 66 Joanna Szarawaga POL Line Player 02/04/1994 Debno, POL 185 78 Paulina Uscinowicz POL Left Back 16/10/1999 Gdansk, POL 183 18 Aleksandra Zych POL Right Back 28/07/1993 Walbrzych, POL 182

38 Vistal Gdynia (POL) Coach and key players profiles

Giennadiy Kamelin Joanna Szarawaga coach line player • took over the reigning Polish champions after • the only Vistal player with CL experience, Gdynia lost their all six matches in the CL 2017/18 gained during her time with MKS Lublin group matches and replaced Agnieszka Truszynska • was supposed to make her CL debut in 2013 • experienced coached from Kazakhstan arrived against Buducnost, but was injured in the last in Poland three decades ago training before the game • steered Iskra Kielce (predecessor of PGE Vive) • according to Przegląd Sportowy, was the best to two Polish championship titles line player in the Polish league in 2016/17 • also coached other men's clubs - Azoty-Pulawy, Zaglebie Lubin, Chrobry Glogow

Katarzyna Janiszewska Alexandra Zych right wing right back • at the age of only 16, she was a key member of • played for Poland at the EHF EURO 2014 and the Poland national team at the U20 WCh 2012 in WCh 2015, where they reached the , playing in a much older age group semi-finals than her own • first-choice right back following the transfer of • fast and physically strong, known for finishing Monika Kobylinska to Metzingen actions under physical pressure from opponents • Vistal Gdynia is her first senior team after SMS • played at the EHF EURO 2014 and 2016, being Gliwice sports school the first choice in her position at the second • also plays beach handball and won the Polish tournament Beach Handball Championship in 2016 • best right wing of the 2016/17 Polish League • regarded as the best left-handed Polish player in according to the sport publication Przegląd the Polish league Sportowy

39 GROUP C Viborg HK (DEN) Only four clubs have won the Women’s EHF Champions League three times or more: Austrian team Hypo Niederösterreich (4), current title holders Györ and Danish sides Slagelse and Viborg HK (three each). Like Hypo, Viborg are playing in their 25th season in the 25th-anniversary year of the European Cup competitions. In 2006, 2009 and 2010, the Danish record champions raised the Women’s EHF Champions League trophy and their cabinet was complete in the 2013/14 season after they won the Cup Winners’ Cup which had followed Women’s EHF Cup triumphs in the 1993/94, 1998/99 and 2003/04 seasons.

Viborg, alongside Lada (Russia), are the only former Women’s EHF Cup champions in the group phase of this season’s edition and, along with Norwegian side Larvik, are the only former Women’s EHF Champions League winners. In the final qualification round, the side of head coach Allan Heine eliminated another former CL winner, Croatian champions Podravka Vegeta from Koprivnica. Things have changed at Viborg since their last Champions League trophy. A completely new and rejuvenated team is ready to rock the EHF Cup now, starting in the group phase when the 14-time Danish champions face Gdynia, Byasen and Kastamonu. Viborg coach Heine predicts anything but a walk in the park. “I expect the group to be a hard one with three good teams,” he said. “This is why Playing hall the home games will be crucial for success for all the teams.” Viborg Stadionhal Tingvej 5 For him, Brest, Vipers, Lada and Issy are the main contenders for winning the trophy 8800 Viborg in May 2018 and for his side, the minimum goal is reaching the knock-out stage. Denmark “Participation in the group phase is extremely important as we have a young team,” he Capacity: 2,863 said. “The trips across Europe help give elements to the team, both on and off the court. You could say it is team building at a serious level.”

Club Address: Road to the Group Phase Viborg HK Tingvej 5, 1. sal EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 8800 Viborg 1st leg: vs HC Podravka Vegeta (CRO) W32:17 (16:9) Denmark 2nd leg: @ HC Podravka Vegeta (CRO) L21:20 (10:10) Aggregate score: 52:38 Media contact: Kim Pedersen EHF Cup, Qualification Round 2 +45 61 71 53 53 1st leg: @ NUR HC Mingachevir (AZE) W21:38 (8:19) [email protected] 2nd leg: vs NUR HC Mingachevir (AZE) W43:15 (22:5) Aggregate score: 81:36 Online information: Website: www.vhk.dk Newcomers: Past achievements Facebook: ViborgHK Hanna Daglund (Skuru IK) Twitter: ViborgHK Josephine Nordstrøm (FCM Håndbold) EHF Cup Instagram: viborg_hk Signe Hald (Vendsyssel Håndbold) Winners (3): 1993/94, 1998/99, Kristina Jørgensen (Skanderborg Håndbold) 2003/04 Natasha Nolevska (HC Vardar) Qualification Round 3 (1): 2016/17 Kit colours Anne Hykkelbjerg (youth player Viborg HK) Light Anne Sofie Filtenborg (Randers HK) Other Player shirt: white (Toulon) Champions League: 2005/06, Player short: black 2008/09, 2009/10 winners, 1996/97, Goalkeeper shirt: blue Left the club: 2000/01 runners-up, 2002/03 semi- Mie Sørensen (Nykøbing Falster) finals Dark Signe Brun (retired) Cup Winners’ Cup: 2013/14 winners, Player shirt: green (retired) 2011/12 runners-up Player short: black Marie Paule Gnabouyou (Siofok) Goalkeeper shirt: black Siri Seglem (EH Aalborg) Danish league: 14 titles (1994-97, Sarah Paulsen (Dijon) 1999-02, 2004, 2006, 2008-10, 2014) Karen Nørgaard (retired) Danish cup: 11 titles

40 Viborg HK (DEN) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 1 Hanna Karin Daglund SWE Goalkeeper 03/04/1994 Västerås, SWE 179 5 Signe Hald DEN Line Player 17/06/1995 Odense, DEN 179 14 Amalie Groen Hansen DEN Left Wing 30/10/1996 Fredericia, DEN 170 11 DEN Left Back 11/11/1994 Skive, DEN 177 44 Clara Hoeg-Poulsen DEN Centre Back 26/05/1998 Viborg, DEN 175 45 Marie Hoeg-Poulsen DEN Left Wing 10/12/1999 Viborg, DEN 167 43 Anne Kjelstrup Hykkelbjerg DEN Line Player 16/01/2000 Viborg, DEN 175 93 Line Uno Jensen DEN Centre Back 19/10/1993 Kolding, DEN 170 10 Kristina Joergensen DEN Left Back 17/01/1998 Horsens, DEN 189 3 Nikoline Skals Lundgreen DEN Right Back 07/01/1998 Faaborg-Midtfyn, DEN 187 62 Anne Sofie Moldrup Nielsen DEN Right Wing 30/12/1998 Randers, DEN 179 22 Sidsel Bodholt Nielsen DEN Right Back 08/11/1989 Aabenraa, DEN 175 9 Nielsen DEN Line Player 08/11/1989 Aabenraa, DEN 176 17 Natasha Nolevska MKD Right Wing 29/05/1996 Bitola, MKD 168 23 Ann Grete Norgaard Osterballe DEN Left Wing 15/09/1983 Viborg, DEN 162 24 Josephine Nordstrom Skov DEN Goalkeeper 07/05/1998 Køge, DEN 185 12 Rikke Vestergaard Poulsen DEN Goalkeeper 20/04/1986 Holstebro, DEN 177 21 Mathilde Keis Storgaard DEN Line Player 13/02/1995 Koge, DEN 183 8 Carin Strömberg SWE Left Back 10/07/1993 Nacka, SWE 184 99 Sanne Van Olphen NED Right Back 13/03/1989 Gravenhage, NED 177

41 Viborg HK (DEN) Coach and key players profiles

Allan Heine coach goalkeeper • joined Viborg from league rivals Ringkøbing in the • has been playing in Viborg since 2014, when she summer of 2016 joined from another league club, Vejen EH • has a past career as assistant coach as well as • also represented TTH Holstebro and SK Aarhus in head coach in former league club Aalborg DH the Danish league • known for his tactical and communicative skills • gave birth to a boy in July 2017, but is back on court now • has intensified the physical training in Viborg • used to be a regular in the Danish national team • his main hobby is gardening before her maternity leave • known for movability and her fast reactions

WCh: B 2013

Line Haugsted Stine Bodholt left back line player • joined Viborg in the summer of 2016 from league • returned to Viborg from league rivals Team rivals Odense Håndbold Esbjerg in the summer of 2016 two years with Skive fH and two years in Esbjerg. • has become a regular in the Danish national team lately • gained Champions League experience already with Viborg in the 2007-08 season, and has played • gained CL experience with another Danish league Champions League as well as EHF Cup with Esberg. club, FC Midtjylland already in the 2011/12 season • regular in the Danish national team • known for her hard shot and also for being good and uncompromising in the defence • at least as good in the defence as on the line in the attack • besides playing handball, she likes cooking and baking and enjoying nature • had a big part of her season so far ruined by knee problems but appears to be back at full strength now

42 GROUP C Byasen Handball Elite (NOR)

For the 22nd season in their history, the Trondheim-based Byasen Handball Elite will feature in a European club handball competition and they will be hoping they can go one better than 10 years ago, when they lost on aggregate against Romanian side Oltchim Valcea in the EHF Cup Winners’ Cup Final back in 2007.

In 2014, the five-time Norwegian champions made it to the semi-finals of that same competition, but were defeated by Russian powerhouse Zvezda Zvenigorod. As one of three Norwegian clubs still in the competition (Larvik and Vipers Kristiansand are the other two), Byasen hope to make it to the EHF Cup quarter-finals after they just missed out on the knockout stage last season, after facing eventual finalists Rostov and Bietigheim already in the group stage.

Byasen count on an almost all-Norwegian squad, apart from just two players: Croatian team captain Teodora Tomac and Icelandic left back Helena Rut Orvarsdottir. Right wing Marit Jacobsen was the only Byasen player in the silver-medal winning Norwegian squad at the 2017 World Championship in Germany last December.

This season, the Norwegian team are the only club who made it from the first Playing hall qualification round to the group phase, beating Elblag (POL) and Gomel (BLR) clearly, Trondheim Spektrum before nearly failing against Braila (ROU) in the second round, when they almost let Klostergata 90 a 10-goal lead slip from their hands. Their Group Phase, Group C, campaign will see N-7030 Trondheim them face Viborg HK, Vistal Gdynia and Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK. Norway Capacity: 5,000 “This is an even group, and I expect to see some good matches - we aim for the next stage,” said new Byasen coach Roger Kvannli, who succeeded Arne Hogdahl last September. Club Address: Byasen Trondheim Road to the Group Phase Ingvald Ystgaards vei 3A Past achievements 7047 Trondheim EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 Norway EHF Cup 1st leg: @ H.C. Dunarea Braila (ROU) L25:24 Quarter-final (4): 1997/98, 2000/01, 2nd leg: vs H.C. Dunarea Braila (ROU) W34:23 Media contact: 2007/08, 2008/09 Aggregate score: 58:48 Mona Ulvin Group Phase (1): 2016/17 +47 73 515800 Last 16 (1): 2004/05, 2010/11 EHF Cup, Qualification Round 2 [email protected] 1st leg: vs Tertnes Bergen (NOR) W33:27 Other 2nd leg: @ Tertnes Bergen (NOR) W26:29 Online information: Champions League: 1996/97, 1998/99 Aggregate score: 62:53 Website: www.byaasen.no quarter-finalist Facebook: byaasenhandball Cup winners’ Cup: 2006/07 runners-up EHF Cup, Qualification Round 1 Twitter: @byaasenhandball 1st leg: vs RK Zagorje (SLO) W32:20 Norwegian league: 4 titles (1985, 1986, 2nd leg: @ RK Zagorje (SLO) W20:25 1988, 1989) Aggregate score: 57:40 Norwegian cup: 4 titles (1988, 1989, Kit colours 1991, 2007) Light Player shirt: white Newcomers: Left the club: Player short: blue Hanna Yttereng (Bietigheim) Maria Hjertner (Larvik HK) Goalkeeper shirt: green Astrid Holstad (Storhamar) Emilie Hegh Arntzen (Vipers Kristiansand) Dark Hanne Sagvold (Byasen IL) Player shirt: red Helena Rut Orvarsdottir (UMF Stjarnan) Player short: blue Mathilde Holck (Utleira) Goalkeeper shirt: black Tuva Hova (Byasen IL) Kristin L. Eiriksson (Byasen IL)

43 Byasen Handball Elite (NOR) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 3 Maren Aardahl NOR Line Player 02/03/1994 Trondheim, NOR 23 Kristin Loraas Eiriksson NOR 26/01/2001 7 Jenny Groetan NOR Line Player 11/05/1994 Trondheim, NOR 182 22 Ida Marie Nagelhus Hernes NOR Left Back 24/01/1996 Trondheim, NOR 169 6 Moa Högdahl NOR Right Back 28/02/1996 Trondheim, NOR 179 25 Mathilde Holck NOR Line Player 07/02/1997 Trondheim, NOR 14 Astrid Holstad NOR Right Back 21/08/1994 Trondheim, NOR 175 19 Tuva Ulsaker Hove NOR 11/06/2000 20 Marit Røsberg Jacobsen NOR Right Wing 25/02/1994 Narvik, NOR 165 12 Tonje Haug Lerstad NOR Goalkeeper 09/10/1996 Trondheim, NOR 176 26 Maren Roll Lied NOR Back 15/01/1992 Bergen, NOR 170 13 Maja Magnussen NOR Right Wing 30/06/1997 Trondheim, NOR 165 18 Helena Rut Örvarsdottir ISL Left Back 17/05/1994 Gardabær, ISL 16 Andrea Austmo Pedersen NOR Goalkeeper 19/04/1994 Trondheim, NOR 176 21 Marte Pedersen NOR Centre Back 04/02/1998 Trondheim, NOR 169 1 Hanne Ramsoskar Sagvold NOR Goalkeeper 05/04/2000 Trondheim, NOR 173 24 Eirin Skogen NOR Left Back 24/10/1997 Trondheim, NOR 175 9 Teodora Tomac CRO Centre Back 24/10/1988 Trondheim, NOR 174 17 Oda Uthus NOR Left Wing 29/07/1996 Trondheim, NOR 170 5 Kristin Venn NOR Left Wing 05/03/1994 Trondheim, NOR 168 10 Silje Waade NOR Right Back 20/03/1994 Stjørdal, NOR 183 4 Hanna Maria Yttereng NOR Line Player 20/02/1991 Trondheim, NOR 184

44 Byasen Handball Elite (NOR) Coach and key players profiles

Roger Kvannli Marit Røsberg Jacobsen coach right wing • succeeded Arne Högdahl as head coach at Byasen • played in Byasen all her senior career in the autumn of the 2017/18 season • part of the Norwegian national team at the recent • before taking over as head coach, he was training Women's World Championship the defenders in the club • played 23 internationals at senior level • recently extended his contract with the club for • fast and inventive wing with a large and refined another three years variation of shots • known for being straightforward in his • leaving Byasen for Danish Team Esbjerg after this demands as his players as well as for his spirit and season commitment • as a player, he played 20 internationals for Norway and was part of the team at the 2001 WCh

WCh: S 2017

Teodora Tomac Silje Waade centre back right back • perhaps best known as the older sister of • has played for Byasen since the age of 16 Norwegian international Marta Tomac • started playing handball in the club Stjørdals- • unlike her sister, she has kept her Croatian Blink at the age of 12 citizenship • was part of the Norwegian team who won the • was born in Norway, although, in Trondheim, the EHF EURO 2016 in Sweden home town of Byasen • had the last half of 2016/17 season ruined by • started playing handball at the age of five injury, but is back at full strength now • experienced playmaker with a good eye for the • her hard shot and her high defensive qualities are game and for her teammates among her most obvious qualities

EURO: G 2016

45 GROUP C Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK (TUR)

Never before has any Turkish women’s handball club proceeded to the group stage of any EHF competition - until now. After their elimination in the EHF Champions League qualification, Kastamonu Belediye GSK grabbed their chance in the EHF Cup qualification.

In round 2, the Turkish champions surprisingly eliminated the Spanish runners-up Bera Bera, then in the crucial third round head coach Hakan Günal's team ended the hopes of Hungarian side Vac. Core to their success was team captain Serpil Iskenderoglu, who scored an overall of 16 goals in the two legs against Vac.

Günal is therefore already extremely happy prior to the start of the group phase. “We were the first Turkish team that succeeded, this is so important for us. The first will never be forgotten,” he says.

His squad is quite international, with players from eight countries, including Russian Anastasia Sinytsina, two Montenegrins, Croatian player Kristina Elez, Belorussian Natalia Kotsina and even a Brazilian player, Elaine Gomes Barbosa. Their biggest international success so far was reaching the 2016 finals of the Challenge Cup, when Playing hall they were defeated by Spanish side Gran Canaria. Now the Turkish champions enter Atatürk Spor Salonu Kastamonu new ground. Beycelebi Mah. Stad Cad. 37100 Kastamonu “We want to do the best in the EHF Cup. We want to gain experience and it would be Turkey important to continue in the knock-out stage. But we also know that our opponents Capacity: 1,500 are much more experienced than we are,” says Günal, whose team will face former Champions League winners Viborg, Byasen and Gdynia in Group C. Club Address: Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK Road to the Group Phase Past achievements Aktekke mahallesi barbaros cadde 37100 Kastamonu EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 EHF Cup Turkey 1st leg: @ Váci NKSE (HUN) W24:26 (12:11) Round 2 (1): 2003/04 2nd leg: vs Váci NKSE (HUN) W36:29 (13:14) Media contact: Aggregate score: 62:53 Ahmet Cevher Other +90 544 4187541 EHF Cup, Qualification Round 2 Champions League: 2017/18 [email protected] 1st leg: vs Super Amara Bera Bera (ESP) D35:35 (19:14) qualification 2nd leg: @ Super Amara Bera Bera (ESP) W22:24 (11:12) Challenge Cup: runners-up Online information: Aggregate score: 59:57 2015/16, Round 4 2009/10 www.kastamonubelediyesigsk.org EHF Champions League, Qualification Tournament 1 Turkish league: 1 title (2017) (Kristiansand, NOR) Turkish cup: - Semi-final: vs HC Podravka Vegeta (CRO) L21:17 (11:11) 3rd place: vs HC Gomel (BLR) L29:28 (13:13) Kit colours Light Newcomers: Left the club: Player shirt: white-red-black Nataliya Kotsina Fatmagül Sakizcan Player short: white-red-black Kristina Elez Marija Shteriova Goalkeeper shirt: black-blue-yellow Zana Mariç Patricia Batista Da Silva Dark Yana Uskova Ceren Demirçelen Player shirt: black Elaine Barbosa Gomes Sonja Barkataroviç Player short: white Ljubica Nenezic Katarzyna Kolodziejska Goalkeeper shirt: black-blue-yellow

46 Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK (TUR) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 10 Elif Sila Aydin TUR Back 11/04/1996 Ankara, TUR 171 92 Patricia Batista da Silva BRA Right Back 08/04/1992 Sao Paulo, BRA 180 14 Kristina Elez CRO Left Back 22/05/1987 Split, CRO 180 19 Elaine Gomes Barbosa BRA Line Player 01/06/1992 Fortezela, BRA 183 4 Yasemin Güler TUR Right Wing 10/04/1994 Konak, TUR 170 13 Serpil Iskenderoglu TUR Centre Back 15/07/1982 Istanbul, TUR 168 31 Katarzyna Kolodziejska POL Right Wing 10/01/1985 Elblag, POL 177 11 Nataliya Kotsina BLR Left Wing 07/09/1991 Grodno, BLR 175 44 Zana Maric CRO 20/08/1989 Trogir, CRO 180 7 Esma Muratovic MNE Centre Back 24/01/1996 Podgorica, MNE 176 12 Ljubica Nenezic MNE Goalkeeper 15/01/1997 Podgorica, MNE 179 1 Anca Mihaela Rombescu ROU Goalkeeper 15/09/1985 Drobeta-Turnu Sev., ROU 172 6 Andrea Seric CRO Line Player 03/08/1985 Split, CRO 184 30 Anastasia Sinitsyna RUS Left Back 03/09/1983 Rostov, RUS 182 17 Yana Uskova RUS 28/09/1985 Maykop, RUS 167 9 Yeliz Yilmaz TUR Right Back 19/08/1980 Istanbul, TUR 178

47 Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK (TUR) Coach and key players profiles

Hakan Günal Serpil Iskenderoglu coach centre back • respected by the Turkish handball community • the captain of Kastamonu has played an both as a well-known club and national team player important part in the success of her team over in the 1980s and 1990s and as a coach the past three seasons in the Turkish league and European Cups • before Kastamonu, he led Amasya Taşova YIBO, a very young team, to EC and became a real rival for • most decorated player of the team with one the traditionally-strong Besiktas Bundesliga title, eight Turkish titles, eight Turkish Cups and two Turkish • assistant coach at Ankara İl Özel İdare SK where Super Cups he coached Yunus Özmusul and Can Çelebi, long- term players of the Turkish national team • top scorer of the Bundesliga in the 2006/07 season and twice in the Turkish league • has won four women’s Super League titles, two women’s Turkish Cup titles and silver and bronze • has worn the national team jersey more than 300 medals in Turkish men’s Super League times • played two Challenge Cup finals with two different Turkish teams in 2012 and 2016

Andrea Seric Anastasia Sinitsyna line player left back • her club career has included Croatian clubs Split • has played in European club competitions since Kaltenberg and Podravka Vegeta, 2001 with Russian, Ukrainian and Turkish teams Slovenia side RK Krim Mercator, Hungarian team including Rostov-Don Siofok and now Kastamonu • makes significant contribution to her team’s • experienced player in European cups success with her experience alongside with physical superiority • member of the Croatian national team at 2012 and has • won Turkish Super League title and played played in IHF Women’s World Championships and Women’s EHF Challenge Cup final in the 2015-16 EHF EUROs season with Kastamonu

48 Group D head-to-heads Historic encounters of the Group D opponents in the EC

Larvik vs HC Zalau 1-1-0 (60:56) 3:1 12.01.2002 AS Silcotub Zalau vs Larvik HK, EHF Champions League – Group A 29:29 (13:17) 17.02.2002 Larvik HK vs AS Silcotub Zalau, EHF Champions League – Group A 31:27 (19:11)

HC Zalau vs DHK Banik Most 1-0-1 (53:54) 2:2 09.11.2013 HC Zalau vs DHK Banik Most, EHF Cup – Round 3 28:21 (17:9) 16.11.2013 DHK Banik Most vs HC Zalau, EHF Cup – Round 3 33:25 (17:7)

No previous encounters in European competitions Larvik vs H 65 Höörs HK Larvik vs DHK Banik Most H 65 Höörs HK vs HC Zalau H 65 Höörs HK vs DHK Banik Most

49 GROUP D Larvik (NOR) Norwegian team Larvik HK fell just two goals short of proceeding to the EHF Champions League main round. A 25:22 win against Thüringer HC in round 5 of the 2017/18 season was not enough to compensate for a 27:31 defeat on home ground. Being equal in points with the Germans, the 2011 Champions League winners were eliminated and now re-start in the EHF Cup. Since the 2009 Cup Winners’ Cup final (which they in aggregate lost against FCK Koebenhavn), Larvik had not played in any other international competition than the Champions League. But for coach Tor Odvar Moen the new environment is not that bad. “I think our new and young team performed rather well in the EHF Champions League, but maybe the EHF Cup is the right place for us at the moment," he admits.

In the previous years, a major transition began in the southern Norwegian city. Larvik saw the departure of almost all their international stars such as Gro Hammerseng- Edin, , Armanda Kurtovic, Heidi Löke, Nora Mörk and Linn Sulland. From that golden generation, only Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth-Koren is still on board. Besides her, Nora Mörk’s sister Thea, now Larvik's captain, is one of the most experienced players. For Moen, the time to build-up a new squad has just begun.

“We will go one step at the time and fight for a place in the quarter-finals. It is always exiting to face teams we never played against or it is a long time ago," he says. "H65 Playing hall Höörs look rather good, and we have an expert about the team among us, in Sweden's Boligmappa Arena Larvik Cassandra Tollbring, facing her former club, which will help. At the moment, we Hoffsgate 6 need much more information about Banik Most and HC Zalau. Both showed strong N-3262 Larvik performances in the qualification phase.” Norway Capacity: 4,000 Road to the Group Phase

4th ranked from the EHF Champions League Group Matches Club Address: GROUP C Larvik HK vs Thüringer HC (GER) L27:31 (11:16) Hoffsgate 6 @ FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (HUN) L37:33 (18:15) N-3262 Larvik vs HC Vardar (MKD) L19:31 (9:16) Norway HC Vardar (MKD) L30:27 (10:11) @ Thüringer HC (GER) W22:25 (10:14) Media contact: vs FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (HUN) L21:30 (9:18) Bjørn Bjune +47 900 324 27 Newcomers: [email protected] Tamires Morena (Dijon), Cassandra Tollbring Past achievements (H 65 Höörs HK), Online information: (Glassverket), Guro Rundbråten (Glassverket), EHF Cup: Website: www.larvikhk.no Martine Wolff (Glassverket), Maria Hjertner Runners-up (1): 1995/96 Facebook: larvikhk (Byåsen), Mari Finstad Bergum (Gjøvik), Twitter: LarvikHK Mathilde Rivas-Toft (Aker), Tonje Roth Berglie Other (Aker), Kamilla Røed (Flint), Marie Duvholt Champions League: winners 2010/11, Kaspersen (jr. team), Samra Lupic (Flint), runners-up 2012/13, 2014/15, semi-final Kit colours Therese Heidelberg (jr. team) 2001/02, 2003/04, 2009/10, 2011/12, Light quarter-final 2000/01, 2002/03, 2006/07, Player shirt: white Left the club: 2015/16, 2016/17 Player short: red Marit Malm Frafjord (CSM Bucharest), Goalkeeper shirt: green Amanda Kurtovic (CSM Bucharest), Sanna Cup Winners‘ Cup: winners 2004/05, Solberg (Team Esbjerg), (Team Dark 2007/08, runners-up 2008/09, semi-final Esbjerg), Alina Wojtas (Zaglebie Lubin) Alma 1996/97, 2005/06 Player shirt: black Hasanic Grizovic (Storhamar), Vilde Ingeborg Player short: black Johansen (Tertnes), Lena Løwe (Levanger HK), Goalkeeper shirt: orange Norwegian league: 19 titles (1994, 1997, Gro Hammerseng-Edin (retired), Karoline 2000-03, 2005-2017) Dyhre Breivang (retired), Anja Hammerseng- Norwegian cup: 17 titles Edin (retired)

50 Larvik (NOR) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 4 June Andenaes NOR Line Player 09/06/1983 Gloppen, NOR 176 4 Mari Finstad Bergum NOR Centre Back 16/03/1998 Gjøvik, NOR 178 14 Kristine Breistøl NOR Left Back 23/08/1993 Oslo, NOR 192 27 Emilie Christensen NOR Centre Back 13/04/1993 Oslo, NOR 176 94 Gabriela Goncalves Dias Moreschi BRA Goalkeeper 08/07/1994 Maringa/PR, BRA 190 6 Marie Duvholt Kaspersen NOR Left Wing 03/06/1998 Tønsberg, NOR 171 13 Therese Heidelberg NOR Line Player 27/02/1998 Tønsberg, NOR 169 23 Maria Hjertner NOR Right Back 03/07/1996 Oslo, NOR 178 11 Linn-Kristin Koren Riegelhuth NOR Right Wing 01/08/1984 Lorenskog , NOR 178 77 Tamires Morena Lima de Araujo BRA Line Player 16/05/1994 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 182 7 Hege Loken NOR Right Wing 31/08/1993 Ålesund, NOR 168 20 Samra Lupic NOR Left Wing 05/01/1999 Tønsberg, NOR 167 19 Thea Mørk NOR Left Wing 05/04/1991 Oslo, NOR 168 9 Mathilde Rivas Toft NOR Right Back 16/04/1997 Lørenskog, NOR 171 12 Kamilla Roed NOR Goalkeeper 14/09/1999 Tønsberg, NOR 174 33 Kristina Rosten NOR Left Back 25/05/1999 Kristiansand, NOR 174 21 Tonje Roth Berglie NOR Left Wing 11/08/1992 Tønsberg, NOR 168 1 Guro Rundbraten NOR Goalkeeper 18/04/1990 Drammen, NOR 170 17 NOR Left Back 14/05/1986 Tonsberg, NOR 178 22 Cassandra Tollbring SWE Left Back 19/03/1993 Rimbo, SWE 170 18 Martine Wolff NOR Line Player 20/06/1996 Oslo, NOR 175

51 Larvik (NOR) Coach and key players profiles

Tor Odvar Moen Cassandra Tollbring coach centre back • took over as heady coach after Ole Gustav • joined this summer from Swedish champions and Gjekstad in the summer of finalists H65 Höörs HK • has had several different jobs in the club over the • her younger brother Jerry plays the left wing in past 19 years, though Rhein-Neckar Löwen and in the Swedish national team. • known for his thorough work and for his way of being around his players • taking over from the experienced world class playmaker couple Gro and Anja Hammerseng Edin • had to start more or less from scratch with a new team this season, as most of the previous players • can also play the left back, but is expected to left mainly play in the middle in Larvik • will not get his contract extended when it expires • good eye for the game, a varied shot and physical after the current season strength are her main assets

Kristine Breistøl Maria Hjertner left back right back • been with Larvik since 2012 when joining from • joined Larvik from eternal league rivals Byasen league colleagues Baekkelaget ahead of this season • has played 37 junior internationals for Norway • only 21 years of age and expected to have a and scored 100 goals bright future ahead of her - her height (178 cm) her shot and her technical skills are her main qualities • has also had her debut in the senior national team long ago. • gained European experience in the EHF Cup with Byasen already in the 2014/15 season, where she • with her 191 cm, she has a perfect height for a scored 15 goals and again in the 2016/17 season back court player in women's handball • facing the rather huge challenge of filling out the • has already developed a very good and varied gap after Amanda Kurtovic who has left for CSM shot, benefiting also from her height Bucuresti • was awarded Newcomer of the Year in the Norwegian league as soon as in 2015

52 GROUP D H 65 Höörs HK (SWE) The year 2017 will go down deep in the history of H65 Höörs HK. First, the side of head coach Ola Månsson sensationally ended the series of Swedish league titles for Sävehof, beating the Gothenburg-based side in the final. Then, Höörs had two completely different experiences in Germany. They made it to the final of the Women’s EHF Champions League Qualification Tournament but were easily defeated by Thüringer HC in Nordhausen.

And they faced EHF Cup 2016 finalists TuS Metzingen. After a 24:24 draw on home court, they surprisingly eliminated Metzingen with a 29:28 away win despite an intermediate 14:9 deficit. Now Höörs are among the best 16 teams of the EHF Cup, facing Larvik, Zalau and Most in Group D. “We think we dare to have the objective to end on the two top positions in this group,” Månsson says.

Two top players left the all-Swedish squad after winning their first domestic trophy, and both moved to Champions League participants: Jessica Ryde has made it to the main round with Danish side FC Midtjylland, while Jessica Tollbring failed to proceed with Larvik – and will now face her former teammates in the EHF Cup Group Phase. Since the 2012/13 season, Höörs has been constantly qualifying for European Cup competitions. They have made it to the EHF Challenge Cup finals twice, winning the trophy against Issy Playing hall in 2014 and losing the finals against Zagreb in 2017. Eslövhallen Onsjövägen Both years in between, they were part of the EHF Cup, but will play the group phase for 24334 Eslöv the first time this season. “After playing the Challenge Cup many times and being among Sweden the best 16 teams in the EHF Cup twice, the group phase is new and we like that very Capacity: 1,498 much because it gives us six matches against European top class opponents,” Månsson says. “This is good for the development of our players’ skills and we gain toughness and experiences from which we benefit a lot in our national league.” Club Address: H 65 Höörs HK Friluftsvägen 11 Road to the Group Phase 243 30 Höör Sweden EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 1st leg: vs TusSies Metzingen (GER) D24:24 (11:13) Media contact: 2nd leg: @ TusSies Metzingen (GER) W28:29 (15:13) Christoffer Ekmark Aggregate score: 53:52 +46 76 3966052 [email protected] EHF Champions League, Qualification Tournament 2 (Nordhausen) Semi-final: vs Hypo Niederösterreich (AUT) W32:19 (14:12) Online information: Final: @ Thüringer HC (GER) L33:24 (16:9) Website: www.h65.se Facebook: HoorsHkH65 Twitter: h65hoor Newcomers: Past achievements Christine Thorleifsdottir (Skånela IF) Evelina Källhage (Önnereds HK) EHF Cup Gry Bergdahl (OV-Helsingborg) Kit colours Quarter-final (1): 2015/16 Light Left the club: Other Player shirt: red Cassandra Tollbring (Larvik HK) Champions League: 2017/18 Player short: red Jessica Ryde (FC Midtjylland) qualification Goalkeeper shirt: orange Challenge Cup: 2013/14 winners, Dark 2016/17 runners-up, 2012/13 semi- Player shirt: light blue finalists Player short: black Goalkeeper shirt: dark blue Swedish league: 1 title (2017)

53 H 65 Höörs HK (SWE) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 28 Amanda Andersson SWE Left Wing 01/02/1999 Lund, SWE 168 9 Anna Bardis SWE Centre Back 10/04/1993 Lund, SWE 172 16 Gry Bergdahl SWE Goalkeeper 28/04/1994 Växsjö, SWE 175 25 Michaela Fransson SWE Line Player 18/03/1996 Vinslöv, SWE 174 24 Ida Gullberg SWE Left Wing 25/09/1998 Hoor, SWE 176 21 Sofia Hvenfelt SWE Line Player 23/04/1996 Göteborg, SWE 180 2 Anna Johansson SWE Centre Back 05/05/1996 Höör, SWE 174 4 Evelina Källhage SWE Left Wing 20/04/1997 Göteborg, SWE 170 14 Emma Lindqvist SWE Centre Back 17/09/1997 Helsingborg, SWE 177 11 Jonna Linnell SWE Left Wing 07/12/1988 Tyresö, SWE 173 6 Mikaela Mässing SWE Right Back 13/03/1994 Mölndal, SWE 188 20 Anna Olsson SWE Right Back 08/12/1986 Karlshamn, SWE 170 5 Emma Rask SWE Right Wing 17/01/1996 Höör, SWE 162 19 Kristin Thorleifsdottir SWE Right Back 13/01/1998 , SWE 182 23 SWE Right Wing 03/04/1992 Kungälv, SWE 177 12 Jannike Wiberg SWE Goalkeeper 20/03/1987 Höör, SWE 172 13 Tilda Winberg SWE Right Back 05/07/1998 Ystad, SWE 179

54 H 65 Höörs HK (SWE) Coach and key players profiles Ola Månsson Jannike Wiberg coach goalkeeper • took over from successful Niklas Harris in the • has played with Höör all the way from the third summer of 2016 league to winning the Swedish championship in 2016/17 • had a career is player with IFK Kristianstad as his most prominent club before devoting himself to • can look forward to the position of the first- the job as coach at the age of 26 in 2000 choice goalkeeper this season after Jessica Ryde has left for Danish CL participants FC Midtjylland • has been coaching men as well as women during his coaching career • was about to give up handball at the age of 27 in 2014, but made a comeback early the next season • has been coach in six different Swedish clubs before joining Höör • was part of the Höör team who won the Challenge Cup in 2014 • in charge of Sweden's U 19 women together with Erik Larholm besides being head coach in Höör EC trophies: Challenge Cup 2014

Jonna Linnell Anna Bardis right wing centre back • has played for Höör since 2012, when she joined • joined in the summer of 2017 from league rivals from league rivals Lugi Lund Eslövs IK • daughter of former Swedish men's national team • replaced Cassandra Tollbring who has left for coach Ingemar Linnéll Norwegian champions Larvik • from a real handball family, as her brother Jesper • studying to become a physiotherapist besides her and her sister Jennie also play handball at top level handball career • had a short foreign adventure in Danish KIF Vejen • best scorer in the Swedish league in the 2015/16 in 2007/08 season • apart from being effective on her own, she also has a fine eye for the game and for her teammates

EC trophies: Challenge Cup 2014

55 GROUP D HC Zalau (ROU) It is fair to say that HC Zalau have found a long-term solution on their bench. With the exception of the seasons 2006/07 and 2007/08, Gheorghe Tadici has been coaching ‘his’ club since 1975. Now even the playing arena has been named after the living legend, who was a long-term national team coach of Romania and still is coaching the Romanian youth team.

For the 16th time, Zalau is part of an EHF club competition, and it is the 15th time under the helm of Tadici. His side won all four qualification matches against Ankara and Hypo Niederösterreich clearly to make it to the group phase for the first time. Their biggest international achievements were winning the City Cup in 1996 and making it to the EHF Cup Finals in 2012, when they lost to Lada Togliatti.

Tadici counts on an all-Romanian squad with a huge number of highly skilled talents from the rich pool of Romanian youngsters. In Group D, Zalau face Larvik, Höörs and Most.

“We hope to qualify for the quarter-finals, after making it to the group stage was already an appreciable achievement,” says Tadici, adding that “all teams of our group have equal chances to proceed in a group with only strong sides.” Playing hall Gheorge Tadici Sports Hall For the highly experienced coach, there is no top favourite to win the trophy. “Those Bulevardul Mihai Viteazul 77 teams which go through the upcoming weeks without major injuries of top players Zalau have the best chances to make it to the semis or the finals.” Romania Capacity: 915 Road to the Group Phase Club Address: EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 H.C. Zalau 1st leg: @ Hypo Niederösterreich (AUT) W22:30 (11:17) Str. Unirii No. 7 2nd leg: vs Hypo Niederösterreich (AUT) W29:21 (13:7) Zalau Aggregate score: 59:43 Romania EHF Cup, Qualification Round 2 Media contact: 1st leg: vs Ankara Yenimahalle BSK (TUR) W26:21 (11:12) George Tadici 2nd leg: @ Ankara Yenimahalle BSK (TUR) W29:34 (14:14) +40 745 264 003 Aggregate score: 60:50 [email protected]

Online information: Newcomers: Past achievements Website: www.hczalau.ro Alexandra Bojan Raluca Kelemen EHF Cup Andreea Stinga Runners-up (1): 2011/12 Diana Nichitean Semi-final (1): 2012/13 Quarter-final (3): 1994/95, 1999/2000, Kit colours Left the club: 2004/05 Light Teodora Bloj Round 3 (4): 2005/06, 2006/07, 2010/11, Player shirt: pink Sabine Klimek 2013/14 Player short: black Ana-Maria Inculet Goalkeeper shirt: blue, black Other Champions League: 2001/02 group Dark matches Player shirt: black Cup Winners' Cup: 2000/01 semi-final Player short: black Challenge Cup: 1995/96 winners Goalkeeper shirt: yellow, black Romanian league: 3 titles (2001, 2004, 2005) Romanian cup: 1 title (2003)

56 HC Zalau (ROU) Team roster No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 14 Dana Abed-Kader ROU Left Wing 21/06/1996 Rakka, SYR 170 15 Alexandra Bojan ROU Wing 06/06/1998 Sannicolau Mare, ROU 172 23 Ana Catalina Ciolan ROU Line Player 29/09/1992 Vaslui, ROU 179 20 Maria Claudia Constantinescu ROU Left Back 18/06/1994 Bals, ROU 176 19 Ana Maria Dragut ROU Right Back 24/02/1990 Darabani, ROU 187 11 Raluca Ionela Irimia ROU Line Player 04/02/1990 Suceava, ROU 181 1 Ioana Raluca Kelemen ROU Goalkeeper 24/06/1998 Ramnicu Valcea, ROU 180 17 Sabrina Giulia Lazea ROU Left Back 01/11/1997 Roma, ITA 180 8 Cristiana Nica ROU Right Wing 28/10/1987 Bucuresti, ROU 165 3 Diana Nichitean ROU Wing 11/03/1998 Suceava, ROU 180 10 Maria Valentina Panici ROU Right Wing 07/06/1988 Petrosani, ROU 170 18 Roxana Daniela Rob ROU Centre Back 29/05/1992 Baia Mare, ROU 172 16 Adina Cristina Sabau ROU Goalkeeper 12/02/1997 Zalau, ROU 183 22 Andreea Stinga ROU Right Back 06/04/1998 Tirgoviste, ROU 187 5 Larisa Ecaterina Tamas ROU Left Back 16/05/1994 Baia Mare, ROU 176 9 Andrada Trif ROU Right Wing 22/10/1990 Baia Mare, ROU 172 12 Paula Vasilica Visan ROU Goalkeeper 26/03/1984 Focsani, ROU 180

57 HC Zalau (ROU)

Coach and key players profiles

Gheorghe Tadici Andrada Trif coach left wing • veteran has been leading Zalau for the past 10 • born in Baia Mare, she left her hometown in 2009 years, while his previous sting has seen him serving to play for Zalau and has been the longest-serving as the coach for 30 years player at the club • Tadici’s best club achievement was winning the • best scorer for Zalau in the 2017/18 season Women’s Cup Winners’ Cup in 2007 with Oltchim • her fiancée is also playing volleyball for Zalau’s Ramnicu Valcea men’s team • has been named the Women’s Romanian U21 coach in December • his volcanic temper often brings him suspensions or ejections in the games

EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup: 2007, Challenge Cup 1996 (as coach) WCh: S 2005 (as coach)

Roxana Rob Anna Maria Dragut centre back right back • 25-year old is one of the most experienced • back with a powerful shot, Dragut has been players in Zalau’s roster, playing since 2011 in playing for Zalau since 2016 Tadici’s roster • in 2017, she made her debut in the Romanian • left the team for a year between 2013 and 2014, national team, scoring 12 goals in 6 games retiring, but was persuaded to come back • her surname is often mistaken with Drăguț, which • during the hiatus, she has been managing a in Romanian means “nice” or “beautiful" beauty salon

58 GROUP D DHK Banik Most (CZE) Among the many surprises in this Women’s EHF Cup season, Banik Most caused a true sensation in Round 3. After easily eliminating Dutch champions Dalfsen, the Czech champions faced the 2008 EHF Champions League winners, Russian powerhouse Zvezda Zvenigorod. They suffered an expected 31:28 defeat in Russia, but Most hit back in impressive style on home court as they stormed over Zvezda and won 32:22, thanks to 12 goals of Slovak international Simona Szarkova. Their dream of reaching the group phase had come true.

Last month, four Most players proved their significance for the Czech team as well. At the World Championship in Germany, they eliminated Romania in the Last 16 and came up just short in the quarter-finals against eventual bronze medallists Netherlands. Marketa Jerabkova scored 43 times, and was the second best Czech scorer behind current EHF Champions League top scorer Iveta Luzumova.

Most, coached by Peter David, who earlier led Tatran Presov in the Men’s EHF Cup, are eager to continue on the winners’ way as they face Larvik, Höörs and Zalau in Group D. “We want to surprise our opponents and hope to make it to the quarter-finals,” says David. The coach is expecting “two fast-paced sides” (Larvik and Höörs) and one “powerful opponent” (Zalau). As potential finalists, David predicts two Scandinavian Playing hall participants, Vipers Kristiansand and Viborg. Sportovni hala Banik Most tr. Budovatelu 112/7 Most, the Challenge Cup winners five years ago when they beat Croatian side Samobor in Most the finals, have now become the first Czech side to reach the group phase of either the Czech Republic Men’s or Women’s EHF Cup since the format was implemented. Capacity: 1,250

Club Address: Road to the Group Phase DHK Banik Most Tr. Budovatelu 112/7 EHF Cup, Qualification Round 3 43401 Most 1st leg: @ Zvezda Zvenigorod (RUS) L31:28 (14:13) Czech Republic 2nd leg: vs Zvezda Zvenigorod (RUS) W33:22 (18:13) Aggregate score: 61:53 Media contact: Radek Madera EHF Cup, Qualification Round 2 +420 731 437755 1st leg: @ Morrenhof Jansen Dalfsen (NED) W28:32 (13:15) [email protected] 2nd leg: vs Morrenhof Jansen Dalfsen (NED) W28:20 (16:10) Aggregate score: 60:48 Online information: Website: www.dhk-banikmost.cz Facebook: mosthandball Newcomers: Past achievements Michaela Janoušková (Beyeröhder Handball), Katarína Kostelná (HK AS EHF Cup Trenčín), Kristýna Opátová (HK AS Trenčín) Last 16 (1): 2013/14 Round 3 (2): 2014/15, 2015/16 Left the club: Kit colours Qualification Round 2 (1): 2016/17 - Light Player shirt: orange-black Other Player short: black Challenge Cup: 2012/13 winners Goalkeeper shirt: red Czech league: 5 titles (2013, 2014, 2015, Dark 2016, 2017) Player shirt: black-orange Czech Cup: 1 title (2014) Player short: black WHIL interligue: 2 titles (2013, 2014) Goalkeeper shirt: blue

59 DHK Banik Most (CZE) Team roster

No. First Name Surname Nat. Position Date of Birth Place of Birth Height 1 Eva Bezpalcova CZE Goalkeeper 29/04/1990 Ceske Budejovice, CZE 187 8 Michaela Borovska CZE Line Player 04/02/1990 Pisek, CZE 176 23 Barbora Buchnerova CZE Left Back 20/08/1998 Plzen, CZE 187 18 Tereza Chmelarova CZE Left Wing 22/01/1984 Kyjov, CZE 172 5 Katerina Dvorakova CZE Line Player 02/07/1984 Most, CZE 176 7 Veronika Dvorakova CZE Left Wing 07/12/2000 Cheb, CZE 173 33 Tereza Eksteinova CZE Right Wing 11/03/1999 Plzen, CZE 168 19 Michaela Janouskova CZE 21/11/1992 Marianské Lázne 173 15 Marketa Jerabkova CZE Centre Back 08/02/1996 Plzen, CZE 174 13 Linda Jungova CZE Line Player 12/11/1998 Most, CZE 169 Katarina Kostelna SVK 21/10/1998 48 Sara Kovarova CZE Right Back 09/02/1999 Písek, CZE 175 55 Petra Manakova CZE Centre Back 08/02/1989 Roznov p. Radh., CZE 174 96 Veronika Mikulaskova CZE Centre Back 16/10/2000 Olomouc, CZE 172 22 Lucia Mikulcik SVK Left Wing 22/06/1988 Trnava, SVK 164 31 Dominika Müllnerova CZE Goalkeeper 26/03/1992 Usti nad Labem, CZE 170 79 Sabrina Novotna CZE Goalkeeper 02/07/2000 Praha, CZE 185 Kristina Opatova SVK 15/08/2000 28 Veronika Sipova CZE Left Back 21/03/2000 Litvínov, CZE 172 9 Adela Striskova CZE Left Back 14/12/2000 Most, CZE 162 17 Nikola Svihnosova CZE Right Wing 26/05/2000 Praha, CZE 166 21 Simona Szarkova SVK Left Back 02/01/1992 Nové Zámky, SVK 174 6 Adela Ulbertova CZE Centre Back 25/12/2000 Most, CZE 170 88 Dominika Zachova CZE Right Wing 04/06/1996 Plzen, CZE 175

60 DHK Banik Most (CZE) Coach and key players profiles

Peter David Simona Szarkova coach left back • coach of DHK Baník Most since end of 2015, • scored 30 goals for Most en route to the EHF won the title and the Czech Cup in 2016 followed Cup group stage, the best scorer of the team and by another league crown in 2017 the most influential player in the matches against Zvezda Zvenigorod • married and has two children; lives in Germany since 1995, where he started his • joined Most in 2014 as the most expensive player coaching career ever transferred to Most in that time • played 66 internationals for Czecho-Slovakian • left back with ability to score goals, plays in the national team, another 43 caps for Slovakian national teams since youth categories national team after the division of Czecho- • successfully finished law studies; spends free time • Slovakian national men team coach from relaxing and watching favourite series 2012/2013 • won double in Tatran Prešov in 2014/2015

Marketa Jerabkova Dominika Müllnerova centre back goalkeeper • scored 24 goals en route to the EHF Cup group • was one of the goalkeepers that helped Czech stage, together with Simona Szarkova, the most Republic reach the 2017 WCh quarter-finals influential player in attack • one of the longest serving players in Most, won • reached the quarter-finals with the Czech the 2013 Challenge Cup with the team and five Republic at the 2017 WCh in Germany, was the joint Czech titles in a row seventh best scorer of the tournament with 43 goals • belongs to the best goalkeepers in the Czecho- • her brother Jakub plays for Montreal Slovakian Interleague Canadiens in NHL • raised in Usti nad Labem, known for her • born in Plzen, raised in a sporting family; her unorthodox goalkeeping style; counting more father was a professional footballer in Czech on her reflex saves due to her height of 170cm; Republic, mother was also an athlete often described by coaches as a football style of goalkeeping in handball • joined Most in 2013 after moving from her birthplace Plzen

61 2017/18 qualification top scorers

Rank Name & nation Club Goals

1 Mazgo Anastasiya (BLR) BNTU-BelAZ Minsk Reg. (BLR) 43 2 Laiuk Olga (UKR) Ankara Yenimahalle BSK (TUR) 35

3 Iskenderoglu Serpil (TUR) Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK (TUR) 30

Szarkova Simona (SVK) DHK Banik Most (CZE) 30

5 Nikitina Irina (RUS) Zvezda Zvenigorod (RUS) 28

6 Tomac Teodora (CRO) Byasen Handball Elite (NOR) 27

7 Norgaard Osterballe Ann Grete (DEN) Viborg HK (DEN) 26

Stolle Alicia (GER) HSG Blomberg-Lippe (GER) 26

Tomkovic Ana (SRB) ZRK Medicinar (SRB) 26

10 Jovetic Dijana (CRO) Vaci NKSE (HUN) 25

Samokhina Daria (RUS) Astrakhanochka (RUS) 25

12 Dupuis Marine (FRA) E.S Besancon Feminin (FRA) 24 Jerabkova Marketa (CZE) DHK Banik Most (CZE) 24

Radosavljevic Sanja (SRB) Vaci NKSE (HUN) 24

15 Barján Bianka (HUN) Vaci NKSE (HUN) 23

Minevskaja Ewgenija (GER) TusSies Metzingen (GER) 23 Simion Ana Maria (ROU) C.S.M. Roman (ROU) 23

18 Frey Sonja (AUT) Issy Paris Hand (FRA) 22

Hansen Amalie Groen (DEN) Viborg HK (DEN) 22

Jacobsen Marit Røsberg (NOR) Byasen Handball Elite (NOR) 22

(Bold text indicates players that are still active in the competition)

62 Past winners

2017 Rostov-Don (RUS)

Previous EHF Cup winners Previous Cup Winners’ Cup winners

2016 Dunaujvárosi KKA HUN 2016 Team Tvis Holstebro DEN 2015 Team Tvis Holstebro DEN 2015 FC Midtjylland DEN 2014 HC Lada Togliatti RUS 2014 Viborg HK DEN 2013 Team Tvis Holstebro DEN 2013 HYPO Niederösterreich AUT 2012 HC Lada Togliatti RUS 2012 FTC-Rail Cargo Hungária HUN 2011 FC Midtjylland Handball DEN 2011 FTC-Rail Cargo Hungária HUN 2010 Randers HK A/S DEN 2010 Budućnost T-Mobile MNE 2009 Itxako Navarra ESP 2009 FCK Handbold A/S DEN 2008 RUS 2008 Larvik HK NOR 2007 Zvezda Zvenigorod RUS 2007 CS Oltchim Vâlcea ROU 2006 FTC Budapest HUN 2006 ZRK Budućnost MONET SCG 2005 Cornexi Alcoa HUN 2005 Larvik HK NOR 2004 Viborg HK DEN 2004 Ikast Bording EH DEN 2003 Slagelse FH DEN 2003 ESBF Besançon FRA 2002 Ikast Bording EH DEN 2002 HC Lada Togliatti RUS 2001 MKS Montex Lublin POL 2001 Motor Zaporozhye UKR 2000 El Ferrobus Mislata ESP 2000 L´Eliana Valencia ESP 1999 Viborg HK DEN 1999 Baekkelagets Oslo NOR 1998 Dunaferr SE HUN 1998 Baekkelagets Oslo NOR 1997 Robit Olimpija Ljubljana SLO 1997 Istochnik Rostov RUS 1996 Debrecéni VSC HUN 1996 Giessen Lützellinden GER 1995 Debrecéni VSC HUN 1995 Dunaferr SE HUN 1994 Viborg HK DEN 1994 Tus Walle Bremen GER

Women’s EHF Cup 2017/18 Group Phase

Media Guide by

EHF Media & Communications, 04/01/2018

Contributors: Björn Pazen, Peter Bruun, Sergey Nikolaev, Kevin Domas

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