EHF Champions League

The Champions League is the highest European Cup competition for handball club teams. It is organized by the European Handball Federation (EHF ). The winner of the EHF Champions League can also be referred to as the best club team in Europe or in the world because of the low points value of the club European Championship. The IHF Club World Cup is hardly noticed by the big clubs and therefore not visited by them only with youth teams or.

  • 2.1 naming rights
  • 2.2 advertising space
  • 3.1 1993-2003
  • 3.2 2003-2008
  • 3.3 2008/2009 season 3.3.1 Group Stage
  • 3.3.2 Main Round
  • 3.3.3 Knockout Round
  • 4.1 Cup
  • 6.1 Champions League victories by nations (men)
  • 6.2 Champions League victories after Nations (women)

History

In 1957, the European Champion Clubs' Cup was held for the first time in handball. In the first year only selections of individual cities took part in the competition, not individual club teams. Since the second host in 1959 to take part in the competition only partially club teams. The first title won the city selection the Czechoslovakian capital of Prague.

An annual discharge did not take place until the mid- 60s. 1958, 1961 and 1964, the competition was suspended because in these years a handball world championship was played. In 1969, the competition was canceled because several teams against the occupation of Czechoslovakia protested. Since 1970, the competition is held annually in men.

Until the beginning of the 80s primarily dominated German teams the cup competition. Both teams from East Germany and from the Federal Republic of Germany could win the highest trophy in European club handball. 1970 and 1979, came here to " German - German " finals. VfL Gummersbach advanced in this time with five title wins the most successful club in the competition.

From the mid- 80s dominated mainly teams from Eastern European countries such as the USSR or Yugoslavia, the competition. In 1994, the renaming of Europe Champions Cup in EHF Champions League. From this time, the supremacy of the Spanish teams who could triumph from 1994 to 2001 in all eight European Cup competitions began. But the FC Barcelona was able to secure the trophy from 1996 to 2000 five times in a row next to 1991 and started with six triumphs VfL Gummersbach as record winner in this competition. 2011 won the Catalans their eighth title.

Most titles as individual players have won Andrei Xepkin, David Barrufet and Xavier O'Callaghan. A total of seven times were Xepkin between 1996 and 2007, Barrufet and O'Callaghan between 1991 and 2005 Champions League winner.

Women

Settling the European Champions' Cup for women was the first time in 1961 and has since been held annually.

Early seventies started doing the supremacy of the Soviet team Spartak Kiev, which was to last a total of 20 years. Here Spartak was 15 times in the final, where they left the floor as the winner 13 times. 1989 lost the women from Kiev to date her last final against the Austrian representatives Hypo Niederösterreich Austria, on which they could both years earlier triumph.

The defeat of Spartak Kiev against the team from Austria rang at the same time a guard in the European club handball. While the star of the Soviet teams began to go off, the ladies of the Austrian Maria Grossenzersdorf were able to achieve over the next nine contests until 2000 every time the semi-finals - and up to 1997 and 1999 and the final. With a total of eight cup triumphs coined this Hypo Niederösterreich Austria in the nineties this European Cup competition as much as it had done in previous years, Spartak Kiev.

Although in recent times mainly Danish teams have the EHF Champions League to decide for itself today as never before have so many teams with a Potent savers to be able to win the highest in the European club competitions.

Marketing

The name change in 1994 EHF Champions League was mainly for economic and marketing reasons. All advertising, brands and media rights to the Champions League transferred the EHF 2008, its subsidiary, the EHF Marketing GmbH, the award or sold these rights to third parties.

Prior to the 2006/2007 season the EHF signed a television contract with the European niche channels Euro Sport. The contract includes the rights to broadcast all matches of the EHF Champions League, which can be resold to third parties. The production of the TV images of European games assumes the EHF itself thus a controlled, regular live broadcast of the Champions League games is secured for three years. The games will be broadcast both on Euro Sport 1 ( unscrambled ) and on Euro Sport 2 ( pay TV). Previously, games were only sporadically transferred to the third programs in Germany.

By introducing a second group stage for the 2007/08 season, the EHF and the handball clubs are hoping to obtain a higher attractiveness of the Champions League, on the other hand, a higher planning security for the clubs by more guaranteed games and thus lead to higher television and gate receipts. The gate receipts from their home games can keep the clubs complete with home advantage, unlike other cup games, in which the gate receipts between the two clubs are split 50:50.

In all the games, from the first group stage to final, is played on a single floor of the French company Gerflor. These can buy the participating clubs or borrow from the EHF for home games.

The ball is also the same for all games. It is a hand ball the adidas brand.

Naming rights

EHF Marketing GmbH awarded in September 2010, the naming rights to the EHF Champions League the men for three years at the Velux Group, in December 2012 the contract was extended for a further three years until 2016; since the start of the group stage in 2010 is therefore called the competition VELUX EHF Men's Champions League. The finale of the last four teams in May 2011 in Cologne was held under the name VELUX EHF FINAL4.

Advertising space

The EHF has the agency Sport Five charged with the marketing of advertising space.

On the pitch, a maximum of ten billboards are allowed. In the first group stage, only the advertising space in the six- meter rooms and two bands are assigned to the long side of the agency. Another six floor advertising space and the remaining advertising boards are the home clubs market freely available. However, they may convey any advertising space to companies that are in competition with the premium sponsors of the EHF.

From the second group stage all the advertising space sold collectively. There are six sponsorship packages that are given to companies (eg, Intersport, Interwetten). A Sponsorernpaket remains with the clubs to pass on to their own sponsors. All other advertising areas must be taped.

Mode

The competition is currently taking (as the 2008/09 season ) usually 40 teams participate, of which 24 is set for the first group stage. Another 16 teams play a qualifying round in the knockout system, from the also qualify the eight winners for the first group stage. The eight losers take part in the second round of the EHF Cup. Since the introduction of the Champions League system the mode has been reformed several times fundamentally.

1993-2003

From 1993 to 2003, 32 teams took part in the competition. This was the national champion of the best 31 countries in the EHF ranking of countries and the respective titleholder. In several knockout rounds, a group stage was embedded.

From the 1993/94 season to season 1995/96 group stage was played with two groups of four after the second round, the winners of the contest then final. From 1996/97 was carried out up to and including the 1999/2000 season after two knockout round, a group stage with four groups of four teams each, instead of a second round. The respective two best group moved into the quarter-finals, from which it went on again in the knockout system.

In the 2000/2001 season, the representatives of the top seven countries in the EHF ranking of countries (a 3- year-valuation ) and the defending champion has been set for the group stage, so that at the previous rounds fewer teams participated as before for the first time. Played were further four groups of four teams each, from each of which two teams qualified for the quarter-finals.

2003 to 2008

Since the 2003/ 04 season, 40 teams take to the Champions League, of which a different number of teams from 31 top-ranked countries in the EHF ranking of countries (with the exception of Montenegro). The number of clubs that may enter a country depends on its placement in the rankings. The two countries on the first two spaces are allowed three teams, the four next best countries report two teams. The following 25 countries are entitled to a place in the Champions League. The defending champions will be added to the quota of his country and is eligible to start in any case for the group stage of next season.

After the above-mentioned qualifying round group stage is a place with eight groups, each with four teams from which the top two teams qualify for the next round. The third group are eligible for the fourth round of the European Cup Winners' Cup, the group Fourth eliminated. Until the 2006/07 season followed this group stage the knockout stages of the knockout round return match.

Since the 2007/ 08 season takes the place of the eighth - and quarter-finals, a second group phase instead, are formed in the four groups of four teams each, whose group winners qualify for the subsequent semi-final, which played exactly like the final with back and leg will.

Initially planned the EHF a Final Four tournament, but since this should take place at a neutral site, this plan was not enforced under pressure from the European top teams. The clubs feared high audience and thus revenue loss.

In women, the introduction of a second group stage, it was decided. From 2007 à four clubs to close after the first group stage with four groups a second with two groups of four teams at. The semi-finals and the finals are played in knockout system with return game. This harmony between men's and women's event to be created.

Season 2008/2009

For the 2008/2009 season of the EHF Champions League mode was revised again.

There were still 40 teams were eligible of which 24 directly qualified for the first group stage. The remaining 16 teams played in a qualifying round in the knockout system from the remaining eight starting positions. The defeated eight teams took part in the second round of the EHF Cup.

Group stage

The 32 qualified teams played in eight groups of four teams in the group stage in the mode " FFA " with return game. The First and Second from each group qualified for the main round and were placed in the same main round groups. The third phase of the group took part in the fourth round of the European Cup Winners' Cup, the fourth-placed resigned from.

Main Round

In the main round was played as in the first group stage in four groups of four according to the same mode. However, playing teams that have already played in the group stage against each other, not against each other again. Here the results were taken from the group phase and evaluated accordingly. For the next round, the group winners and runners- qualified.

Knockout round

The eight teams qualified from the main round determined in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals of the Champions League winners. It was played in the knockout system with return game.

Since the 2009/2010 season

The qualification is played in three or four groups. There is also a wildcard group there take four teams in part to the opinion of the EHF increase the level of play of the Champions League. The first group of each group qualifies for the group stage. The goers teams take part depending on placement on the 2nd or 3rd round of the EHF Cup.

The number of the participating teams in the group stage was reduced from 32 to 24. In the group stage the teams playing in four groups of six teams. Each team plays each of his opponents in the group one Away and a home game, so that each team has to deny ten games. The top four teams in a group come into the second round, the second round was thus abolished.

From the second round will be played in round-trip game after the Knockout principle. The semifinals and finals will be played in a Final Four tournament, in these two rounds, the decision is thus precipitated in a single game. The Final Four will be re-tendered every year, thus various indoor vendors have the option of the event to bring in their arena. The venue of the Final Four is the Lanxess Arena in Cologne since the 2009/10 season. On 14 November 2011 the EHF announced that the Final Four will take place until 2014 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne.

Decision on points

If there are equal on points on completion of all group matches in the group stage or Main Round two or more teams, the final placings are determined according to a specific order. First, the direct comparison between the teams against each other is included. The team that has the most points in a direct comparison is to get the highest position. Should also consist of a tie, decide the best goal difference and also this should be the same for a number of teams, the number of discarded altogether in direct comparison gates, which team gets which position. Only if the parameters of the direct comparison bring any ruling that goal difference in all group matches against your opponents and then the number of discarded doors will be consulted in the group decision-making. For the main round, it is possible that the placement in the first round or the number of points that have been achieved in the first round, is crucial.

In the event that there is still no decision is found, a drawing of lots is recognized by the EHF.

Premiums

The THW Kiel received as Champions League winners 2007 a ​​total prize money of 515,000 euros. The reform of the Champions League for the season 2007/2008 also contained a new prize scheme. To date prize money was paid only for the next round, starting from the 2007/2008 season points awards are from the second group stage for the first time distributed. This is to prevent that already eliminated teams compete with a B- team. The total amount of undistributed prize money has been increased again. Thus, the 2008 winner can occupy a total of 100,000 euros more than in previous years.

The prize money will be distributed as follows:

When the Champions League winner should win all the games from the second group stage, results in the following breakdown:

Cup

The Cup of the EHF Champions League is a trophy. The winning team gets to keep it for a year, but it must give back to the EHF before the finals the following season. In return, the club will receive a replica of the trophy. Win a team retain the Champions League five times or three times in a row, they may the cup.

Participant

The number of participants who may represent a nation in the EHF Champions League results from the EHF ranking. The better the nation is placed, the more teams are eligible for the Champions League.

  • Each 3 starting places to get the top two organizations ( a total of 6 starting positions )
  • Each two starting places to get the associations of places 3-6 ( total of 8 starting positions )
  • Each one starting place to get the associations of places 7-15 ( total of 9 starting positions )
  • Each one starting place to get the winner of the qualifying rounds, at each of which a team from the associations of places 16-31 participate ( total of 8 starting positions )
  • From position 32 to get the associations no starting place in the Champions League

Successful team

For a list of the most successful club teams of men and women see the list of finals of the EHF Champions League.

Champions League victories by Nation ( Men )

The last title in the 2012/13 season won the German club HSV Hamburg. In the last nine years, only German and Spanish clubs have benefited, to be allowed to keep the title in hands. In the last 20 years only two times the title could be brought to other countries. These were in the 2002/03 season, the French club Montpellier HB and in the season 2003/ 04, the Slovenian club RK Celje. The Spanish clubs have been able to fourteen times cheer about winning the trophy, of which FC Barcelona eight times, which is thus responsible for more than half of all titles won. The Spanish and German clubs are the big winners of this competition. Other nations came to winning the Champions League. So could bring Romanian, Czech, Belarusian and Croatian clubs three times the pot. The Serbian and Russian teams managed two wins. And Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, France and Slovenia could once each celebrate the victory in the highest European league. The Swedish club IK Redbergslids Gothenburg was able to win the title in the season 1958/59. Thus, Sweden is the waiting the longest country on a repetition of the Champions League title. The first title of the Champions League, at that time European Cup champions, the Czechs, who went with a Prague city selection at the start fetched.

Champions League victories by Nation (ladies)

The last title in the 2012/13 season brought the Hungarian club Gyori ETO KC and was able to get the first Champions League title in their history. In the last eight years almost exclusively Danish clubs have benefited, to be allowed to keep the title in hands. Except for Larvik HK this season and the Russian Zvezda Zvenigorod club in the 2007/ 08 season. This was the second trophy in the premier class for Russia. An Austrian clubs could get eight times the Champions League title between 1988/89 and 1999/ 00 season. Prior to the Ukrainian club Spartak Kiev was the measure of all things. This association could bring the title thirteen times and is therefore in the Champions League the most successful club in history. The club took the title from the season 1969/70 and 1987/88, in the former Soviet Union. This also makes it the country with the most Champions League titles, but only among women. Other nations came to win in the Champions League. A total of three German teams could bring the pot to Germany four times. The Lithuanian and Serbian clubs could win the title three times in their former homelands. For each two titles came clubs from Romania, Hungary, Slovenia and Russia. A Champions League victory could clubs from the Czech Republic, Croatia, Spain and Macedonia are celebrating. Which may occur in some countries that they were still members of another nationality when winning the goblet. The Czech club Sparta Prague HC could win the title in the 1961/62 season. Thus, the Czech Republic is the longest waiting country on a repetition of the Champions League title of the women. The first title of the Champions League, at that time European Cup champion, is a Romanian club picked.

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