2020–21 EHF European League

The 2020–21 EHF European League was the 1st edition of the EHF European League, replacing the EHF Cup as the second most important European handball club competition organised by the European Handball Federation (EHF), which had been in existence for 39 years.[1]

EHF European League
2020–21
Tournament information
SportHandball
Dates28 August 2020–23 May 2021
Teams51 (Qualification stage)
24 (Group stage)
Websiteeurohandball.com
Final positions
Champions SC Magdeburg
Runner-up Füchse Berlin
Tournament statistics
MVP Jannick Green
Top scorer(s) Emil Jakobsen
(96 goals)

Team allocation

A total of 51 teams from 21 countries participated in the 2020–21 EHF European League.[2]

Teams
Group stage
CB Ademar León USAM Nîmes Gard SC Magdeburg Grundfos Tatabanya KC
RK Eurofarm Pelister Orlen Wisła Płock Dinamo București Chekhovskiye Medvedi
Kadetten Schaffhausen HT Tatran Prešov Alingsås HK Besiktas Aygaz
Second qualifying round
RK Nexe Našice GOG Håndbold BM Benidorm Fenix Toulouse Handball
Montpellier HB Füchse Berlin Rhein-Neckar Löwen Balatonfüredi KSE
Sporting CP
First qualifying round
Fivers SKA Minsk HRK Gorica RK Dubrava
RK Spacva Vinkovci Bjerringbro-Silkeborg Skjern Handbold TTH Holstebro
Bidasoa Irun PAUC Handball MT Melsungen B. Braun Gyöngyös
Valur Handball Esch HC Butel Skopje RK Metalurg Skopje
Haslum Handballklubb ØIF Arendal KS Azoty-Puławy CF Os Belenenses
SL Benfica HC Dobrogea Sud Constanta AHC Potaissa Turda HC CSKA
HC Victor RK Trimo Trebnje HC Kriens-Luzern Pfadi Winterthur
HK Malmö IFK Kristianstad

Round and draw dates

The planned schedule of the competition is as follows.

Phase Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Qualification First qualifying round 28 July 2020 29-30 August 2020 5-6 September 2020
Second qualifying round 8 September 2020 22 September 2020 29 September 2020
Group stage Matchday 1 1 October 2020 20 October 2020
Matchday 2 27 October 2020
Matchday 3 17 November 2019
Matchday 4 24 November 2020
Matchday 5 1 December 2020
Matchday 6 8 December 2020
Matchday 7 9 February 2021
Matchday 8 16 February 2021
Matchday 9 23 February 2021
Matchday 10 2 March 2021
Knockout phase Round of 16 No draw 23 March 2021 30 March 2021
Quarter-finals 13 April 2021 20 April 2021
Final four 27 April 2021 22–23 May 2021

Qualifying rounds

Seeding

A total of 30 teams were involved in the first qualifying round draw, they were divided into three geographical zones, each one with two pots of five teams, to limit travel distances and to reduce possible travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] Teams from the same country could not be drawn into the same tie.[4]

Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3
Seeded Unseeded Seeded Unseeded Seeded Unseeded

Matches
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
AHC Potaissa Turda 56–53 HRK Gorica 24–26 32–27
HC Dobrogea Sud Constanta 54–45 HC Victor 26–18 28–27
SKA Minsk 50–56 HC CSKA 25–25 25–31
B. Braun Gyöngyös 58–46 HC Butel Skopje 34–21 24–25
RK Metalurg Skopje 60–57 RK Spacva Vinkovci 35–28 25–29
TTH Holstebro Cancelled[note 1] Valur Cancelled Cancelled
IFK Kristianstad Cancelled[note 2] ØIF Arendal Cancelled Cancelled
Bjerringbro-Silkeborg 57–51 MT Melsungen 31–27 26–24
Skjern Handbold 53–51 HK Malmö 27–26 26–25
KS Azoty-Puławy Cancelled[note 2] Haslum Handballklubb Cancelled Cancelled
SL Benfica 62–64 Fivers 28–26 34–38
Pfadi Winterthur 33–30 Handball Esch 33–30 Cancelled
PAUC Handball 25–30[note 3] Bidasoa Irun Cancelled 25–30
CF Os Belenenses 49–56 RK Trimo Trebnje 23–28 26–28
HC Kriens-Luzern 57–46 RK Dubrava 29–27 28–19

Seeding

A total of 24 teams were involved in the second qualifying round draw, 15 advancing from the previous round and 9 teams entering this round. Teams were divided in two pots and were drawn without any restrictions.[8]

Seeded Unseeded

Matches
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
HC Dobrogea Sud Constanta 48–49 Sporting CP 27–27 21–22
KS Azoty-Puławy 46–49 IFK Kristianstad 24–25 22–24
BM Benidorm Cancelled[note 4] Fivers 34–31 Cancelled
TTH Holstebro 49–54 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 22–28 27–26
Bjerringbro-Silkeborg 50–55 HC CSKA 26–23 24–32
AHC Potaissa Turda 62–66 Fenix Toulouse Handball 35–35 27–31
Bidasoa Irun 54–56 RK Nexe Našice 30–27 24–29
RK Metalurg Skopje 47–46 HC Kriens-Luzern 26–24 21–22
GOG Håndbold 64–59 Pfadi Winterthur 33–24 31–35
Skjern Handbold 60–63 Montpellier HB 31–30 29–33
B. Braun Gyöngyös 47–61 Füchse Berlin 23–25 24–36
RK Trimo Trebnje 23–22[note 5] Balatonfüredi KSE 23–22 Cancelled

Group Stage

Seeding

The 24 teams were divided into six pots of four teams, with a team from each pot being drawn to each group. Teams from the same country could not be drawn into the same group.[11]

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4 Pot 5 Pot 6

Tiebreakers

Teams were ranked according to points (2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings:

  1. Points in matches among tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in matches among tied teams;
  3. Away goals scored in matches among tied teams;
  4. Goal difference in all group matches;
  5. Goals scored in all group matches;
  6. If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
  7. Drawing lots.

Group A
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Orlen Wisła Płock 10 8 0 2 297 242 +55 16 Knockout stage
2 CB Ademar León 10 5 4 1 307 296 +11 14
3 Chekhovskiye Medvedi 10 7 0 3 301 264 +37 14
4 Fivers 10 2 2 6 301 311 −10 6
5 Fenix Toulouse Handball 10 2 2 6 227 250 −23 6
6 RK Metalurg Skopje 10 1 2 7 259 329 −70 4
Source: EHF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Group B
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Füchse Berlin 10 6 2 2 247 223 +24 14 Knockout stage
2 USAM Nîmes Gard 10 5 2 3 279 263 +16 12
3 IFK Kristianstad 10 5 1 4 273 276 −3 11
4 Sporting CP 10 5 0 5 244 241 +3 10
5 Dinamo București 10 3 1 6 279 298 −19 7
6 HT Tatran Prešov 10 3 0 7 233 254 −21 6
Source: EHF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Group C
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 SC Magdeburg 10 9 0 1 321 230 +91 18 Knockout stage
2 HC CSKA 10 7 0 3 263 219 +44 14
3 Montpellier HB 10 6 0 4 231 197 +34 12
4 RK Nexe Našice 10 5 0 5 269 284 −15 10
5 Alingsås HK 10 3 0 7 262 304 −42 6
6 Besiktas Aygaz 10 0 0 10 238 350 −112 0
Source: EHF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Group D
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 10 8 1 1 296 256 +40 17 Knockout stage
2 Kadetten Schaffhausen 10 6 2 2 261 251 +10 14
3 GOG Håndbold 10 6 0 4 306 305 +1 12
4 RK Eurofarm Pelister 10 5 1 4 244 237 +7 11
5 RK Trimo Trebnje 10 3 0 7 250 273 −23 6
6 Grundfos Tatabanya KC 10 0 0 10 263 298 −35 0
Source: EHF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Knockout stage

The pairings for the last 16 and the quarter-finals are based on group stage standings, according to the following bracket.[12] This assures teams from the same group can only play each other again in the final four.

 
Last 16Quarter-finals
 
          
 
23/30 March
 
 
3D
GOG Håndbold		333568
 
13/20 April
 
2C
HC CSKA		3130 61
 
3D
GOG Håndbold		302656
 
23/30 March
 
1A
Orlen Wisła Płock		2731 58
 
4B
Sporting CP		252853
 
 
1A
Orlen Wisła Płock		2925 54
 
 
23/30 March
 
 
3C
Montpellier HB		273259
 
13/20 April
 
2D
Kadetten Schaffhausen		2725 52
 
3C
Montpellier HB		322355
 
23/30 March
 
1B
Füchse Berlin		2931 60
 
4A
Fivers		27027
 
 
1B
Füchse Berlin		3510 45
 
 
23/30 March
 
 
3B
IFK Kristianstad		343468
 
13/20 April
 
2A
CB Ademar León		2731 58
 
3B
IFK Kristianstad		283159
 
23/30 March
 
1C
SC Magdeburg		3439 73
 
4D
RK Eurofarm Pelister		242448
 
 
1C
SC Magdeburg		3235 67
 
 
23/30 March
 
 
3A
Chekhovskiye Medvedi		302454
 
13/20 April
 
2B
USAM Nîmes Gard		2524 49
 
3A
Chekhovskiye Medvedi		332760
 
23/30 March
 
1D
Rhein-Neckar Löwen		3237 69
 
4C
RK Nexe Našice		252752
 
 
1D
Rhein-Neckar Löwen		2727 54
 

Last 16

The last 16 first legs were scheduled for 23 March 2021, while the second legs followed on 30 March 2021.

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
GOG Håndbold 68–61 HC CSKA 33–31 35–30
Sporting CP 53–54 Orlen Wisła Płock 25–29 28–25
Montpellier HB 59–52 Kadetten Schaffhausen 27–27 32–25
Fivers 27–45 Füchse Berlin 27–35 0–10
IFK Kristianstad 68–58 CB Ademar León 34–27 34–31
RK Eurofarm Pelister 48–67 SC Magdeburg 24–32 24–35
Chekhovskiye Medvedi 54–49 USAM Nîmes Gard 30–25 24–24
RK Nexe Našice 52–54 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 25–27 27–27

Quarter-finals

The quarter-finals first legs were scheduled for 13 April 2021, while the second legs followed on 20 April 2021.

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
GOG Håndbold 56–58 Orlen Wisła Płock 30–27 26–31
Montpellier HB 55–60 Füchse Berlin 32–29 23–31
IFK Kristianstad 59–73 SC Magdeburg 28–34 31–39
Chekhovskiye Medvedi 60–69 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 33–32 27–37

Final four

The EHF Finals Men 2021 was played on 22 and 23 May 2021 in Mannheim, Germany and comprised one leg semifinals, final and third-place match. The pairings for the semifinals were decided by drawing of lots.[13]

Bracket
 
SemifinalsFinal
 
      
 
22 May
 
 
 SC Magdeburg30
 
23 May
 
 Orlen Wisła Płock29
 
 SC Magdeburg28
 
22 May
 
 Füchse Berlin25
 
 Rhein-Neckar Löwen32
 
 
 Füchse Berlin35
 
Third place
 
 
23 May
 
 
 Orlen Wisła Płock27
 
 
 Rhein-Neckar Löwen32


Semifinals
22 May 2021
18:00		 SC Magdeburg 30–29 Orlen Wisła Płock SAP Arena, Mannheim
Referees: Santos, Fonseca (POR)
Magnússon 6 (13–15) Szita, Krajewski 7
 4× Report 2× 7×
22 May 2021
20:45		 Rhein-Neckar Löwen 32–35 Füchse Berlin SAP Arena, Mannheim
Referees: Brkic, Jusufhodzic (AUT)
Tollbring 7 (16–19) Andersson 11
2× 6× 1× Report 2× 5×


Third place game
23 May 2021
18:00		 Orlen Wisła Płock 27–32 Rhein-Neckar Löwen SAP Arena, Mannheim
Referees: Biro, Kiss (HUN)
Szita, Krajewski 6 (12–15) Tollbring 11
2× 3× Report 1× 3×


Final
23 May 2021
20:30		 SC Magdeburg 28–25 Füchse Berlin SAP Arena, Mannheim
Referees: Nikolic, Stojkovic (SRB)
Magnússon, Hornke 7 (15–8) Lindberg, 8
1× 4× Report 2× 3×

Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals[14]
1 Emil Jakobsen GOG Håndbold 96
2 Ómar Ingi Magnússon SC Magdeburg 94
3 Alexander Kotov Chekhovskiye Medvedi 72
4 Jerry Tollbring Rhein-Neckar Löwen 71
5 Halil Jaganjac RK Nexe Našice 69

See also

Notes
  1. Due to travel restrictions imposed on Iceland in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the matches between TTH Holstebro and Valur were cancelled, with the danish side advancing to the next round.[5]
  2. Due to travel restrictions imposed on Norway in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, both Norwegian teams competing in the second qualifying round, ØIF Arendal and Haslum Handballklubb, were disqualified with their opponents, IFK Kristianstad and KS Azoty-Puławy respectively, advancing to the next round.[6]
  3. The french club PAUC Handball waived their right to host the first leg of the first qualifying round due to effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the match was decided over one leg, played in Spain.[7]
  4. BM Benidorm announced two days prior to the second leg that they were unable to travel to travel to Vienna due to travel restrictions imposed in Spain as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, BM Benidorm were disqualified, with their opponents, Fivers, advancing to the group stage.[9]
  5. Balatonfüredi KSE could not travel to Slovenia for the first leg due to a player testing positive to COVID-19. As a result, it was decided that the match should be played on one leg, at Slovenia, on the original date of the second leg.[10]

References
  1. "IHF | EHF in final stages before launch of new European League". www.ihf.info. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  2. "51 teams enter revamped EHF European Cup Men". www.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  3. "Pots ready for opening qualification round draw in EHF European League". www.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  4. "30 teams to learn opponent in EHF European League Men draw". ehfel.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  5. "TTH Holstebro reach the second qualification round". ehfel.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  6. "Kristianstad and Azoty-Pulawy qualify for the second round". www.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  7. "PAUC and Irun to play just one game". www.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  8. "More heavyweights enter last qualification round". ehfel.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  9. "Information on Fivers vs BM Benidorm". www.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  10. "Double Danish delight headlines round 2". www.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  11. "All you need to know about the group phase draw". www.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  12. "Five conclusions after an action-packed group phase". www.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  13. "EHF Finals Men 2021". ehfel.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  14. Goalscorers
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