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Media Information
Women’s EHF Champions League
Season 2014/15
MVM EHF FINAL4
Papp Laszlo Budapest Sportarena
Saturday 9 May 2015
Semi-final 1
14:15
Larvik vs Dinamo-Sinara
:
Semi-final 2 16:45
WHC Vardar SCBT vs Buducnost
:
Sunday 10 May 2015
3/4 Placement match 14:30
vs
:
Final 17:00
vs
:
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Table of contents
Map of participating clubs
4
Media contacts - EHF/M, clubs contacts
5
MVM takes up title sponsorship for the Women’s EHF FINAL4
7
New trophy unveiled
7
9
TV stations showing the MVM EHF FINAL4 live
9
Fan vote for 2014/15 All-star team 10
Players’ awards of the 2013/14 season
10
Facts & figures after quarter-finals
11
Semi-final 1 preview: Larvik vs Dinamo-Sinara
13
Larvik team pages
14
Dinamo-Sinara team pages
19
Semi-final 2 preview: Buducnost vs WHC Vardar SCBT 24
WHC Vardar SCBT team pages
25
Buducnost team pages
30
Potential head-to-head stats in the EC competitions
35
36
Scorers of the 2014 MVM EHF FINAL4
37
Past winners - clubs
38
39
40
EHF Champions League history 1993-2015
41
2014/15 Seeding list
43
Extended coverage on ehfTV
Top scorers after quarter-finals
Past winners - individuals
All-time EHF Champions League club standings
2014/15 Playing system diagram - stages and dates
44
Important regulations - what follows if a match ends in a draw
45
3
RK Krim
Mercator, SLO
Hypo
Niederösterreich, AUT
Metz Handball,
FRA
Thüringer HC,
GER
SERCODAK
Dalfsen, NED
FC Midtjylland,
DEN
Venue of the MVM EHF FINAL4
MVM EHF FINAL4 teams
Eliminated teams
Season 2014/15
WOMEN‘S EHF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
4
HC Lokomotiva
Zagreb, CRO
Viborg HK A/S,
DEN
Larvik HK,
NOR
Byasen
Trondheim, NOR
HC Podravka
Vegeta, CRO
IK Sävehof,
SWE
Buducnost,
MNE
WHC Vardar
SCBT, MKD
HC Leipzig,
GER
Host City Budapest, HUN
2015 MVM EHF FINAL4
HCM Baia Mare,
ROU
Dinamo
Sinara , RUS
MKS Selgros
Lublin, POL
BNTU BelAZ
Minsk Reg., BLR
FTC-Rail Cargo
Hungaria, HUN
WHC Radnicki
Kragujevac, SRB
Györi Audi
ETO KC, HUN
EHF/M Media contacts
Media matters
TV and Radio
Thomas Schöneich
Media and Communications
European Handball Federation
+43 1 80 151 164
[email protected]
Twitter: @ehfmedia
Miguel Mateo Marcellán
Media Manager
EHF Marketing GmbH
+43 1 80 151 224
[email protected]
Clubs – Media contacts
WHC Buducnost
Milos Pavicevic
+382 682 226 66
E-Mail: zrkbuducnost@t-com.
me / [email protected]
Larvik HK
Svein Andre Svendsen
+47 901 82 530
[email protected]
Dinamo-Sinara Volgograd
Eduard Akopian
+7 905 333 33 13
[email protected]
WHC Vardar SCBT
Ana Mihajlovska
+389 76487779
[email protected]
Media information
Media portal
Online information
All media representatives are invited to register for the EHF media
portal on http://members.ehf.eu
ehfCL.com
ehfTV.com
Regulations of the Women’s EHF Champions League
Twitter: @ehfmedia, @ehfcl
Facebook: ehf.champions.league
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.
Official name
The official name of the competition is: Women’s EHF Champions
League. The full name of the competition should always be used.
For major events such as the EHF EURO or the VELUX EHF FINAL4
match prep kits including historical information and head-to-head
statistics will also be made available.
Please note: If the season is required, it has to be positioned after
“Champions League” e.g. Women’s EHF Champions League 2013/14.
The wording “Champions League” should be written with a capital
letter at the beginning of each word, i.e. Champions League. The
remaining letters should be in lower case. The word Champions does
not have an apostrophe after the ‘s’.
If you haven’t registered yet, please send an email to
[email protected]
and we will provide you with the log-in details.
5
9/10 May 2015 · Papp László Budapest Sportaréna
2015 MVM
EHF FINAL4
To purchase your tickets visit: www.ehfFINAL4.com
Energy giant MVM takes up title sponsorship
for WOMEN’S EHF FINAL4
title sponsor underlines its prestige and the reputation that women’s
handball has in Europe.”
Csilla Nagy, Deputy Communications Director of MVM, said: “Last
year’s MVM EHF FINAL4 was a huge success as 10,000 fans celebrated
women’s handball together with the participating teams.
“We continue in our efforts to give ‘a lot of energy’ to the best
European handball teams and we are proud to be the title sponsor
of the 2015 MVM EHF FINAL4. We believe the event will increase the
rank of both Hungary and our company on the national as well as on
the international level.”
The Hungarian energy company MVM Magyar Villamos Művek Zrt.
has signed a contract with the organisers of the WOMEN’S EHF
FINAL4, becoming the event’s title sponsor for the second year in a
row. The event’s official name will be the 2015 MVM EHF FINAL4.
2015 MVM EHF FINAL4
2015 is the second consecutive year that the WOMEN’S EHF
Champions League culminates in an EHF FINAL4-weekend and is
not decided by home and away matches between the two eventual
finalists.
The final weekend of the WOMEN’S EHF Champions League and
pinnacle event of women’s club handball will take place on 9/10
May 2015 in the Papp László Sportaréna in Budapest. One year ago,
Hungarian side Győri Audi ETO KC lifted the trophy after a thrilling
final victory against Montenegrin club Buducnost in front of 10,000
fans.
After the successful premiere last year with 10,000 fans following
the matches in a sold-out Papp László Sportaréna, the EHF and EHF
Marketing reached an agreement with the Hungarian Handball
Federation as local organisers until 2016.
Commenting on the agreement, Peter Vargo, Managing Director of
EHF Marketing, said: “The fact that MVM has become the event’s
More information and tickets at: www.ehfFINAL4.com
New trophy unveiled
Its form is inspired by the movement of
the ball on the court, the quick passes,
the shots and the always-changing
formations on the court. In other words:
The new trophy for the winning team of
the Women’s EHF Champions League is a
true symbol for handball.
On the occasion of the draw for the 2015
MVM EHF FINAL4 at the Moholy-Nagy
University of Art and Design Budapest
(MOME), it was unveiled to the public for
the first time.
“We felt that our task was to design a
trophy that breaks with stereotypes. We
built the concept on the dynamics of the
game. This sport, for us, means tactic,
quick passes, jump shots, always changing
formations. The movement of the ball in
the space determines different points,
which form the frame of the object,” said
the two artists Krisztián Ádám and Balázs
Sipos.
The new trophy will be handed over for
the first time after final at the 2015 MVM
EHF FINAL4 on Sunday, 10 May. Both
Ádám and Sipos are MOME graduates
and formed one of six university teams
that had entered the competition to
design a new trophy.
At the beginning of the year the European
Handball Federation, EHF Marketing
and the Hungarian Handball Federation
as local organisers had partnered with
MOME and gave teams comprised of
university graduates the chance to come
up with a new design – eventually a jury
made up of all stakeholders went for
Ádám’s and Sipos’ concept.
7
MVM EHF FINAL4 Trophy Factbox
Authors: Krisztián Ádám & Balázs Sipos
Weight: 11 kg
Height: 100 cm
Materials: red copper galvanised, corian (base)
Extended coverage on ehfTV.com
The 2015 MVM EHF FINAL4 coverage on the ehfTV.com, the world’s
biggest handball streaming platform, will start already on Friday
afternoon with the first videos produced on site showing arrival of the
teams, media calls with coaches and players in the Aquicnum Hotel,
first trainings and special videos from Budapest.
The complete coverage of all matches means that only during the
group stage of both competitions handball fans will be spoilt by 120
men’s and 84 women’s matches. Together with knock-out stages this
is supposed to offer this season more than 244 handball matches on
ehfTV.com.
There will be a rich offer of various videos including a presentation
of the new All-star team shown on the ehfTV throughout the whole
weekend.
ehfTV.com extends the coverage of the Women’s EHF
Champions League
The platform will stream the entire world feed, it means that the
broadcasting of the matches will start 30 minutes before the throwoff times and will end after the post-match press conferences. All
in all fans can look forward to watching more than 10 hours of live
action from the Papp Laszlo Budapest Sportarena.
In the 2014/15 season, handball’s leading live streaming platform
ehfTV.com has been preparing a new package for all fans of women’s
handball. From the opening round of the Group Matches ehfTV has
been producing a new magazine compiling the most interesting scenes
of the round.
All matches of the season live
Every Monday after a playing round “REWIND - The Women’s Handball
Show” shows not only the highlights of the games, but also interviews
with players and selections of the top five goals and saves.
Handball fans across Europe will not miss a single match in this season
of both elite European club competitions. All matches starting from
Group Phase of the VELUX EHF Champions League and Group Matches
of the Women´s EHF Champions League have been broadcast live and
free of charge on ehfTV.com and the videos of all matches will be also
on demand (subject to geo-blocking restrictions).
During the 26 minute long programme fans are also introduced to a
rookie of the round followed by best scenes of the three biggest stars
of the round.
TV stations showing the MVM EHF FINAL4 live
As of 6 May 2015:
MKD - Alfa TV
MNE – RTCG
NOR – Viasat
RUS – NTV+
HUN - Digi Sports
CRO – Arena Sport
SRB – ArenaSport
BIH – ArenaSport
FRA – beIN Sports
ROU – Digi Sport
ROU – Dolce Sport
DEN - DR
DEN – TV3 Sports
POL – NC+
SVK – Sport1
CZE – Sport1
SLO – Sport TV
BRA - Esporte Interactivo
MENA – beIN Sports
9
Fan vote for All-star team
Centre backs:
Karolina Kudlacz (POL) – HC Leipzig (GER)
Ida Oden (SWE) - IK Sävehof (SWE)
Isabelle Gulldén (SWE) – Viborg HK A/S (DEN)
Aniko Kovacsics (HUN) – Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
Andrea Lekic (SRB) – WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
Europe’s handball fans cannot go wrong and this is why the European
Handball Federation for the second year in a row has put its trust in its
most loyal fans, giving them the chance to vote online for the Women’s
EHF Champions League All-star team of the 2014/15 season.
Last season more than 18,000 fans participated in the week leading
up to the 2014 MVM EHF FINAL4 at the beginning of May, the final
weekend of the Women’s EHF Champions League. Following this huge
success voting started much earlier with the poll opening on 1 April
and voting lasting until Sunday, 3 May 2015. Fans could choose their
Women’s EHF Champions League 2014/15 team online and via the
ehfCL.com website.
Right backs:
Ana Gros (SLO) – Metz Handball (FRA)
Anna Kochetova (RUS) – Dinamo-Sinara (RUS)
Nora Mørk (NOR) – Larvik (NOR)
Katarina Bulatovic (MNE) – Buducnost (MNE)
Susann Müller (GER) – Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
And with a new chance to vote came new developments as for the
first time fans have the chance not only to vote for the best player in
each position and the best defender – there were five nominees each
–, but also for the best young player (born in 1992 or younger) and the
best coach. This means that all in all there were 50 players and coaches
that had been preselected by the EHF. These players represented
18 different nations and 12 clubs from the current Women’s EHF
Champions League season. The fans’ choice for the All-star team will be
announced during the MVM EHF FINAL4 in Budapest on 9 and 10 May
2015.
Right wings:
Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth Koren (NOR) – Larvik (NOR)
Katrin Engel (AUT) – Thüringer HC (GER)
Radmila Petrovic (MNE) – Buducnost (MNE)
Alexandra Do Nascimento (BRA) – HCM Baia Mare (ROU)
Jovanka Radicevic (MNE) – WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
Best defenders:
Rikke Skov (DEN) – Viborg HK A/S (DEN)
Anja Althaus (GER) – WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
Marit Malm Frafjord (NOR) – Larvik HK (NOR)
Gabriella Szücs (HUN) – HCM Baia Mare (ROU)
Dorina Korsos (HUN) – Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
Players have been nominated on the basis of their comprehensive
performance throughout the season so far; not just their goal-getting
prowess, but also their performance in defence, the number of blocks,
assists and reaction in crucial moments during each match.
Best young players (born in 1992 or younger):
Daria Dmitrieva (RUS) – Dinamo-Sinara (RUS)
Eliza Iulia Buceschi (ROU) – HCM Baia Mare (ROU)
Elizabeth Omoregie (BUL) – RK Krim Mercator (SLO)
Louise Sand (SWE) – IK Sävehof (SWE)
Lois Abbingh (NED) – HCM Baia Mare (ROU)
The players nominated for the 2014/15 season were:
Goalkeepers:
Marta Zderic (CRO) – Buducnost (MNE)
Sandra Toft (DEN) – Larvik HK (NOR)
Anna Sedoykina (RUS) Dinamo-Sinara (RUS)
Amandine Leynaud (FRA) – WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
Katja Schülke (GER) – HC Leipzig (GER)
Best coaches
Ambros Martin (ESP) – Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
Ole Gustav Gjekstad (NOR) – Larvik HK (NOR)
Dragan Adzic (MNE) – Buducnost (MNE)
Viktor Ryabykh (RUS) – Dinamo-Sinara (RUS)
Tone Tiselj (SLO) – HCM Baia Mare (ROU)
Left wings:
Tamara Mavsar (SLO) – RK Krim Mercator (SLO)
Paule Baudouin (FRA) – Metz Handball (FRA)
Valentina Ardean (ROU) – HCM Baia Mare (ROU)
Siraba Dembele (FRA) – WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
Maria Fisker (DEN) – Viborg HK A/S (DEN)
Left backs:
Cristina Neagu (ROU) – Buducnost (MNE)
Nadja Nadgornaja (GER) – Thüringer HC (GER)
Andrea Penezic (CRO) – WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
Alina Wojtas (POL) – Larvik HK (NOR)
Olga Akopian (RUS) – Dinamo-Sinara (RUS)
2013/14 EHF Champions League Players’ Awards
All-star team:
Goalkeeper: Left wing: Left back: Centre back: Line player: Right back: Right wing: Best Defender: Line players:
Heidi Loke (NOR) – Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
Luisa Schulze (GER) – HC Leipzig (GER)
Danick Snelder (NED) – Thüringer HC (GER)
Dragana Cvijic (SRB) – Buducnost (MNE)
Nina Kamto (FRA) – Metz Handball (FRA)
Clara Woltering (GER) - Buducnost
Majda Mehmedovic (MNE) - Buducnost
Eduarda Amorim (BRA) - Györ
Anita Görbicz (HUN) - Györ
Ana Dokic (MNE) - Vardar
Katarina Bulatovic (MNE) - Györ
Jovanka Radicevic (MNE) - Vardar
Suzana Lazovic (MNE) - Buducnost
Best young player: Fie Woller (DEN) - FC Midtjylland
Top scorer:
Anita Görbicz (HUN) - Györ
MVM EHF FINAL4 Most Valuable Player: Katrine Lunde (NOR) - Györ
10
Facts and figures
Larvik and Buducnost arrive unbeaten in Budapest, Neagu top scorer so far
92 matches since the start of the group matches have been played
in the Women’s EHF Champions League so far. Just four remain in
Budapest on 9/10 May and they will determine which team will
succeed Györi Audi ETO KC as champions.
Here are the most important facts and figures of the 2014/15
season, prior to the MVM EHF FINAL4 in Budapest. The draw for
the pinnacle of women’s club handball will be staged in Budapest
on Tuesday (live on ehfTV at 11:00 CET), where the new trophy will
also be unveiled.
1 team – Larvik – have won all their matches this season.
1 team – Dinamo-Sinara against Baia Mare– turned a defeat in the
first quarter-final leg in a ticket to Budapest
1 quarter-final match (Györ vs Vardar) ended with a draw.
1 player – Katarina Bulatovic (now in a Buducnost jersey) can be
the only player to win the 2014 and 2015 title of the Women’s EHF
Champions League after raising the trophy with Györ last season.
2 teams – Buducnost and Vardar – had already been part of the
first MVM EHF FINAL4 in Budapest in 2014. Buducnost lost the
final, against Györ, while Vardar finished third.
2 teams – Larvik and Buducnost – remained unbeaten in all stages
of the competition to make it to Budapest.
2 teams won both quarter-final legs – again Larvik and Buducnost.
2 former Women’s EHF Champions League winners are still in the
competition: Larvik (2011) and Buducnost (2012).
2 multiple EHF CL winners are in the squads of the four teams:
Katarina Bulatovic (Buducnost - 2007 Slagelse, 2012 Buducnost,
2014 Györ) and Anja Althaus (Vardar – 2009 and 2010 Viborg).
4 nations are represented by the four FINAL4 participants:
Norway, Russia, FYR Macedonia and Montenegro. Eight different
nations were part of the quarter-finals, 11 in the main round and
14 in the group matches.
8 straight seasons from 2006/07 to 2013/14 Györ had at least been
part of the semi-finals. For the first time since the 2005/06 season
the Hungarian champions were eliminated before this stage.
8 matches in total ended with a draw, six in the group matches and
each one in the main round and quarter-finals.
12 points in six matches (maximum) were reached by the two
group winners Larvik and Buducnost in the main round.
15 years ago, Dinamo were part of their first and only Women’s
EHF Champions League semi-final to date. The Russians missed the
finals by one goal on aggregate after a 18:23 away defeat and a
26:22 win against Kometal Skopje.
15 different nations are represented in the squads of the four
participants: NOR, POL, DEN, MKD, GER, RUS, FRA, SLO, ESP, MNE,
ROU, SRB, TUN, CRO, AZE
18 goals was the biggest margin in the quarter-final matches,
when Larvik beat THC by 36:18.
19 matches since the start of the group matches ended with a
margin of ten or more goals: Nine in the group matches, eight in
the main round and two in the quarter-finals.
20 goals was the biggest margin all matches since the start of the
competition, when Leipzig beat Hypo 42:22.
22 teams representing 19 countries have been part of the
Women’s EHF Champions League season 2014/15.
37 matches in total ended with a win of the away team, 18 in the
group matches, 17 in the main round and two in the quarter-finals.
37 goals were the lowest score in all matches since the start of the
group phase, when Buducnost beat Thüringer HC by 23:14.
42 was the lowest number of goals in the quarter-final matches,
when Vardar beat Györ 24:18.
47 matches in total ended with a win of the home team, 24 in the
group matches, 18 in the main round and five in the quarter-finals.
76 goals were scored in the main round match Krim vs Vardar
(29:47) to be the highest score in this season so far.
87 goals were scored in the duels of Larvik vs Sävehof (25:20,
25:17) to be the lowest scoring matches of the main round.
92 goals had been scored by Romanian left back Cristina Neagu
(Buducnost) so far to top the scorers list.
92 matches have been played in the Women’s EHF Champions
League season so far.
+104 is the impressive goal difference of Buducnost after 14
matches.
147 goals were scored in the two duels of Krim vs Vardar (30:41,
29:47) to be high score of a duel.
287 goals Buducnost conceded in their 14 matches to have the
best defensive record of the four MVM EHF FINAL 4 teams
391 goals were scored by both Buducnost and Larvik to have the
best attack of the four participants, one goal ahead of Vardar (390)
5,200 spectators was the highest attendance in the Women’s EHF
Champions League season so far, when Györ opened their new
arena with the group match against Sävehof.
11
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Semi-final 1
Larvik vs Dinamo-Sinara
Papp Laszlo Budapest Sportarena
Saturday 9 May, 14:15 hrs. local time
Head-to-head stats: Larvik vs Dinamo-Sinara 7-0-2 (280:216) 14:4
13.03.2005
19.03.2005
14.12.2008
08.11.2009
16.01.2010
12.02.2011
05.03.2011
28.10.2012
03.11.2012
Dinamo AQUA Volgograd vs Larvik HK, Cup Winners’ Cup – Quarter-final
Larvik HK vs Dinamo AQUA Volgograd, Cup Winners’ Cup – Quarter-final
Larvik HK vs Dinamo Volgograd, EHF Women’s Trophy – Place 3/4
Larvik HK vs HC Dinamo, EHF Champions League – Group D
HC Dinamo vs Larvik HK, EHF Champions League – Group D
Larvik vs Dinamo, EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 2
Dinamo vs Larvik, EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 2
Dinamo Volgograd vs Larvik, EHF Champions League – Group C
Larvik vs Dinamo Volgograd, EHF Champions League – Group C
28:27 (13:13)
36:29 (21:15)
28:24 (13:13)
18:17 (8:9)
26:23 (10:10)
41:20 (24:9)
23:32 (11:16)
24:35 (14:17)
40:25 (20:11)
Coach to bid farewell in Budapest
With history and experience on their side, Larvik cannot evade
the role of favourites. But looking at their semi-final rival’s
performances throughout the season, including an eight-goal win
against the powerful WHC Vardar SCBT (33:25), it will be anything
but a mere stroll to the final when the Norwegians meet DinamoSinara in the MVM EHF FINAL4 semi-final.
Regardless of whether Larvik reach the final or not, the match on
Sunday will be a testimonial for their long serving coach (from 1998
to 2005, and from 2011 to 2015), who has decided to say farewell
to handball after 11 seasons in total with the club. This may provide
additional motivation for Larvik players to win the coveted trophy for
the second time in history.
“I have great respect for Dinamo Sinara. We’ve played many good
matches against Dinamo in history, but whether we are favourites
or not does not matter to us. We know that we have to be the better
team to win the semi-final,” said Larvik coach Ole Gustav Gjekstad.
“To end in style with Larvik would mean a lot to me. The dream is to
lift the Champions League trophy on Sunday 10 May. That would be a
fantastic ending,” Gjekstad said.
Three-time finalists Larvik, will have seven players that won the
elusive trophy in 2011 currently in the team, which might just prove
to be the decisive difference, according to current top scorer, Nora
Mork.
Giant killing in mind
The Russian team has proven to have the quality to upset the odds.
Their home win (33:25) against Vardar is a clear statement of intent,
underlined by an epic quarter-final comeback against Baia Mare, after
a narrow defeat in the first leg.
“Of course, they probably don’t have as much experience as we do,
and we may be able to benefit from that, but we will definitely have
to take that task very, very seriously,” she said.
“We showed our result was no fluke in the quarter-finals against Baia
Mare – a team with a number of great players. That victory brought us
to Budapest,” said Dinamo-Sinara right wing Anita Gace in her blog for
ehfCL.com
Back with a shout
The 2011 winners are back among the four best teams after missing
out on the final showdown last term. The Norwegian team has had
a turbulent season, following financial difficulties that threatened to
jeopardise their goal of reaching the MVM EHF FINAL4. Regardless,
their performances did not falter, as the star-laden team are
currently on a 18-game winning streak in Europe.
This is the best result for the Russian side since 2000, when they
played in the semi-finals. With Norwegian powerhouse Larvik clearly
the bigger name in this matchup, the hard working Russian side will
however relish the role of outsiders, playing without any pressure.
“It means a lot to us (to be at the MVM EHF FINAL4), especially
considering that we didn’t make it last year. Everything has been
aimed at qualifying for Budapest,” said Mork.
“The public don’t consider us favorites and maybe we can use this as
an advantage to cause a surprise. We’ve shown that we can compete
with anyone, and hopefully we will do the same in Budapest,“
Mork has been nothing short of amazing in her team’s campaign to
the MVM EHF FINAL4 recording 84 goals in her seventh Champions
League season. Her 12-goal masterclass against Thüringer which
edged the quarter-final tie, was just a preview of what the prolific
right back is capable of before she takes on the court in Budapest.
Nurturing a hard working dynamic defence and efficient counter
attack, led by prolific right back Anna Kochetova, Dinamo definitely
have the game to upset the likes of Larvik. Over the course of 60
minutes with no room for mistakes or complacency - It will be
interesting to see whether the Russian side can repeat their giantkilling performances in Budapest, more than 2,000 kilometres away
from home.
13
Larvik (NOR)
Norwegian giants Larvik need no special introduction. One of Europe’s best teams had a poor
EHF Champions League campaign last term by their standards as they failed to reach the MVM
EHF FINAL4, but the current one promises to be a very different story since they also romped
into the quarter-finals with a maximum 20 points and maintained their perfect record through
the both matches against Thüringer HC.
Although they rode their luck at times both in the preliminary group stage and the main
round got away with several close calls, there is little doubt that Larvik are one of the prime
candidates to win their second title in Europe’s elite club competition after lifting the trophy in
2011.
They have been the core of Norway’s national team for some time now and having won EHF
EURO 2014 with some aplomb, the challenge of adding the elusive Champions League title on
the same court in the Papp Laszlo Budapest Sportarena cannot come soon enough for several
players who were crowned in Hungary last December.
Larvik, whose transition from defence to attack and the ability to score an avalanche of easy
goals from fast breaks is unmatched, have only two foreigners in their ranks but the arrival of
both Polish left back Alina Wojtas and Danish goalkeeper Sandra Toft has boosted an already
impressive roster.
Playing hall
Arena Larvik
Hoffsgate 6
3262 Larvik
Norway
Capacity: 4,000
Club Address:
Larvik
Sverresgate 7
N-3256 Larvik
Norway
Media contact:
Svein Andre Svendsen
+47 901 82 530
[email protected]
Online information:
Website: www.larvikhk.no
Facebook: larvikhk
Twitter: @LarvikHK
Kit colours
Light
Player shirt: white
Player short: red
Goalkeeper shirt: orange
Dark
Player shirt: black
Player short: black
Goalkeeper shirt: green
Due to injury they lost Wojtas in the first game against Thüringer HC, but still won both legs
easily. In the second leg they were even approaching their record win by 21 goals, but in the
last minutes they put the foot off the pedal to give the German champions a chance to avoid
even more lopsided defeat.
Top scorers:
Nora Mörk
Linn Kristin Riegelhuth
Alina Wojtas
Sanna Solberg
Anja Hammerseng-Edin
84 goals
68
47
40
35
Quarter-final results:
@Thüringer HC vs Thüringer HC
W29:26 (14:11)
W36:18 (17:9)
Main Round results:
@ Györi Audi ETO KC
vs Viborg HK A/S
@ IK Sävehof
vs Györi Audi ETO KC
@ Viborg HK A/S
vs IK Sävehof
Group Matches results:
vs Metz Handball
@ MKS Selgros Lublin @ HCM Baia Mare vs HCM Baia Mare @ Metz Handball vs MKS Selgros Lublin W26:25 (14:11)
W31:18 (18:10)
W25:20 (13:11)
W21:19 (12:9)
W29:23 (12:14)
W25:17 (12:8)
W25:20 (11:11)
W28:23 (13:14)
W24:23 (12:13)
W31:26 (16:11)
W26:25 (13:13)
W35:24 (20:10)
Nations represented: 3
(NOR, DEN, POL)
Multiple EHF Champions League winners: -
Past achievements
Women’s EHF Champions League
Participations (including 2014/15
season): 16
Winners (1): 2010/11
Runners-up (1): 2012/13
Semi-final (4): 2001/02, 2003/04,
2009/10, 2011/12
Quarter-final (3): 2000/01, 2002/03,
2006/07
Main Round (1): 2013/14
Group Matches (5): 1994/95, 1997/98,
2005/06, 2007/08, 2008/09
Other
Cup Winners‘ Cup: Winners 2004/05,
2007/08, Semi-final 1996/97, 2005/06
EHF Cup: Runners-up 2005/06
Norwegian league: 17 titles (1994, 1997,
2000-03, 2005-2015)
Norwegian cup: 15 titles
14
Larvik (NOR)
Biggest win: 41:20 (24:9) v Dinamo RUS (h), 12.02.2011
Biggest defeat:
29:17 (17:7) v RK Krim Neutro Roberts SLO (a), 10.03.2001
Longest winning run:
14 matches (18.10.2014-12.04.2015)
Longest unbeaten run:
14 matches (18.10.2014-12.04.2015)
Longest losing run:
4 matches (03.11.2007 – 05.01.2008)
Longest run without win: 5 matches (16.11.2013 – 01.03.2014)
Most goals:
41 v Dinamo RUS 41:20W (h), 12.02.2011
Most goals opponent:
35 v HC ‘Lada Togliatti’ RUS 35:25L (a), 10.11.2007
Most goals both teams: 70 v IK Sävehof SWE 39:31W (h), 13.10.2012
Fewest goals:
13 v Buducnost MNE 23:13L (a), 08.04.2012
Fewest goals opponent: 16 v Oltchim Valcea ROU 22:16W (h), 10.02.2001
16 v Buducnost MNE 28:16W (h), 16.03.2013
Fewest goals both teams:35 v HC Dinamo RUS 18:17W (h), 08.11.2009
Women’s EHF Champions League record
MP
W
T
L
GF GA
GD
PTS
1994/95 Larvik HK NOR
6
2
1
3
141:144
-3
5
3rd Gr. A
1997/98 Larvik HK NOR
6
3
0
3
165:150
+15
6
3rd Gr. C
2000/01 Larvik HK NOR
8
5
0
3
193:181
+12
10
1/4-finals
2001/02 Larvik HK NOR
10
7
1
2
262:253
+9
15
1/2-finals
2002/03 Larvik HK NOR
8
4
1
3
216:193
+23
9
1/4-finals
2003/04 Larvik HK NOR
10
5
1
4
287:262
+25
11
1/2-finals
2005/06 Larvik HK NOR
6
3
0
3
153:154
-1
6
3rd Gr. A
2006/07 Larvik HK NOR
8
5
0
3
236:211
+25
10
1/4-finals
2007/08 Larvik HK NOR
6
2
0
4
166:179
–13
4
3rd Gr. C
2008/09 Larvik HK NOR
6
3
0
3
179:169
+10
6
3rd Gr. C
2009/10 Larvik HK NOR
14
10
0
4
365:339
+26
20
1/2-finals
2010/11 Larvik NOR
16
13
0
3
469:376
+93
26
Winner
2011/12 Larvik NOR
14
6
2
6
336:330
+6
14
1/2-finals
2012/13 Larvik NOR
16
10
0
6
435:379
+56
20
Runner-up
2013/14 Larvik NOR
12
5
2
5
304:280
+24
12
3rd MR Gr. 2
Total
146
83
8
55
3907:3600
+307
174
Larvik in domestic competitions
Stage
part of the season. They suffered the first defeat of the season at
hands of Kristiansand last Saturday in the first semi-final leg (25:31),
but after their crushing victory in the second leg (31:18) they secured
a passage to the final where they meet either Glassverket or Byasen.
(as of 6 May 2015)
Larvik recorded another brilliant domestic season crowned by their
17th championship title and their 15th cup trophy.
In the NM Cup they streamrolled all their opponentnts in the following order: Stabaek, Tertnes, Nordstrand and Halden in the final
(35:15).
They cruised through the league round to the Norwegian title which
is awarded to the best team of the regular season. Courtesy of their
first place they obtained a bye in the first two rounds of the play off
15
Larvik HK (NOR)
Team roster
No.
9
11
28
22
3
10
4
5
15
8
19
13
14
6
20
2
18
21
7
17
77
1
12
First Name
Nora
Linn-Kristin
Alina
Sanna Charlotte
Anja
Gro
Marit Malm
Isabel
Linn Jorum
Karoline Dyhre
Thea
Vilde Ingeborg
Kristine
Tine Rustad
Frida Helene
Tonje
Lise
Sofie Heide
Mari Kristine
Tine
Cecilie
Sandra
Alma
Surname
Mørk
Koren Riegelhuth
Wojtas
Solberg
Hammerseng-Edin
Hammerseng-Edin
Frafjord
Blanco
Sulland
Breivang
Mørk
Johansen
Breistøl
Albertsen
Bjaaland
Larsen
Loke
Lund
Søbstad Molid
Stange
Leganger
Toft
Hasanic
Nat.
NOR
NOR
POL
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
NOR
DEN
NOR
Position
Right Back
Right Wing
Left Back
Left Wing
Back
Back
Line Player
Line Player
Right Back
Back
Left Wing
Line Player
Left Back
Back
Left Back
Back
Line Player
Left Wing
Back
Back
Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
16
Date of Birth
5.4.1991
1.8.1984
21.3.1987
16.6.1990
5.2.1983
10.4.1980
25.11.1985
10.5.1979
15.7.1984
10.5.1980
5.4.1991
25.7.1994
23.8.1993
12.2.1980
5.7.1995
26.1.1975
21.9.1984
7.3.1994
8.8.1990
14.5.1986
12.3.1975
18.10.1989
13.5.1989
Place of Birth
Oslo, NOR
Lorenskog, NOR
Nowy Sacz, POL
Bærum, NOR
Porsgrunn, NOR
Gjovik, NOR
Tromso, NOR
Bergen, NOR
Oslo, NOR
Oslo, NOR
Oslo, NOR
Tønsberg, NOR
Oslo, NOR
Lorenskog, NOR
Porsgrunn, NOR
Tonsberg, NOR
Tønsberg, NOR
Bærum, NOR
Trondheim, NOR
Tonsberg, NOR
Bergen, NOR
Gribskov, DEN
Sije, BIH
Height
167
175
191
178
179
180
182
175
178
172
168
182
191
172
179
185
171
163
178
179
181
176
176
Goals
84
68
47
40
35
29
19
18
17
14
9
6
5
Ole Gustav Gjekstad
coach
Sandra Toft
goalkeeper
• former Norwegian international (149 caps) quit
his playing career in 1996
• her 25th birthday on 18 October 2014 marked her
debut in the CL (against Metz Handball)
• became coach of Larvik for the first time in 1998
• 2014/15 is her first season outside her native
country Denmark after she came from Holstebro
• after seven years on the bench he became sports
director of the club and later-on coach of Norwegian
men’s club team Drammen HK
• became number one for Denmark when Karin
Mortensen and Christina Nymand Pedersen quit the
national team after the London Olympics 2012
• in 2011, after Larvik had become CL winners
returned to their bench and only narrowly missed
the trophy after their defeat by Györ in 2012/13
• broke a neck vertebra in a car accident in 2009
and was close to being paralysed from the neck
down – she was back on the court in five months
Sanna Solberg
left wing
Gro Hammerseng-Edin
left back
• joined Larvik from Norwegian league colleagues
Stabaek in the summer of 2014.
• World Handball Player of the year (2007)
• excluding the 2011 WCh title and the 2012 Olympic
gold - she has the same medals as Riegelhuth-Koren
• 2014/15 is her first CL season, she has European
experience from the Cup Winners` Cup with
Stabaek, though.
• several times the 32-year-old Norwegian was
nominated for All-Star Teams at major tournaments
• her twin sister Silje plays for Danish league club
Team Tvis Holstebro as a goalkeeper
• in 2011 she was a key part of Larvik’s CL winning
team
• Silje had played 36 internationals already, when
Sanna had her debut in the autumn of 2013.
• in 2013 she retired from the national team
EHF EURO: G 2014
EC trophies: CL 2011, Cup Winners’ Cup 2004
OG: G 2008, WCh: S 2001, 2007, EHF EURO: G 2004, 2006, 2010, S 2002
Anja Hammerseng-Edin
centre back
Marit Malm Frafjord
line player
• awarded the MVP at the EHF EURO 2012 after she
led Norway to the silver medal
• used to play for Larvik’s rivals Byasen, but
joined Larvik in 2014 after a three year long foreign
adventure at Viborg HK
• also for her club team she has proven to be
extremely valuable – at orchestrating Larvik’s
attacking play
• crucial in the centre of defence as well in the
attack, to Larvik and the Norwegian national team
• played in Gerpen and Storhamar before she
joined Larvik in 2012
• an Achilles tendon injury kept her out of the last
part of last season, and the first half of this one, but
since new year, she has been back at full strength
• in the 2013 summer she got married to her
teammate Gro Hammerseng.
EHF EURO: S 2012, WCh: B 2009
EC trophies: Cup Winners’ Cup 2014
OG: G 2008, 2012, EHF EURO: G 2006, 2008, 2010, S 2012, WCh: G 2011, S 2007, B 2009
Nora Mørk
right back
Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth-Koren
right wing
• best scorer of the Norwegian team at the EHF
EURO 2014 (41 goals)
• one of the most decorated players in the handball
history
• voted the best right back of the EHF EURO 2014
• World Handball Player of the Year (2008)
• can also play on the right wing, her twin sister
and teammate Thea plays on the left wing
• All-Star Team member at EHF EURO 2008 and
WCh 2009
• joined Larvik in the 2009/10 season and debuted
in the national team in 2010 as 19-year-old
• EHF EURO 2008 topscorer (51 goals)
• scored over 900 goals for Norway’s national team
• in 2013/14 she had her record-breaking CL season
so far with 71 goals
• married to Norwegian international Einar Koren.
EC trophies: CL 2011, Cup Winners‘ Cup 2005, 2008
OG: G 2008, 2012, WCh: G 2011, S 2007, EHF EURO: G ‘04, ‘06, ‘08, ‘10, ‘14, S 2012
EC trophies: CL 2011
EHF EURO: G 2010, 2014
17
Alma Hasanic
goalkeeper
Thea Mørk
left wing
• born in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but has lived in
Norway since she was four
• has been playing in the same team as her twin
Nora since the 2010/11 season, when she moved
from Njård, while Nora was already in Larvik
• joined Larvik from Norwegian league rivals
Glassverket in 2013
• their other sister Kaja plays in Nordstrand
• has played 40 junior internationals and one
unofficial senior international for Norway. Recently
decided to represent Montenegro and has been
included in Dragan Adzic´s squad
• technically skilled left winger with a fine variation
of shots
• had a breakthrough season in 2012/13 scoring 31
goals in the CL
• aggressive goalkeeper type who likes to challenge
the shooters, she relies on her flexibility and fast
reactions
EC trophies: CL 2011
Kristine Breistøl
left back
Karoline Dyhre Breivang
back
• been with Larvik since 2012 when joining from
Baekkelaget
• celebrating her 35 years birthday on the final day
of the MVM EHF FINAL4, 10 May
• has played 37 junior internationals for Norway
and scored 100 goals
• has played for Larvik since 2005, when she joined
from league rivals Stabaek
• standing 191 cm tall, she has a perfect height for
a back court player in women’s handball
• with 305 caps she is the athlete with most
internationals appearances for Norway in all sports
• the 21-year-old is considered a player for the
future in Larvik
• recently announced her goodbye to the national
team, but is going on for Larvik
• has already developed a very good and varied
shot, benefiting also from her height
• actually a centre back, but she is so versatile that
she can play all back court positions
EC trophies: CL 2011, Cup Winners’ Cup 2008
OG: G ‘08, ‘12, EURO: G ‘04, ‘06, ‘08, ‘10, ‘14, S ‘12, WCh: G ‘11, S ‘07, B ‘11
Mari Kristine Søbstad Molid
back
Vilde Ingeborg Johansen
line player
• new in Larvik this season, joining from Levanger
in the summer of 2014
• only 20 years of age and definitely a player for
the future, likely to be part of the backbone of the
Larvik team in the years to come
• tall and nearly complete back court player and
good reader of the game
• despite her young age, she is already playing her
second EHF CL season
• already possessed great experience, which is
emphasised by 67 internationals for Norway
• with the experienced Isabel Blanco sidelined due
to pregnancy, she has become important as cover to
Frafjord, particularly in attack
• her career was set back by a cruciate ligament
injury in the spring of 2014, but now she is on her
way back to her former form
EHF EURO: G 2010, WCh: G 2011
Linn-Jørum Sulland
right back
Tonje Larsen
back
• introduced in Larvik back in 2009, when she
joined from league rivals Stabæk
• with her 264 internationals, she is among the
players with most appearances for Norway
• in 2005/06 the best player of the domestic league
and also was the top scorer
• with Larvik since 2001 and has grown into a
legend in the club
• using her strength in the attack only, but here the
team benefits a lot from her varied shots from the
right back position
• used to be a goal-getting, hard-shooting left back
in the attack and brilliant at both ends of the court,
but in recent years mainly an asset in defence
• three goals shy of 500 in the national team
• knee injuries have bothered her several times,
but still has managed to continue playing until her
current age of 40
• top scorer of the European Beach Handball
Championship in 2007
EC trophies: CL 2011, Cup Winners’ Cup 2005, 2008
OG: G 2008, B 2000, EURO: G 1998, 2008, 2010, S 1996, 2002, B 1994, WCh: G 1999, S 1997, B 2009
EC trophies: CL 2011
OG: G 2012, WCh: G 2011, S 2007, EURO: G 2008, 2010, S 2012
18
Dinamo-Sinara (RUS)
The pillar of Russian women’s club handball last reached the main round four years ago and
this term’s progress was a welcome success for an array of talented home-grown players
thriving on the biggest stage.
The impressive 19-year-old centre back Daria Dmitrieva and experienced right back Anna
Kochetova formed a lethal partnership in attack, scoring 36 goals each in the group matches to
propel Dinamo to the pinnacle of Group A. Surprisingly, they dropped three points against less
fancied opposition, having been held to a 25:25 draw at bottom-of-the-table Hypo before they
suffered a shock 26:25 home defeat by Krim halfway through the campaign.
But three subsequent straight wins meant they finished top of the group, carrying six points
into the main round where they faced the much tougher opposition in Buducnost, Vardar and
Thüringer.
But with a vast roster also including summer signing Anita Gace, a Croatian right wing who
arrived from Lokomotiva Zagreb during the summer break, the unpredictable Dinamo have
confirmed potential to reach the MVM EHF FINAL4. In the main round they recorded just two
wins to secure the second position behind Buducnost which pitted them against Baia Mare in
the quarter-finals.
Playing hall
Sporthall Dinamo Volgograd
Novorossiyskaya St. 2
4000131 Volgograd
Russia
Capacity: 3,000
Club Address:
Dinamo-Sinara Volgograd
Novorossiskaya St. 2a, off. 5
4000131 Volgograd
Russia
Media contact:
Eduard Akopian
+7 905 333 33 13
[email protected]
Online information:
Website: www.hk-dinamo.ru
Kit colours
Light
Player shirt: white
Player short: white
Goalkeeper shirt: black
Dark
Player shirt: blue
Player short: blue
Goalkeeper shirt: yellow
In the first leg in Romania they squandered a promising first half lead, but the two-goal deficit
they brought home still gave them a good platform for the return leg. They quickly romped into
a seven-goal lead which Baia Mare never really threatened.
Top scorers:
Anna Kochetova
Olga Akopian
Daria Dmitrieva
Ekaterina Fanina
Anita Gace
86 goals
* to be confirmed
76
65
30
30
Quarter-final results:
@ HCM Baia Mare
vs HCM Baia Mare
Main Round results:
vs Buducnost
@ Thüringer HC
vs WHC Vardar SCBT
@ Buducnost
vs Thüringer HC
@ WHC Vardar SCBT
L23:25 (12:11)
W30:25 (18:11)
Group Matches results:
vs HC Leipzig
@ Hypo Niederösterreich
vs RK Krim Mercator @ RK Krim Mercator @ HC Leipzig vs Hypo Niederösterreich
Nations represented: 4
(RUS, CRO, AZE, TUN)
Multiple EHF Champions League winners: -
Past achievements
L18:25 (11:12)
W33:30 (14:13)
W33:25 (15:12)
L18:26 (9:13)
T30:30 (16:13)
L27:28 (13:15)
Women’s EHF Champions League
Participations (including 2014/2015
season): 13
Semi-final (1): 1999/2000
Main Round (3): 2009/10, 2010/11,
2011/2012
Group Matches (5): 2002/03, 2004/05,
2005/06, 2006/07, 2012/13
Qualification (3): 2002/03, 2003/04,
2008/09
W27:19 (16:10)
T25:25 (14:15)
L25:26 (15:13)
W26:24 (13:12)
W30:27 (14:14)
W27:22 (13:9)
Other
EHF Cup: Winners 2007/08, semi-final
2008/09
City Cup: semi-final 1997/98
Challenge Cup: Winners 1994/95
Russian league: 12 titles (1993, 1995,
1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2010,
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
19
Dinamo-Sinara (RUS)
Biggest win: 30:15 (15:7) v Frederiksberg IF DEN (h), 20.01.2001
Biggest defeat:
20:41 (9:24) v Larvik NOR (a), 12.02.2011
Longest winning run:
3 matches (30.01.2005 – 20.02.2005)
3 matches (17.10.2010 – 07.11.2010)
3 matches (9.11.2014 - 23.11.2014)
Longest unbeaten run:
5 matches (29.04.2000 – 27.01.2001)
Longest losing run:
4 matches (13.01.2007 – 17.02.2007)
4 matches (14.11.2010 – 12.02.2011)
4 matches (28.10.2012 – 18.11.2012)
Longest run without win: 5 matches (08.01.2006 – 12.02.2006)
Most goals:
41 v Viborg HK DEN 41:33W (h), 24.10.2010
Most goals opponent:
41 v RK Krim Mercator Ljubljana SLO 41:33L (a), 13.01.2007
41 v Larvik NOR 41:20L (a), 12.02.2011
Most goals both teams: 74 v RK Krim Mercator Ljubljana SLO 41:33L (a), 13.01.2007
74 v Viborg HK DEN 41:33W (h), 24.10.2010
Fewest goals:
17 v Larvik HK NOR 18:17L (a), 08.11.2009
Fewest goals opponent: 15 v Frederiksberg IF DEN 30:15W (h), 20.01.2001
Fewest goals both teams:35 v Larvik HK NOR 18:17L (a), 08.11.2009
Women’s EHF Champions League record
MP
W
T
L
GF GA
GD
PTS
Stage
1999/00 Volgograd AKVA RUS
10
6
1
3
264:243
+21
13
1/2-finals
2000/01 Volgograd AKVA RUS
8
4
1
3
192:173
+19
9
1/4-finals
2001/02 Volgograd AKVA RUS
6
1
1
4
134:144
–10
3
4th Gr. D
2004/05 Dinamo AQUA Volgograd RUS
6
4
0
2
164:160
+4
8
3rd Gr. B
2005/06 Dinamo Volgograd RUS
6
1
2
3
148:156
-8
4
4th Gr. D
2006/07 H/K Dinamo Volgograd RUS
6
2
0
4
179:196
-17
4
4th Gr. A
2009/10 HC Dinamo RUS
12
4
2
6
313:306
+7
10
4th MR Gr. 2
2010/11 Dinamo RUS
12
5
0
7
332:366
-34
10
3rd MR Gr. 2
2011/12 Dinamo Volgograd RUS
6
3
0
3
170:160
+10
6
3rd Gr. D
2012/13 Dinamo Volgograd RUS
6
1
0
5
157:200
–43
2
3rd Gr. C
Total
78
31
7
40
2053:2104
-51
69
Dinamo in domestic competitions
the first match at home 24:23, but lost the second game after double
extratime and a penalty shoot-out 40:41 and were unable to turn the
tides in the last encounter (19:23).
(as of 6 May 2015)
The participation in the European top flight took its toll on the performance of the defending champions of Russia. In the main round of
the Superleague they finished just two points behind the leaders Rostov-Don, but still on the fifth place which gave the home court advantage in the decinding match of the best-of-two quarter-final series to
the fourth team of the standings from Astrakhanochka. Dinamo won
20
Following their successful series against Universitet Izhevsk and
Kuban Krasnodar they finished fifth, while the vacant throne has been
taken by Rostov-Don.
In the Russian Cup they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by
Kuban.
Dinamo-Sinara (RUS)
Team roster
No.
6
10
11
8
9
14
66
13
25
21
7
15
28
5
4
2
26
20
22
30
18
3
32
24
40
19
17
12
35
29
1
First Name
Anna
Olga
Daria
Anita
Ekaterina
Polina
Asma
Nataliya
Tamara
Evgeniya
Yaroslava
Anastasia
Ekaterina
Yulia
Daria
Ekaterina
Maria
Valeriya
Valeria
Margarita
Yulia
Kseniya
Ekaterina
Viktoriya
Elizaveta
Anastasia
Valentina
Anastasia
Kristina
Elena
Anna
Surname
Kochetova
Akopian
Dmitrieva
Gace
Fanina
Vedekhina
El Ghaoui
Danshina
Chopikyan
Petrova
Frolova
Suslova
Peche
Golikova
Belikova
Chernova
Duvakina
Ganicheva
Kiprigina
Kushnyr
Markova
Milova
Nefedova
Smolentseva
Sobina
Starshova
Vernigorova
Titovskaya
Pyatkina
Utkina
Sedoykina
Nat.
RUS
RUS
RUS
CRO
RUS
RUS
TUN
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
AZE
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
RUS
Position
Right Back
Left Back
Centre Back
Right Wing
Left Wing
Left Back
Line Player
Right Back
Left Wing
Line Player
Centre Back
Left Back
Centre Back
Left Back
Line Player
Left Wing
Goalkeeper
Right Back
Left Wing
Goalkeeper
Left Wing
Left Back
Right Back
Right Wing
Line Player
Right Wing
Centre Back
Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
21
Date of Birth
4.5.1987
4.3.1985
9.8.1995
14.4.1983
27.11.1989
6.1.1994
29.8.1991
10.4.1992
25.5.1993
10.8.1994
18.5.1997
11.10.1996
28.10.1982
24.2.1997
7.3.1997
18.1.1994
23.3.1998
18.12.1996
16.1.1996
5.6.1996
10.8.1996
6.1.1992
5.12.1996
25.10.1996
7.12.1995
26.3.1997
15.6.1997
3.3.1996
15.3.1997
29.5.1990
1.8.1984
Place of Birth
Volgograd, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Toljatti, RUS
Split, CRO
Volgograd, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Monastir, TUN
Voljski, RUS
Moscow, RUS
Toljatti, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Astrakhan, RUS
Ufa, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Toljatti, RUS
Maykop, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Rostov region, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Moscow, RUS
Yaroslavl, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Krasnodar region, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Volgograd, RUS
Height
180
176
178
174
163
176
174
183
167
181
178
182
181
184
181
171
179
180
165
178
170
187
177
160
185
165
184
181
177
181
183 Goals
76
61
57
26
23
22
19
13
4
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
1
Victor Ryabykh
coach
Anna Sedoykina
goalkeeper
• has been at the helm of Dinamo since 2008
winning six Russian championships in a row
• born and bred in Volgograd, joined Dinamo, then
called Volgograd AKVA, in 2000 at the age of 16
• worked at other Russian clubs as well as in
Ukraine and Montenegro
• won 13 medals of the Russian league: six gold,
five silver and two bronze medals
• asked to become Russia national team coach but
preferred to stay at Dinamo when forced to choose
just one job
• one of the heroes of 2009 WCh in China. Early
in the final game replaced the experienced Inna
Suslina and produced a brilliant performance
• coordinator of the Volgograd youth academy,
which is the source for many national team players
• missed the 2013/14 season after giving birth to a
daughter in September 2013
EC trophies: EHF Cup 2008
WCh: G 2009, EHF EURO: B 2008
Ekaterina Fanina
left wing
Olga Akopian
left back
• born in Volgograd, started her career at Dinamo
• has been playing for Dinamo throughout her
career
• after winning the EHF Cup in 2008, opted to move
to Astrakhan where she played for six years
• after the London Olympics in 2012, married
Eduard Akopian, the team manager of Dinamo, gave
birth to the daughter Arina in May 2013
• came back to Dinamo in the summer of 2014 and
integrated pretty well into the team
• at the beginning of 2014 successfully came back
to handball
• has experience of playing for junior and senior
Russian national teams
• took part in the 2014 Winter Olympic Torch Relay
before the Games in Sochi
EC trophies: EHF Cup 2008
EC trophies: EHF Cup 2008
WCh: G 2007, G 2009, EHF EURO: S 2006, B 2008
Daria Dmitrieva
centre back
Asma El Ghaoui
line player
• started her career in the Togliattian handball
school and moved at the age of 14 in Volgograd
• Tunisian experiences her debut season at Dinamo
and Russian handball
• at only 18 she played for all three categories of
the Russian national team: youth, junior and senior
• previously played for Nimes in France but never
took part in any European Cup competitions
• gold medallist from the W17 EHF EURO 2011 and
W19 EHF EURO 2013
• in recent years, she has regularly played for the
Tunisia national team. Took part in two WCh — in
2011 (18th place) and 2013 (17th place)
• silver medal from the World U20 Championship
2014 where she was voted as best playmaker
• at the age of 19 has become one of the leading
players at Dinamo
African Cup: G 2014
Anna Kochetova
right back
Anita Gace
right wing
• her mother used to be a handball player and then
a coach and brought Anna to the handball training
when the girl was 7
• started her first season in Volgograd and hopes to
become an integral part of the team
• spent all her previous career at home in Croatia,
changed four clubs Makarska, Osijek, Podravka and
Lokomotiva
• plays at the same position and with the same
number 6 as her mother did
• missed the 2012/13 season and for half a year,
travelled extensively all over the world with her
husband. Eventually came back to Dinamo, after
promising club bosses
• won six gold medals in a row at the Croatian
league (2006-11), all of them with Podravka
• played more than 100 games for the Croatia
national team, took part in three major tournaments
(2011 WCh, 2012 OG, 2012 EHF EURO)
EC trophies: EHF Cup 2008
22
Elena Utkina
goalkeeper
Tamara Chopikyan
left wing
• has been with the club, under one guise or
another, since 2005
• born in Moscow, Russia, where she took her first
steps in the sport
• won the Russian championship in 2013
• a firm fans’ favourite due to her fighting spirit and
tenacious defensive play
• returned to the sport in January after taking
maternity leave in 2014
• shares playing time at the left wing position with
Ekaterina Fanina
• won a gold medal at the Women’s Youth World
Championship in 2008 and a silver at the Junior
World Championship in 2010
• earned a silver medal with Russia at the
Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games
Ekaterina Chernova
left wing
Polina Vedekhina
left back
• started playing handball at the age of nine in
Togliatti, Russia
• widely considered one of Russia’s top talents
• possesses great speed and excels in one-on-one
situations
• moved to Volgograd following the demise of
the Togliattian handball school along with current
teammates Daria Dmitrieva and Evgeniya Petrova
• won gold medals with Russia at both the Women’s
17 EHF EURO in 2011 and the Women’s 19 EHF EURO
in 2013
• won gold medals with Russia at both the
Women’s 17 EHF EURO in 2011 and the Women’s 19
EHF EURO in 2013
• has twice won the Russian championship with
Dinamo, in 2013 and 2014
• earned a silver medal at the Women’s U20 World
Championship in 2014
Ekaterina Peche
centre back
Yaroslava Frolova
centre back
• born in Astrakhan, Russia but represents
Azerbaijan at international level
• one of Dinamo’s youngest players at 17 years of
age
• was a leading figure for Astrakhanochka for
several seasons
• has reached the MVM EHF FINAL4 in her debut
Champions League season
• joined Dinamo at the start of the season along
with former Astrakhanochka teammate Ekaterina
Fanina
• helped Russia to a second-place finish at the
Women’s 17 EHF EURO in 2013
• earned a silver medal at the Nanjing 2014 Youth
Olympic Games
• playing in her first CL season and is the only
Azerbaijani representative in the competition
• her mother, Irina, coaches Dinamo’s second team
and teammate Ekaterina Fanina is also her cousin
Evgeniya Petrova
line player
Nataliya Danshina
right back
• another Dinamo player to come from Togliatti
• sees limited playing time but is often employed
as a specialist penalty shooter
• won a gold medal with Russia at the Women’s 19
EHF EURO in 2013 and earned a silver medal at the
Women’s Junior World Championship in 2014
• reached the main round with Dinamo during her
first Champions League campaign in the 2010/11
season
• made her breakthrough in the Dinamo side at the
line player position after Ksenia Makeeva left for
HCM Baia Mare
• played alongside Tamara Chopikyan in the
Russian team which earned a silver medal at the
Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games
• has won four Russian championships
23
Semi-final 2
WHC Vardar SCBT vs Buducnost
Papp Laszlo Budapest Sportarena
Saturday 9 May, 16:45 hrs. local time
Head-to-head stats: WHC Vardar SCBT vs Buducnost 0-1-2 (61:69) 1:5
03.05.2014
19.10.2014
16.11.2014
WHC Vardar SCBT vs Buducnost, EHF Champions League MVM EHF FINAL4 – Semi-final 20:22 AET (16:16, 6:11)
Buducnost vs WHC Vardar SCBT, EHF Champions League – Group B
23:17 (12:9)
WHC Vardar SCBT vs Buducnost, EHF Champions League – Group B
24:24 (9:11)
The quintessential Montenegrin handball player has won more EHF
Champions League titles than all participating teams combined, and
is back at the MVM EHF FINAL4, hoping to lift her fourth trophy.
Last season, it took the extra time thriller for Buducnost to finally
overcome brave Vardar (22:20) in the 2014 MVM EHF FINAL4 semifinal. This year, Dragan Adzic’s defensive powerhouse will face the
rampant Vardar side, ready to throw everything they have at last
year’s nemesis in a bid to take revenge.
While Indira Kastratovic and Jan Pytlick have a clean bill of health
in their team, joining forces to spring a tactical surprise for their
Montenegrin counterpart who will favour his tried and tested
method of building Buducnost’s game from the lock-down defence.
The 2012 Women’s EHF Champions League winners Buducnost, are
undefeated in the competition so far. Yet, the upset was looming
over the Montenegrin powerhouse on two occasions, and it was
no accident that Vardar were the ones to cause the “Blues” most
problems - with neither side able to come out on top in their last
encounter (24:24).
“Buducnost have the all-important experience – they came close
last season, and now we want to go all the way. There weren’t many
departures, and I am back with the team which is bound to help,”
said Bulatovic, while the Vardar playmaker Andrea Lekic has reasons
to believe her team’s attacking prowess will prevail against the tight
defence of the team from Podgorica.
Unfinished business
After taking part in the very first event last season, both teams are
back in Papp Laszlo Sportarena with new and improved squads and
some unfinished business.
“We are putting all of our strength and effort into this. We’re playing
better and better, and we want the FINAL4 to be the pinnacle of the
season. We better forget last season’s duel, as this one is going to be
a completely different story,” said Andrea Lekic.
Buducnost team’s consistency and tactical discipline meets the
unconstrained talent and flair of the Vardar girls, offering heaps of
individual quality backed by the Balkan-Scandinavian synergy on the
bench.
Best scorers come face to face
With both teams raring to go, nurturing distinct approaches, it will
come down to who will draw the first blood and set the pace of the
game.
However, the immaculate Montenegrin tactician’s plans will heavily
depend on the players’ readiness to feature, after facing more than
the usual injury woes throughout the season.
As the match progresses, the fans in Budapest will wittness the
shoot-out between two of the competition’s best scorers - Cristina
Neagu (92 goals) and Andrea Penezic (89 goals).
“I expect Biljana Pavicevic to join the team in time, and complete
the squad that will hopefully travel to Budapest. We have done
well to prepare, and it’s important to have the complete squad at
my disposal. At a tournament like this, with two games in two days,
rotation can bring the decisive difference,” said Dragan Adzic.
“It’s not about me, it’s about the team. In a match like this one goal
can decide the winner, and it doesn’t matter how many, but when
you score them,” said Penezic.
The decisive edge
Vardar will have to rely on their firepower in order to avoid being
drawn into playing the low-scoring game, while Buducnost will
prioritise neutralising the opponent’s attacking threat, before
patiently seeking their chances trough the back court.
The Montenegrin giants have the experience on their side, with
11 players that made it to the final last term still in the team.
Furthermore, eight players in the current squad have won the
coveted trophy with Buducnost in 2012, including Katarina Bulatovic
who is back in the team.
“We have to remain confident and composed for the entire 60
minutes. Vardar have endured a lot changes and made a big
improvement in comparison to last season. I expect a big fight, and
it is up to us to show composure and strength to bring down the big
opponent,” said Dragan Adžić.
24
WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
It is no secret that handball is a Macedonian national sport and following the success of Skopje
rivals Vardar and Metalurg in the men’s VELUX EHF Champions League, massive investments
have put WHC Vardar SCBT to the fore among the women’s elite in Europe. The club’s owners
have been able to lure a myriad of the game’s most acclaimed household names and they
repaid the faith by reaching the MVM EHF FINAL4 in their debut season, losing out narrowly in
a dramatic semi-final against Buducnost last term.
Rising expectations have piled a certain amount of pressure on the Macedonian title holders
to go at least a step further this season, especially after the arrival of prolific Croatian left
back Andrea Penezic, Slovenia’s right back Barbara Lazovic-Varlec and German line player Anja
Althaus. However, Vardar had to put up with a rough ride in the preliminary group stage, taking
only three points from a possible eight into the main round after away defeats by Buducnost
and Thüringer, as well as a home draw against the Montenegrin champions.
Although they were skating on thin ice after dropping five points in the group matches, Vardar
showed more than enough depth in them to safely finish in the top four of their main round
group and reach the knockout stages after they gathered four victories out of six matches.
They struggled in their away matches in Leipzig and Volgograd, in front of their home crowd
though the team, recently bolstered by a new consultant coach, legendary Jan Pytlick, they are
yet to be beaten.
Playing hall
Jane Sandanski
Skopje
FYR Macedonia
Capacity: 5,500
Club Address:
WHC Vardar SCBT
Preseka 55/10
1000 Skopje
FYR Macedonia
Media contact:
Ana Mihajlovska
+389 76487779
[email protected]
Online information:
Website: www.zrkvardar.mk
Facebook: ZRK-Vardar-SCBT
Twitter: @zrkvardar
Kit colours
Light
Player shirt: white
Player short: black
Goalkeeper shirt: neon green
Dark
Player shirt: red
Player short: red
Goalkeeper shirt: blue
And this remains valid even after the quarter-finals against defending winners Györ. The
Hungarian champions, who were severely hit by injuries and pregnancies of their key players
this season, lost in Jana Sandanski by six goals in the first leg and were unable to erase this
deficit on the home court in the return leg.
Top scorers:
Andrea Penezic
Andrea Lekic
Jovanka Radicevic
Siraba Dembele
Barbara Lazovic-Varlec
89 goals
51
51
42
34
Quarter-final results:
vs Györi Audi ETO KC
@ Györi Audi ETO KC
W24:18 (14:10)
T27:27 (12:13)
Main Round results:
@ HC Leipzig
vs RK Krim Mercator
@ Dinamo-Sinara
vs HC Leipzig
@ RK Krim Mercator
vs Dinamo-Sinara
Group Matches results:
@ Buducnost vs Thüringer HC @ HC Podravka Vegeta vs HC Podravka Vegeta vs Buducnost @ Thüringer HC 25
L23:26 (10:13)
W41:30 (21:12)
L25:33 (12:15)
W26:20 (10:9)
W47:29 (24:12)
W28:27 (15:13)
L17:23 (9:12)
W26:21 (12:10)
W27:26 (13:11)
W35:25 (15:10)
T24:24 (9:11)
L20:21 (12:10)
Nations represented: 9
(MKD, GER, RUS, FRA, MNE, SLO, SRB, CRO, ESP)
Multiple EHF Champions League winners:
Anja Althaus (2008/09 and 2009/10 Viborg HK)
Past achievements
Women’s EHF Champions League
Participations (including 2014/15
season): 2
Semi-final (1): 2013/14 (third rank at
MVM EHF FINAL4)
Other
EHF Cup: Last 16: 2012/13
Macedonian league: 3 titles (2013,
2014, 2015)
Macedonian cup: 2 titles
WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
Biggest win: 17:35 (10:16) v HC Podravka Vegeta CRO (a), 03.11.2013
Biggest defeat:
17:23 (9:12) v Buducnost MNE (a), 19.10.2014
Longest winning run:
5 matches (19.10.2013 – 02.02.2014)
Longest unbeaten run:
9 matches (06.10.2013 – 15.02.2014)
Longest losing run:
2 matches (22.11.2014 - 30.1.2015)
Longest run without win: 3 matches (16.11.2014 - 30.1.2015)
Most goals:
47 v RK Krim Mercator SLO 47:29W (a), 06.03.2015
Most goals opponent:
33 v Dinamo-Sinara RUS 33:25L (a), 15.02.2015
Most goals both teams: 76 v RK Krim Mercator SLO 47:29W (a), 06.03.2015
Fewest goals:
17 v Buducnost MNE 17:23 (a), 19.10.2014
Fewest goals opponent: 17 v HC Podravka Vegeta CRO 17:35W (a), 03.11.2013
Fewest goals both teams:40 v Buducnost MNE 17:23 (a), 19.10.2014
Women’s EHF Champions League record
MP
W
T
L
GF GA
GD
PTS
Stage
2013/14 WHC Vardar SCBT MKD
14
9
3
2
393:333
+60
21
Third Place
Total
14
9
3
2
393:333
+60
21
Vardar in domestic competitions
None of their five opponents in the league was able to steal some
points from the defending champions as Vardar won all 17 matches
up until now. Leading by 15 points ahead of their city rivals WHC
Metalurg with three rounds to play they have already clinched the
top position and their third title just a few days before the MVM EHF
FINAL4.
(as of 7 May 2015)
Throughout the whole season Vardar easily strode towards the third
Macedonian championship title in as many years. They do not take
part in this season of the WRHL regional league, so the domestic top
division has been the only competition they have been playing besides the EHF Champions League.
They will take part in the final tournament of the Macedonian Cup on
17/18 May in Skopje.
26
WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
Team roster
No.
23
77
4
17
15
19
30
14
20
25
22
5
71
96
18
10
9
2
1
31
12
First Name
Andrea
Andrea
Jovanka
Siraba
Barbara
Maja
Alena
Julija
Anja
Olga
Andrea
Simona
Tatiana
Itana
Begona
Sara
Ivana
Robertina
Dragana
Inna
Amandine Surname
Penezic
Lekic
Radicevic
Dembele
Lazovic-Varlec
Sokac
Ikhneva
Nikolic
Althaus
Chernoivanenko
Klikovac
Stojanovska
Khmyrova
Grbic
Fernandez Molinos
Mitova
Gakidova
Mechevska
Petkovska
Suslina
Leynaud
Nat.
CRO
SRB
MNE
FRA
SLO
CRO
RUS
MKD
GER
RUS
MNE
MKD
RUS
MNE
ESP
MKD
MKD
MKD
MKD
RUS
FRA
Position
Left Back
Centre Back
Right Wing
Left Wing
Right Back
Left Wing
Left Back
Centre Back
Line Player
Right Wing
Right Back
Centre Back
Right Back
Left Wing
Line Player
Left Back
Line Player
Line Player
Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
27
Date of Birth
13.11.1985
6.9.1987
23.10.1986
28.6.1986
4.1.1988
30.5.1982
30.7.1995
20.4.1983
3.9.1982
17.4.1989
5.5.1991
20.3.1997
6.2.1990
1.9.1996
22.3.1980
5.10.1996
27.2.1995
16.11.1984
12.6.1996
5.1.1979
2.5.1986
Place of Birth
Zagreb, CRO
Beograd, SRB
Podgorica, MNE
Dreux, FRA
Brezice, SLO
Split, CRO
Orenburg, RUS
Ternovka, UKR
Magdeburg
Samarsk, RUS
Podgorica, MNE
Skopje, MKD
Volgograd, RUS
Podgorica, MNE
Vigo, ESP
Skopje, MKD
Skopje, MKD
Struga, MKD
Skopje, MKD
Tashkent, RUS
Aubenas, FRA
Height
186
178
170
172
183
178
183
178
175
175
175
175
178
169
180
172
180
172
174
184
178
Goals
76
43
39
38
29
24
23
18
18
16
10
2
2
1
Indira Kastratovic
coach
Inna Suslina
goalkeeper
• in her second coaching season led Vardar to their
historical third place at the first women’s FINAL4
• former Russia national team player graduated
from the University RGPU Rostov Don as a teacher
• her greatest success as a player achieved with
Kometal, for whom she played twice in the CL final,
winning the title in 2002
• Vardar is her second stint outside of Russia – she
previously spent four seasons with GOG in Denmark
• has twice been voted in All-Star teams – at the
EHF EURO 2006 and the WCh 2009
• in 1997 she was the top scorer of the WCh with
71 goals as part of the Macedonian team
• as team captain led the team to the bronze medal
at the first edition of the FINAL4 in 2014
• in 2006 she retired as a player and concentrated
her attention on coaching youth players
EC trophies: CL 2002 (as player)
EC trophies: EHF Cup 2002
OG: S 2004, WCh: G 2001, 2007, 2009, EHF EURO: S 2006, B 2008
Siraba Dembele
left wing
Andrea Penezic
left back
• French left wing signed with Vardar ahead of last
season and played an important role in the team in
2013/14, scoring 35 goals
• in the summer of 2014 signed a 1+1 year contract
• raised the Slovenian title and cup four times with
Krim Mercator
• Vardar is the seventh team in her career – she
previously played for five different French teams
and spent one season with Danish club Randers
• best left back in the All-Star Team at the WCh
2011
• played also for Lokomotiva and Podravka
• captain of the France national team
• Croatian player of the year six consecutive times
• extended her contract with Vardar until 2016
WCh: S 2009, 2011, EHF EURO B 2006
Andrea Lekic
centre back
Anja Althaus
line player
• competed in karate and reached blue belt
before moving on to ball sports including volleyball,
basketball, football and tennis
• first German player to play in FYR Macedonia.
• switched from being a designer in advertising
to a hairdresser, and is known as stylist to her
teammates in both her club and national team
• voted the 2013 World Handball Player of the Year
• All-Star Team at the EHF EURO 2012.
• two EHF Champions League titles with Viborg
(2009, 2010)
• organises her own handball camp every other
year
• one of the most famous German players with
over 200 caps for Germany and more than 500 goals
EC trophies: CL 2013
WCh: S 2013
EC trophies: CL 2009, 2010
WCh: B 2007, Junior WCh: B 2001
Barbara Lazovic-Varlec
right back
Jovanka Radicevic
right wing
• arrived from Krim together with Andrea Penezic
in the summer of 2014
• as the daughter of a handball player, started
playing handball at the age of 12
• before she joined Vardar she played only for Krim
besides a year-long stint in Zaječar, Serbia
• best right wing at the EHF EURO 2012 when she
won the championship with Montenegro
• married to Vuk Lazović, a handball player from
Serbia
• in 2013 she won the CL title with Györ.
• with Buducnost, she won seven championships
and cup titles in Montenegro (2005-2011), two
regional league titles (2010, 2011) and two titles in
the Cup Winners’ Cup (2006, 2010)
• contemplated a switch to Serbia, but remained
loyal to the Slovenian national team
• expected to share more time with Tatiana
Khmyrova who is back after a long injury
EC trophies: CL 2013, Cup Winners’ Cup 2006, 2010
OG: S 2012, EURO: G 2012
28
Amandine Leynaud
goalkeeper
Maja Sokac
left wing
• played the CL for seven years straight with the
club she began handball with, Metz
• started her career in Sinj and at the age of 14
joined Split Kaltenberg – team that competed in first
Croatian league
• moved to Valcea, Romania in 2012, where she
suffered a knee injury
• with Podravka Koprivnica won the Croatian
championship seven times and added one gold and
two silver medals in the Regional League
• in her second season with Vardar, she’s back in
full form looking forward to her second FINAL4 with
the Macedonian team
• spent one season each in Lokomotiva Zagreb and
Itxako and two years in Zajecar, Serbia
• with the experience she has gained over the years
with the French national team, she will be one of the
key elements for her team’s success
• shares playing time with Siraba Dembele
Alena Ikhneva
left back
Julija Nikolic
centre back
• first started tennis at the age of nine but soon
switched to handball
• started her career in Galychanka, Ukraine
• played with Kometal for six years and won the
Macedonian league in every season
• arrived from Lada at the beginning of the 2014/15
season together with Olga Chenoivanenko
• during this period, in the 2004/05 season, she
played in the EHF Champions League Final and took
Macedonian citizenship
• earned two gold and one silver medal with Russia
at the younger age categories tournaments
• in her debut season in European competition
she won the EHF Cup and in addition has one silver
medal from the Russian Championship
• among the top scorers at EHF EURO 2008
Begona Fernandez
line player
Tatiana Khmyrova
right back
• decided to move to the Balkans in 2012 after
winning the Spanish championship several times
• it only took one season for ‘Tata’, who can play all
three back positions, to conquer the hearts of fans
in Skopje
• played also for Podravka, Uskudar, Zvezda and
Arvor 29
EC trophies: EHF Cup 2014
• before her arrival in FYR Macedonia, she only had
positive impressions of the country thanks to a silver
medal with the national team at EHF EURO 2008
• made her debut for the Russia national team
in FYR Macedonia at EHF EURO 2008, eventually
claiming the bronze medal
• part of the All-star team of this championship and
at the 2009 WCh in her position
• played eight seasons for her first team, Dinamo
Volgograd, winning three Russian titles
• missed most of the season including EHF EURO
2014 due to injury
• missed almost the whole season due to injury
EC trophies: EHF Cup 2008
WCh: G 2009, EURO: B 2008, Youth WCh: G 2008
OG: B 2012, EURO: S 2008, 2014
Andrea Klikovac
right back
Olga Chernoivanenko
right wing
• as a young girl filled her album with photos of her
idol Bojana Popovic and dreamed to be alongside
her
• first started gymnastics but moved to handball at
the age of 10
• received personal congratulations from Popovic
after Montenegro won EHF EURO 2012
• transferred to Vardar after she spent a decade in
Lada where she won the Russian championship once
and also added two silver and two bronze medals
• considered as one Montenegro’s best young
players
• also reached the CL final in the 2007/08 season
and EHF Cup final in the 2011/12 season
• one of the youngest players in Vardar, but has
been at the club longer than many of the current
squad
• from 2010 plays for the Russian national team
and took part in the Beijing Olympics
EC trophies: EHF Cup 2014
EC trophies: CL 2011
EHF EURO: G 2010, 2014
29
Buducnost (MNE)
Reinforced by the return of talismanic right back Katarina Bulatovic after her two-year exile,
Buducnost cruised through the the whole competition dropping so far only one point in the
process.
With her lethal shooting, Bulatovic added bite in attack as Buducnost continued to rely on
a squad packed with talent as well as experience, boasting a pair of world class players in
almost every position. While Bulatovic was the driving force of the team that won the EHF
Champions League 2012 title, new signings which arrived during her absence, such as Poland’s
Kinga Byzdra and Romania’s top player Cristina Neagu, have provided a welcome share of the
workload at both ends of the court.
Buducnost remain one of the favourites to win Europe’s premier club competition despite
their line player Suzana Lazovic suffering a serious ankle injury in a regional league match
against Macedonian rivals HC Metalurg. Experienced campaigners Majda Mehmedovic, Milena
Knezevic, Radmila Petrovic and Biljana Pavicevic have ensured a smooth ride into the MVM EHF
FINAL4.
Towering Serbian pivot Dragana Cvijic and rock-solid Croatian goalkeeper Marta Zderic add
options at both ends of the court, making Buducnost a team with an almost impregnable
defence and a fearsome attack. In the two quarter-final matches against Viborg they conceded
only 41 goals.
Playing hall
S.C. Morača
Str. Ivana Milutinovića b.b.
81000 Podgorica
Montenegro
Capacity: 5,000
Club Address:
Buducnost
Ivana Milutinovica B.B.
81000 Podgorica
Montenegro
Media contact:
Milos Pavicevic
+382 682 226 66
[email protected] / milos_ps@
yahoo.com
Online information:
Website: www.zrkbuducnost.com
Facebook: ZrkBuducnost
Kit colours
Light
Player shirt: white
Player short: blue
Goalkeeper shirt: blue
Dark
Player shirt: blue
Player short: blue
Goalkeeper shirt: green
Unbeaten this season last year’s finalist also earned some impressive victories also in the main
round with up to a 19-goal-difference as in their home match against RK Krim Mercator.
Top scorers:
Cristina Neagu
Katarina Bulatovic
Radmila Petrovic
Dragana Cvijic
Majda Mehmedovic
92 goals
53
48
45
40
Quarter-final results:
@ Viborg
vs Viborg
W28:22 (13:11)
W29:19 (14:11)
Main Round results:
@ Dinamo-Sinara
vs HC Leipzig
@ RK Krim Mercator
vs Dinamo-Sinara
@ HC Leipzig
vs RK Krim Mercator
W25:18 (12:11)
W28:21 (16:7)
W23:20 (16:8)
W26:18 (13:9)
W32:19 (15:6)
W39:20 (19:8)
Group Matches results:
vs WHC Vardar SCBT
@ HC Podravka Vegeta @ Thüringer HC vs Thüringer HC @ WHC Vardar SCBT vs HC Podravka Vegeta W23:17 (12:9)
W32:27 (18:14)
W27:22 (16:11)
W23:14 (11:6)
T24:24 (11:9)
W32:26 (15:13)
Nations represented: 7
(MNE, ROU, POL, DEN, SRB, GER, CRO)
Multiple EHF Champions League winners:
Katarina Bulatovic (2006/07 Slagelse, 2011/12
Buducnost, 2013/14 Györ)
Past achievements
Women’s EHF Champions League
Participations (including 2014/15
season): 19
Winners (1): 2011/12
Runners-up (1): 2013/14
Semi-final (6): 1997/98, 1998/99,
1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2010/11
Main Round (1): 2012/13
Quarter-final (2): 2002/03, 2003/04
Last 16 (1): 1995/96
Group Matches (6): 1996/97, 2004/05,
2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2009/10
Other
Cup Winners Cup: Winners 2005/06,
2009/10
Montenegrin league: 26 titles
(1985,1989,1990,1992-2014)
Montenegrin cup: 19 titles
30
Biggest win: 39:20 (19:8) v RK Krim Mercator SLO (h), 15.03.2015
Biggest defeat:
36:21 (18:11) v Viborg HK DEN (a), 19.01.1997
Longest winning run:
9 matches (23.11.2014 – 12.04.2015)
Longest unbeaten run:
14 matches (19.10.2014 – 12.04.2015)
Longest losing run:
7 matches (21.02.2004 – 30.01.2005)
Longest run without win: 7 matches (21.02.2004 – 30.01.2005)
Most goals:
40 v RK Krim Mercator SLO 36:40W (a), 04.03.2011
Most goals opponent:
40 v Mar El Osito L’Eliana ESP 26:40L (h), 05.04.1998
Most goals both teams: 76 v RK Krim Mercator SLO 40:36W (a), 04.03.2011
Fewest goals:
16 v Dunaferr SE HUN 16:18L (h), 06.02.2005
16 v Larvik NOR 28:16L (a), 16.03.2013
Fewest goals opponent: 14 v Thüringer HC GER 23:14W (h), 9.11.2014
Fewest goals both teams:34 v Dunaferr SE HUN 16:18L (h), 06.02.2005
Women’s EHF Champions League record
MP
W
T
L
GF GA
GD
PTS
1996/97 Buducnost Podgorica YUG
6
2
2
2
130:143
–13
6
3rd Gr. A
1997/98 Buducnost Podgorica YUG
10
5
1
4
292:305
–13
11
1/2-finals
1998/99 Buducnost Podgorica YUG
10
8
1
1
297:238
+59
17
1/2-finals
1999/00 Buducnost Podgorica YUG
10
5
2
3
287:274
+13
12
1/2-finals
2000/01 Bud. Brillant Podgorica YUG
10
5
3
2
265:246
+19
13
1/2-finals
2001/02 Bud. Brillant Podgorica YUG
10
5
2
3
297:277
+20
12
1/2-finals
2002/03 RK Buducnost MONET YUG
8
4
0
4
215:216
-1
8
1/4-finals
2003/04 RK Buducnost MONET SCG
8
4
0
4
209:219
–10
8
1/4-finals
2004/05 ZRK Buducnost MONET SCG
6
1
0
5
141:165
–24
2
4th Gr. A
2005/06 ZRK Buducnost MONET SCG
6
3
0
3
150:154
-4
6
3rd Gr. C
2006/07 ZRK Buducnost T-Mobile MNE
6
0
0
6
141:174
-33
0
4th Gr. B
2007/08 Buducnost T-Mobile MNE
6
1
1
4
153:189
–36
3
3rd Gr. D
2008/09 Buducnost T-Mobile MNE
12
6
2
4
317:326
-9
14
3rd MR Gr. 2
2009/10 Buducnost T-Mobile MNE
6
2
1
3
138:155
-17
5
3rd Gr. D
2010/11 ‘Buducnost’ MNE
14
10
0
4
417:360
+57
20
1/2-finals
2011/12 Buducnost MNE
16
14
0
2
453:385
+68
28
Winner
2012/13 Buducnost MNE
12
5
1
6
265:273
-8
11
3rd MR Gr. 1
2013/14 Buducnost MNE
14
8
3
3
349:298
+51
19
Runner-up
Total
170
88
19
63
4516:4397
+119
195
Buducnost in domestic competitions
Stage
Buducnost joined the top two teams of the preliminary round (Levalea 2010 and Danilovgrad) in the spring and after two rounds they
are leading with maximum points and impressive goal difference
(73:31).
(as of 7 May 2015)
There is no doubt in Montenegro who will take the league throne
again this season. The first part of the Montenegrin top division was
played by five teams without the perennial champions who could
focus only on their performances in the EHF Champions League and
the regional Balkan league.
In the WRHL regional league they romped into the final tournament
(23/24 May) after having won all their matches in the main round.
31
Buducnost (MNE)
Team roster
No.
8
32
72
2
88
77
90
89
20
66
80
14
92
39
30
16
43
First Name
Cristina Katarina
Dragana
Radmila
Biljana
Majda
Milena
Kinga
Camilla
Ema
Jelena
Zeljka
Suzana
Nina
Marina
Clara
Marta
Surname
Neagu
Bulatovic
Cvijic
Petrovic
Pavicevic
Mehmedovic
Knezevic
Byzdra
Dalby
Ramusovic
Despotovic
Nikolic
Lazovic
Bulatovic
Rajcic
Woltering
Zderic
Nat.
ROU
MNE
SRB
MNE
MNE
MNE
MNE
POL
DEN
MNE
MNE
SRB
MNE
MNE
MNE
GER
CRO
Position
Left Back
Right Back
Line Player
Right Wing
Left Wing
Left Wing
Centre Back
Back
Right Back
Line Player
Left Back
Right Wing
Line Player
Right Wing
Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
32
Date of Birth
26.8.1988
15.11.1984
15.3.1990
19.4.1988
12.5.1988
25.5.1990
12.3.1990
9.1.1989
15.5.1988
28.11.1996
30.4.1994
12.7.1991
28.1.1992
9.12.1996
24.8.1993
2.3.1983
20.4.1990
Place of Birth
Bucharest, ROU
Kragujevac, SRB
Beograd, SRB
Niksic, MNE
Podgorica, MNE
Bar, MNE
Podgorica, MNE
Pulawy, POL
Randers, DEN
Berane, MNE
Podgorica, MNE
Priboj, SRB
Podgorica, MNE
Cetinje, MNE
Podgorica, MNE
Münster, GER
Metkovic, CRO
Height
180
186
184
175
169
170
176
182
178
185
180
164
177
171
175
178
184
Goals
82
41
39
38
33
32
24
12
11
7
6
6
2
1
Dragan Adzic
coach
Marta Zderic
goalkeeper
• retired due to injury in 1998
• playing her ninth consecutive CL season, and
her second with Buducnost, after she moved from
Podravka in 2013
• almost a decade was an assistant to many
coaches in Buducnost
• started as a back, but soon she moved into goal
• became head coach in 2010
• in Buducnost she chose number 43, the decision
to use that unusual number for a goalkeeper was
made by her niece Lara
• in 2012 won the CL in May with Buducnost and
EHF EURO in December with Montenegro
• met his wife Timea after she came to the club as
an interpreter to former coach, Hungarian Gyula
Zsiga
• despite an early exit at the EHF EURO 2014 on
home court in Varazdin she has had an impressive
season in the Buducnost goal so far
EC trophies: CL 2012, Cup Winners’ Cup 2010
OG: S 2012, EHF EURO: G 2012
Majda Mehmedovic
left wing
Milena Knezevic
left back
• her mother played handball as a goalkeeper
• started playing handball with her sister Dragana,
her brother Ivan is a professional soccer player
• started handball in Bar at the age of 12 with her
brother Musa and immediately loved it
• at 2012 EHF EURO first in assists (29) and shared
second place in scoring with Anita Görbicz (41 goals)
• it took her two years to get into the first team
after being signed by Buducnost
• two-time Montenegrin player of the year
• voted for the 2013/14 CL All-Star Team as the best
left wing
• voted second best young player of the CL in 2012
EC trophies: CL 2012, Cup Winners’ Cup 2010
OG: S 2012, EHF EURO: G 2012
EC trophies: CL 2012, Cup Winners’ Cup 2010
OG: S 2012, EHF EURO: G 2012
Cristina Neagu
centre back
Dragana Cvijic
line player
• named the World Handball Player of the Year
after leading Romania to bronze medals at the EHF
EURO 2010
• started handball at the age of 10, first as
goalkeeper, but being very tall for her age, Dragana’s
first coach put her at left back
• top scorer (53 goals) and All-Star Team member
of the EHF EURO 2010
• in 2007 at Crvena Zvezda she switched to a line
player
• missed nearly two of the last four years, after a
shoulder injury and a torn ligament in her knee
• joined Buducnost in 2011 just in time to help
them on the way to the CL title
• lost two EHF Champions League finalist, one with
Oltchim (2013) and one with Buducnost (2014)
• Serbian national team player voted the best line
player of the WCh 2013
EHF EURO: B 2010
EC trophies: CL 2012
WCh: S 2013
Katarina Bulatovic
right back
Radmila Petrovic
right wing
• Serbia-born shooter arrived to Buducnost in 2014
after one-year stints with Oltchim and Györ
• started training handball at 12, in her home town
of Nikšić, where she played for five years as a right
back
• made it to the CL final for the first time in 2007
with Slagelse
• when transferred to Buducnost in 2005, she was
moved to the wing
• won the CL title with three different clubs Slagelse, Buducnost and Györ
• strong alternative to Jovanka Radicevic in
Montenegro national team
• key player in Montenegro’s biggest achievements,
when she was the top scorer at both the London
Olympics and EHF EURO in 2012
• in 2014 she won her 100th cap with Montenegro
EC trophies: CL 2007, 2012, 2014, Cup Winners’ Cup 2010
OG: S 2012, EHF EURO: G 2012
EC trophies: CL 2012, Cup Winners’ Cup 2010
OG: S 2012, EHF EURO: G 2012
33
Clara Woltering
goalkeeper
Marina Rajcic
goalkeeper
• her fourth season at Buducnost, third as the
captain, is also her last one
• made a debut in Buducnost’s goal at only 16
• named best goalkeeper of the tournament at
2010 Junior World Championship in South Korea,
where she won a bronze medal with Montenegro
• first saw handball at the age of 5, when she went
to watch her older sisters and impressed their coach
• very superstitious in the past, for a long time she
banned her parents from watching her play, thinking
it was bad luck and at one stage wore a cap during
matches to bring her luck
• the youngest participant at the Olympic handball
tournament in London in 2012 (18 years)
• her sister Olivera plays as a right wing for Metz,
where Marina will transfer after this season
• voted for the 2013/14 CL All-Star Team as the best
goalkeeper
• voted best young player of Montenegro in 2010
EC trophies: CL 2012, Challenge Cup 2005
WCh: B 2007
EC trophies: CL 2012, Cup Winners’ Cup 2010
OG: S 2012, EURO: G 2012
Biljana Pavicevic
left wing
Jelena Despotovic
left back
• at 2008 Women’s Junior World Championship
suffered a severe knee injury followed by two
operations, two years of rehabilitation, and two
seasons playing in Biseri and Macedonian side Zito
Prilep
• her mother first took her to ballet lessons, but she
soon after switched hanball at the age of 11
• joined the first team of Buducnost in 2012, will
transfer to Debrecen, Hungary in the summer
• won a bronze medal at the Junior World
Championship in South Korea in 2010
• at the EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia stepped in for the
game against Hungary and played very well the rest
of the tournament, won by Montenegro at the end
• in 2011 & 2012 named best young Montenegrin
player
• graduated with a degree in Economics
EHF EURO: G 2012
Kinga Byzdra
back
Suzana Lazovic
line player
• the third Polish player in Buducnost’s history,
after Monika Marzec and Izabela Puchacz, who
played in Podgorica from 2003 to 2005
• missed most of this season due to injury
• her first choice was judo, during rehabilitation
period, due to back surgery, later archery, but
Dragan Adzic persuaded her to stick with handball
• her mother Malgorzata played handball for
Montex Lublin and Zaglebie Lubin
• made her CL debut on 1 November 2008 against
Spanish side Elda, when she was only 16
• with Zaglebie Lubin she won a Polish title in 2011
and three Polish cups in 2009, 2011 and 2013, when
she scored 14 goals in the final
• voted Montenegro’s best young player 2008 and
2009
• named Poland’s best player in 2012
EC trophies: CL 2012, Cup Winners’ Cup 2010
OG: S 2012, EURO: G 2012
Camilla Dalby
right back
Ema Ramusovic
line player
• first Dane in Buducnost’s history
• playing her first senior season with Buducnost
• started with handball at four, her mother played
handball, and later was her coach at Spentrup IF,
where Camilla’s father was president of the club
• started hanball at the age of 10 in her hometown
Berane; moved to Buducnost in 2010
• started as left back, but her coach in youth
national team legendary Maja Savic, put her on the
line in August 2013, following Ema’s knee surgery
• won a title in Denmark with Randers HK in 2012
• will return to Randers this summer
• best player at 2012 youth Mediterranean
Championship in Eilat – Israel (Montenegro won a
silver medal)
• made her debut for the national team in October
2007 and was named best national team player in
2011/2012
• made her debut for senior team in EHF EURO
2014 Qualification in Czestochowa against Poland
EC trophies: EHF Cup 2010
WCh: B 2013
34
Potential head-to-head stats in the EC competitions
Buducnost vs Larvik 4-1-7 (265:283) 9:15
08.11.1997
24.01.1998
24.10.2009
10.01.2010
09.04.2011
17.04.2011
31.03.2012
08.04.2012
10.02.2013
16.03.2013
16.02.2014
01.03.2014
Buducnost Podgorica vs Larvik HK, EHF Champions League – Group C
Larvik HK vs Buducnost Podgorica, EHF Champions League – Group C
Buducnost T-Mobile vs Larvik HK, EHF Champions League – Group D
Larvik HK vs Buducnost T-Mobile, EHF Champions League – Group D
Larvik vs ‘Buducnost’, EHF Champions League – Semi-final
‘Buducnost’ vs Larvik, EHF Champions League – Semi-final
Larvik vs Buducnost, EHF Champions League – Semi-final
Buducnost vs Larvik, EHF Champions League – Semi-final
Buducnost vs Larvik, EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 1
Larvik vs Buducnost, EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 1
Buducnost vs Larvik, EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 2
Larvik vs Buducnost, EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 2
Buducnost vs Dinamo-Sinara 5-2-3 (258:241) 12:8
30.10.1999
19.02.2000
13.01.2001
27.01.2001
01.11.2009
14.11.2009
09.10.2010
14.11.2010
31.01.2015
01.03.2015
Volgograd AKVA vs Buducnost Podgorica, EHF Champions League – Group C
Buducnost Podgorica vs Volgograd AKVA, EHF Champions League – Group C
Bud. Brillant Podgorica vs Volgograd AKVA, EHF Champions League – Group A
Volgograd AKVA vs Bud. Brillant Podgorica, EHF Champions League – Group A
HC Dinamo vs Buducnost T-Mobile, EHF Champions League – Group D
Buducnost T-Mobile vs HC Dinamo, EHF Champions League – Group D
‘Buducnost’ vs Dinamo, EHF Champions League – Group A
Dinamo vs ‘Buducnost’, EHF Champions League – Group A
Dinamo-Sinara vs Buducnost, EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 1
Buducnost vs Dinamo-Sinara, EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 1
Larvik vs WHC Vardar SCBT 0-1-1 (56:58) 1:3
11.10.2013
16.11.2013
WHC Vardar SCBT vs Larvik, EHF Champions League – Group D
Larvik vs WHC Vardar SCBT, EHF Champions League – Group D
Dinamo-Sinara vs WHC Vardar SCBT 1-0-1 (60:53) 2:2
15.02.2015
14.03.2015
Dinamo-Sinara vs WHC Vardar SCBT, EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 1
WHC Vardar SCBT vs Dinamo-Sinara, EHF Champions League – Main Round Group 1
35
27:26 (10:13)
32:29 (20:8)
23:27 (10:16)
29:22 (15:8)
25:20 (13:10)
24:27 (10:15)
20:22 (12:12)
23:13 (10:7)
18:20 (9:8)
28:16 (13:5)
19:19 (8:7)
17:22 (8:9)
34:29 (16:14)
29:20 (12:8)
22:22 (10:9)
25:24 (16:9)
31:18 (16:9)
24:24 (9:12)
29:22 (15:11)
27:32 (14:15)
18:25 (11:12)
26:18 (13:9)
27:27 (12:15)
29:31 (15:15)
33:25 (15:12)
28:27 (15:13)
Top scorers after quarter-finals
Rank
1
Player
Club
Goals
Cristina Georgiana Neagu (ROU)
Buducnost (MNE)
92
2
Andrea Penezic (CRO)
WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
89
3
Anna Kochetova (RUS)
Dinamo-Sinara (RUS)
86
4
Karolina Kudlacz (POL)
HC Leipzig (GER)
84
Nora Mørk (NOR)
Larvik (NOR)
84
6
Olga Akopian (RUS)
Dinamo-Sinara (RUS)
76
7
Ida Oden (SWE)
IK Sävehof (SWE)
74
8
Ana Gros (SLO)
Metz Handball (FRA)
73
Tamara Mavsar (SLO)
RK Krim Mercator (SLO)
73
10
Nadja Nadgornaja (GER)
Thüringer HC (GER)
72
11
Heidi Loke (NOR)
Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
68
Linn-Kristin Koren Riegelhuth (NOR)
Larvik (NOR)
68
Rikke Skov Erhardsen (DEN)
Viborg HK A/S (DEN)
68
14
Katrin Engel (AUT)
Thüringer HC (GER)
66
15
Aniko Kovacsics (HUN)
Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
65
Daria Dmitrieva (RUS)
Dinamo-Sinara (RUS)
65
17
Mirjeta Bajramoska (MKD)
RK Krim Mercator (SLO)
59
18
Jenny Alm (SWE)
IK Sävehof (SWE)
56
19
Katarina Bulatovic (MNE)
Buducnost (MNE)
53
20
Saskia Lang (GER)
HC Leipzig (GER)
52
21
Isabelle Gulldén (SWE)
Viborg HK A/S (DEN)
51
Andrea Lekic (SRB)
WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
51
Jovanka Radicevic (MNE)
WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
51
Alexandra Do Nascimento (BRA)
HCM Baia Mare (ROU)
50
24
(Bold text indicates players that are still active in the competition.)
36
Scorers of the 2014 MVM EHF FINAL4
Rank
Player
Club
Goals
1
Nycke Groot
FCM
20
2
Anita Görbicz
Györ
14
3
Cristina Neagu
Buducnost
13
4
Andrea Lekic
Vardar
11
Stine Jörgensen
FCM
11
6
Julija Nikolic
Vardar
9
Dragana Cvijic
Buducnost
9
Eduarda Amorim
Györ
9
9
Camilla Dalby
Buducnost
8
10
Allison Pineau
Vardar
7
Jovanka Radicevic
Vardar
7
Aniko Kovacsics
Györ
7
Katarina Bulatovic
Györ
7
Heidi Loke
Györ
7
Trine Ostergaard Jensen
FCM
7
Majda Mehmedovic
Buducnost
6
Adrienn Orban
Györ
6
Siraba Dembele
Vardar
5
Tatiana Khmyrova
Vardar
5
Susan Torp Thorsgaard
FCM
5
Ana Djokic
Vardar
4
Bernadett Bognar-Bodi
Györ
4
Laerke Möller
FCM
4
Radmila Petrovic
Buducnost
3
Trine Troelsen
FCM
3
16
18
21
24
27
Linne Jörgensen
FCM
3
Maja Sokac (Zebic)
Vardar
2
Andrea Klikovac
Vardar
2
Begona Fernandez
Vardar
2
Milena Knezevic
Buducnost
2
Kinga Byzdra
Buducnost
2
Fie Woller
FCM
2
Dorina Korsos
Györ
2
Kristina Sommer
FCM
2
(Bold text indicates players that are part of the 2015 MVM EHF FINAL4.)
37
Past Winners - Clubs
1994
Hypo Niederösterreich AUT
1995
Hypo Niederösterreich AUT
1996
Podravka Koprivnica
CRO
1997
Mar El Osito L´Eliana Valencia ESP
Hypo Niederösterreich AUT
Dunaferr SE
HUN
1998 1999
2000 Hypo Niederösterreich 2001
RK Krim Neutro Roberts
2002
Kometal D.P. Skopje 2003 AUT
SLO
MKD
Krim ETA Kotex Ljubljana
SLO
2004
Slagelse FH
DEN
2005
Slagelse FH
DEN
2006
Viborg A/S
DEN
Slagelse FH
DEN
2007 2008
Zvezda Zvenigorod
2009
Viborg A/S
DEN
2010
Viborg A/S
DEN
2011
Larvik HK
2012 RUS
NOR
Buducnost Podgorica MNE
2013
Gyõri Audi ETO KC HUN
2014
Gyõri Audi ETO KC HUN
38
Past Winners - Individuals
Montenegrin right back Katarina
Bulatovic is the only player involved
in the 2015 edition of the MVM EHF
FINAL4 with the opportunity to defend
her Champions League title.
After raising the trophy with Györi Audi
ETO KC in May 2014, she went back to
her roots in Buducnost.
Bulatovic is now the only 2014
Champions League winner to be back
in Budapest on 9/10 May, as defending
champions Györ did not qualify.
At the FINAL4 2015 Bulatovic can also
become the first ever player in the
Women’s EHF Champions League to
win her individual fourth trophy with
three clubs. The left-handed shooter
took the title with Danish club Slagelse
(2007) and Buducnost in 2012 before
celebrating the victory as part of the
Györ squad.
Champions League with two different
clubs.
Off the court, former star Bojana
Popovic also has some impressive
statistics. She is one of one of only
two women that have won the EHF
Champions League six times. The other
is Ausra Fridrikas.
Vardar coach Indira Kastratovic can
also make history in Budapest: if her
team win the title on 10 May she will
become the first female in handball
to win the EHF Champions league as a
player (2002 with Kometal D.P. Skopje)
and as a coach.
Only one man has done it: Talant
Dujshebaev, who won the title as a
player with Santander (1995) and as a
coach with Ciudad Real (2006, 2008,
2009).
The second multiple Women’s EHF
Champions League winner on court in
Budapest will be German line player
Anja Althaus. She raised the trophy
twice with Viborg HK (DEN) in 2009
and 2010.
In addition to Bulatovic and Althaus,
there are 17 players that have won
the EHF Champions League trophy
once before that will be on court in
Budapest – two from the Vardar squad,
eight from Buducnost and seven from
Larvik.
Althaus signed with WHC Vardar
SCBT at the start of this season and
has the chance to become the first
female German player to win the EHF
Dinamo Sinara is the only FINAL4
participant without a former EHF
Champions League winner in their
squad.
EHF Champions League Winners at the
2015 MVM EHF FINAL
Buducnost (9):
Dragana Cvijic Milena Knezevic Suzana Lazovic Majda Mehmedovic Radmila Petrovic Zeljka Nikolic Clara Woltering Marina Rajcic
Katarina Bulatovic (3)
Larvik (7):
(Buducnost 2012)
(Buducnost 2012)
(Buducnost 2012)
(Buducnost 2012)
(Buducnost 2012)
(Buducnost 2012)
(Buducnost 2012)
(Buducnost 2012)
(Slagelse 2007)
(Buducnost 2012)
(Györ 2014)
Karoline Breivang (Larvik 2011)
Gro Hammerseng-Edin (Larvik 2011)
Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth Koren (Larvik 2011)
Tonje Larsen (Larvik 2011)
Nora Mørk (Larvik 2011)
Thea Mørk (Larvik 2011)
Linn Sulland (Larvik 2011)
Vardar (3):
Andrea Lekic Jovanka Radicevic Anja Althaus (2)
(Györ 2013)
(Györ 2013)
(Viborg 2009)
(Viborg 2010)
Dinamo Sinara: none
Multiple EHF Champions League winners
Lene Lund-Nielsen (Viborg 2006, 2009, 2010)
6 titles with 2 clubs:
Ausra Fridrikas (Hypo 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, Slagelse 2004, 2005) Rikke Skov (Viborg 2006, 2009, 2010)
Louise Bager-Norgaard (Viborg 2006, 2009, 2010)
Iris Morhammer (Hypo 1994, 1995, 2000)
6 titles with 3 clubs:
Stanca Bozovic (Hypo 1995, 1998, 2000)
Bojana Popovic (Slagelse 2004, 2005, 2007, Viborg 2009, 2010,
Mette Melgaard (Slagelse 2004, 2005, 2007)
Buducnost 2012)
3 titles with 2 clubs:
Anja Freser (Krim 2001, 2003, Slagelse 2004)
Luminita Hutupan (Dinu) (Krim 2001, Skopje 2002, Krim 2003)
Cecilie Leganger (Slagelse 2005, 2007, Larvik 2011)
Maja Savic (Slagelse 2005, 2007, 2012)
Heidi Løke (Larvik 2011, Györ 2013, 2014)
4 titles with 1 club:
Rima Sypkus (Hypo 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000)
Tanja Dshandshagava (Hypo 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000)
4 titles with 2 clubs:
Katrine Lunde (Viborg 2009, 2010, Györ 2013, 2014)
3 titles with 3 clubs:
Katarina Bulatovic (Slagelse 2007, Buducnost 2012, Györ 2014)
3 titles with 1 club:
Chao Zhai (Viborg 2006, 2009, 2010)
Cristina Varzaru (Viborg 2006, Viborg 2009, 2010)
Grit Jurack (Viborg 2006, 2009, 2010)
42 players with 2 titles
39
All-time club standings 1993 - 2015
#
TR
Name of the club
MP
W
D
L
GF:GA
1
1
Hypo Niederösterreich AUT
192
124
5
63
2
2
Buducnost MNE
184
101
20
3
3
RK Krim Mercator SLO
196
102
10
4
4
Györi Audi ETO KC HUN
140
97
5
5
Larvik NOR
160
6
6
Viborg HK DEN
164
7
7
Oltchim Rm. Valcea ROU
8
8
9
9
10
GD
P
NP
%
5150:4795 +355
252*:132
(22)
65,63% G
63
4907:4684 +223
222:146
(19)
60,33% SF
84
5324:5154 +170
214:178
(19)
54,59% M
10
33
3912:3474 +438
204:76
(11)
72,86% QF
97
8
55
4298:3907 +391
202:118
(16)
63,13% SF
87
12
65
4565:4323 +242
186:142
(17)
56,71% M
118
62
8
48
3148:3005 +143
132:104
(12)
55,93%
FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria HUN
104
53
7
44
2829:2733 +96
113:95
(13)
54,33% Q
CBM Astroc Sagunto ESP
100
52
3
45
2658:2582 +76
107:93
(12)
53,50%
10
HC Podravka Vegeta CRO
118
50
6
62
3007:3112 -105
106:130
(17)
44,92% G
11
11
Kometal Gjorce Petrov MKD
98
47
6
45
2460:2410 +50
100:96
(12)
51,02%
12
12
Dinamo-Sinara RUS
92
38
9
45
2425:2461 -36
85:99
(11)
46,20% SF
13
13
Slagelse DT DEN
56
38
2
16
1514:1400 +114
78:34
(5)
69,64%
14
14
FC Midtjylland DEN
70
34
5
31
1839:1823 +16
73:67
(7)
52,14%
15
15
HC Lada RUS
62
33
2
27
1729:1737 -8
68:56
(7)
54,84%
16
16
Dunaferr NK HUN
52
29
4
19
1395:1285 +110
62:42
(6)
59,62%
17
17
Zvezda Zvenigorod RUS
46
21
3
22
1294:1297 -3
45:47
(5)
48,91%
18
18
Metz Handball FRA
66
18
6
42
1603:1746 –143
42:90
(9)
31,82% M
19
19
MKS Selgros Lublin POL
58
18
5
35
1476:1598 –122
41:75
(9)
35,35% G
20
20
HC Leipzig GER
66
19
3
44
1653:1829 –176
41:91
(8)
31,06% M
21
21
WHC Vardar SCBT MKD
28
17
5
6
783:683
+100
39:17
(2)
69,64% SF
22
23
Thüringer HC GER
38
15
3
20
968:1001
-33
33:43
(4)
43,42% M
23
24
Byasen Trondheim NOR
40
15
3
22
942:1006
–64
33:47
(6)
41,25%
24
29
IK Sävehof SWE
42
6
7
29
1106:1279 -173
19:65
(5)
22,62% M
25
30
HCM Baia Mare ROU
20
9
0
11
510:532
-22
18:22
(2)
45,00% QF
26
50
HC Lokomotiva Zagreb CRO
6
0
2
4
132:164
-32
2:10
(1)
16,67% G
BNTU-BelAZ Minsk Reg. BLR
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
0:0
(0)
0,00%
Q
SERCODAK Dalfsen NED
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
0:0
(0)
0,00%
Q
WHC Radnicki Kragujevac
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
0:0
(0)
0,00%
Q
* Point for Hypo NÖ deducted by official decision
^ = Excluding Qualifying matches
The club name is the last used name in Women’s EHF Champions League competition
TR – total ranking
MP – matches played
W – wins
D – draws
L – losses
GF:GA – goals for:goals against
GD - goal difference
P – points
NP – number of participations
% = winning percentage
S - stage reached in the 2014/15 season (SF - semi-final, QF - quarter-final, M - main round, G - group matches, Q - qualification)
All stats in this guide are provided by Roy Knoppert.
40
S
Q
Q
EHF Champions League history
1993 – 2003
1999/00
Hypo Niederösterreich vs Kometal Skopje 32:23 / 20:22 (52:45)
The final of the 1999/00 is less likely to be remembered for Hypo’s
fourth title in just four years but more for the violent disruptions
caused during the final by Macedonian fans. In the second leg objects
had been thrown onto the court for almost the entire match, and
the problems reached a climax when everyone fled into the changing
rooms and Hypo manager Gunnar Prokop was attacked.
1993/94
Hypo NIederösterreich vs Vasas Budapest 20:18 / 25:21 (45:39)
New name, new playing system, but well-known finalists – just
as in the men’s competition the Champions League replaced the
Champions Cup from the 1993/94 season. 32 teams played two K.O.
rounds for the eight places in the Champions League. The two finalists
were the winners of the two groups of four. Hypo Niederösterreich
became the first title holder showing a spotless performance with 12
victories from 12 matches.
2000/01
Viborg HK A/S vs RK Krim N. Roberts Ljubljana 22:22 / 19:25 (41:47)
After suffering defeat in the 1999 finals against Dunaferr, the time
was finally ripe in 2001 for Krim, Slovenia’s most dominating club
whose focus had always been to win the Champions League. In the
final Krim prevailed over Viborg thanks to win and a draw.
1994/95
Hypo Niederösterreich vs Podravka Koprivnica 14:17 / 26:19 (40:36)
After 20 victories in 20 Champions League matches, Hypo
Niederösterreich was beaten for the first time in the first leg of the
final in Koprivnica. But the 14:17 in Croatia was followed by a clear
26:19 victory in the second leg and the cup remained in Austria.
2001/02
FTC HERZ Budapest vs Kometal D. P. Skopje 27:25 / 22:26 (49:51)
On 19 May 2002, 45,000 fans people celebrated their heroines
enthusiastically in the main square of the Macedonian capital
– a great achievement had been made: Kometal Skopje wore the
crown of Europe’s top club competition for the first time. Two years
before, the Macedonians had played in the finals against Hypo
Niederösterreich but after rioting fans during the second leg in Skopje
all Macedonian clubs were banned for one year from the European
Cup, and no one had expected Macedonian handball to recover that
fast from the shock.
1995/96
Podravka Koprivnica vs Hypo Niederösterreich 13:17 / 25:20 (38:37)
In the 1995/96 season Austrian side Hypo Niederösterreich „only”
finished second and that created tremendous joy for the Eastern
Croatians. Under the leadership of the old and new top scorer,
Snežana Petika, Podravka Koprivnica for the first time took the crown
of the greatest club competition.
1996/97
Mar Valencia vs Viborg HK 35:26 / 23:24 (58:50)
In 1997 there was a whole new constellation in the final. Mar
Valencia, who had narrowly lost three times in the Champions League
Group Phase, celebrated a Spanish fiesta. The team, which was based
around the excellent Natalia Morskova, was the first Spanish team in
the history of the competition to reach the final. The opponent was
Viborg – the first Danish finalist since Copenhagen in 1966 (ed. IHF
competition).
2002/03
El Osito Valencia vs Krim N. Roberts Ljubljana 30:27 / 28:36 (58:63)
For the third time in a row, the Champions League winner came from
former Yugoslavia and for the second time after 2001 Krim Ljubljana
was sitting on the European throne. Skopje had won the title in 2002.
There was also another record: goalkeeper Luminita Dinu won the
European title for the third time in a row.
1997/98
Hypo Niederösterreich vs Mar El Osito L’Eliana 28:21 / 28:26 (56:47)
Mar El Osito L’Eliana had reached the final by scoring at least 31 goals
per match. They failed to repeat this feat when they needed it most.
Hypo Niederösterreich triumphed with two victories, earning their
third Champions League title.
2003/04
Slagelse DT vs Krim Ljubljana 25:24 / 36:32 (61:56)
In less than four years world class player and world class coach
Anja Andersen had led Danish side Slagelse DT out of the second
division and straight into their first Champions League season. And
just one year after they had already celebrated the win of the EHF
Cup, the team was victorious once more – this time in Europe’s most
prestigious club handball competition. It was a fairy tale come true.
1998/99
Dunaferr SE vs Krim Electa Ljubljana 25:23 / 26:26 (51:49)
Two new faces appeared in the Champions League final in the
1998/99 season. In the semi-finals Dunaferr had beaten defending
champion Hypo NIederösterreich while Ljubljana narrowly held the
upper hand over Podgorica. In the final it was the Hungarian side that
prevailed, winning their first Champions League title.
41
EHF Champions League history
2003 – 2014
2009/10
Viborg HK vs Oltchim Rm. Vâlcea 28:21 / 32:31 (60:52)
Viborg HK defeated Oltchim Vâlcea to win the Women’s EHF
Champions League for the second consecutive time and the third
time in the last five years. Also the Danish dominance continued.
Since 2003/2004 all Champions League titles had gone to Danish
teams, except for the 2007/2008 season when Russian team Zvezda
Zvenigorod celebrated the victory.
2004/05
Slagelse DT vs Kometal D.P. Skopje 27:23 / 27:20 (54:43)
For the second time in the history of the Champions League and after
the double victory of Hypo Niederösterreich in 1994 and 1995, a team
was able to defend its title. In all twelve Champions League matches,
from the Group Phase to the final, coach Anja Andersen’s team
suffered only one defeat.
2005/06
Krim Ljubljana vs Viborg HK A/S 22:24 / 21:20 (43:44)
In the history of the Women’s EHF Champions League that had not
happened before. In both final matches of the 2005/06 season the
away teams won. It seemed a mere formality for Viborg to lift the
trophy following their 24:22 win in Slovenia, but Ljubljana fought back
and had one hand on the cup when they led 20:17 in the 52nd minute
before running out of steam.
2010/11
Larvik vs Itxako Reyno De Navarra 23:21 / 24:25 (47:46)
In a real nail-biting thriller right until the dying seconds, Itxako
defeated Larvik by a single goal in the second leg of the final, but with
the aggregate score, the Norwegians were the lucky winners of this
clash and brought home the EHF Champions League trophy for the
first time in the club’s history.
2006/07
Slagelse DT vs Lada Togliatti 29:29 / 32:24 (61:53)
It was Slagelse’s third go at gold and they did it convincingly. With
elite performances both in the Champions League and the Danish
league, where they did not lose one single point, Anja Andersen’s
women were the favourites for the title – so another success of the
“dream team” was not a surprise.
2011/12
Győri AUDI ETO KC vs Budoćnost 29:27 / 25:27 (54:54)
Budućnost won the tightest edition of the EHF Women’s Champions
League by account of scoring the greater number of away goals (27 in
Hungary) than Győri AUDI ETO KC (25 in Montenegro). It was only a small
consolation for Győri AUDI ETO KC’s Anita Görbicz who picked up the top
scorer for the 2011/12 Women’s EHF Champions League season.
2007/08
Zvezda Zvenigorod vs Hypo Niederösterreich 25:24 / 31:29 (56:53)
After having beaten Hypo Niederösterreich at home 25:24, the
Russian champions were also triumphant in Wiener Neustadt in a very
tough second leg. For Hypo it was a big disappointment as everything
had been prepared for party at the Arena Nova to celebrated then
ninth title since 1989.
2012/13
Larvik HK vs Győri AUDI ETO KC 21:24 / 22:23 (43:47)
After losing the finals in 2009 and 2012 Győr finally ended their curse
of seven European Cup finals without a trophy. The coronation of the
new queens of European handball took place in jam-packed Veszprém
Aréna after the second leg victory and carried on in the streets of
the city of Győr. The Hungarian team were dominant throughout the
whole season as they suffered only one defeat (in the semi-final at
home vs Oltchim) in 16 matches.
2008/09
Viborg HK vs Győri AUDI ETO KC 24:26 / 26:23 (50:49)
Viborg HK won the Champions League for the second time after
having lost the first leg of the final 24:26 but winning the second leg
26:23 against Györ. Viborg’s Grit Jurack contributed four goals in the
second match and became the Champions League’s top scorer with
113 goals in the 2008/09 season.
2013/14
Buducnost vs Győri AUDI ETO KC 21:27 (10:15)
For the first time in history just one final game decided about the new
title holders as Papp Laszlo Budapest Sportarena hosted the excellent
premiere edition of the MVM EHF FINAL4. Györ successfully defended
the title after avenging their 2012 defeat by Buducnost in front of
a sold-out crowd (10,000). Hungarian champions were the only
undefeated team of the season as they won 12 matches and drew
twice with Buducnost in the main round. Györ’s captain Anita Görbicz
became the season’s top scorer for the second time scoring 87 goals.
42
WOMEN'S EHF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2014/15 26 June 2014 in Vienna 1 HUN 1
2 MNE 1
3 NOR 1
4 SLO 1
5 DEN 1
6 ROU 1
7 GER 1
8 RUS 1
9 MKD 1
10 FRA 1
11 AUT 1
12 CRO 1
13 SWE 1
14 POL 1
15 HUN 2
16 DEN 2
17 NOR 2
18 GER 2
19 CRO 2
20 BLR 1
21 NED 1
22 SRB 1
DRAWS:
12 teams
8 teams
4 teams
30.01‐01.02.2015 (1)
06.‐08.02.2015 (2) 03.‐05.04.2015 09./10.05.2015
13.‐15.02.2015 (3)
first leg
tournament
27.02.‐01.03.2015 (4)
06.‐08.03.2015 (5) 10.‐12.04.2015
13.‐15.03.2015 (6)
second leg
no draw
no draw
Györi Audi ETO KC
WHC Buducnost
Larvik HK
RK Krim Ljubljana
Viborg HK
HCM Baia Mare
Thüringer HC
Dinamo‐Sinara Volgograd
WHC Vardar SCBT
Metz Handball
Hypo Niederösterreich
RK Lokomotiva‐Zagreb
IK Sävehof
MKS Selgros Lublin
FTC Rail Cargo Hungaria
FC Midtjylland
Byasen Trondheim
HC Leipzig
HC Podravka Vegeta
HC BNTU‐BELAz Minsk
Sercodak/Dalfsen
ZRK Radnicki Kragujevac
FINAL4
27 June 2014 in Vienna
Winners of the 2 Qualification tournaments NATION
played in semi finals
and finals
17.‐19.10.2014 (1)
24.‐26.10.2014 (2)
31.10.‐02.11.2014 (3)
07.‐09.11.2014 (4)
14.‐16.11.2014 (5)
21.‐23.11.2014 (6)
Quarterfinals
14 April 2015
4 Winners of WOMEN'S EHF Champions League Quarterfinals
20./21.09.2014
tournaments
4 groups with 4 teams
Main Round
1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed team of the
WOMEN'S EHF Champions League Main Round
Tournaments
Group Matches
1st, 2nd and 3rd placed team from each group Qualification
Tournaments
2 groups with 4 teams
4th placed teams of CL Qualification Tournaments go
to the Cup Winners' Cup Rd 2, 2nd and 3rd placed
teams of CL Qualification Tournaments go to the Cup
Winners' Cup Rd 3
status: 23.06.2014
44
3
6
30.01. - 01.02.2015
06. - 08.02.2015
13. - 15.02.2015
27.02. - 01.03.2015
06. - 08.03.2015
13. - 15.03.2015
17. - 19.10.2014
24. - 26.10.2014
31.10. - 02.11.2014
07. - 09.11.2014
14. - 16.11.2014
21. - 23.11.2014
8 teams
20/21.09.2014
2 tournaments with
semi-finals and finals
Main Round
Season 2014/15 playing dates
3
6
Main Round
Group Matches
Home matches
Total matches
Group Matches
Qualification
Qualification
second leg
11. - 12.04.2015
first leg
04. - 05.04.2015
Quarter-finals
vs.
1
2
vs. 2
3
vs.
vs. 1
4
Quarter-finals
Women’s EHF Champions League 2014/15 playing system
vs.
09. / 10.05.2015
FINAL4
Final
vs.
3rd Place Match
vs.
vs.
Semi-finals
FINAL4
Important regulations
What follows, if a match ends in a draw
All matches of the MVM EHF FINAL4 shall be played in 2 x 30
minutes with a half-time break of 15 minutes.
lots. The team winning the draw may choose whether it wishes to
throw first or last.
If a Semi-final match or the Final (place 1/2) ends in a draw, there
will be a five minutes break followed by one extra time of 2 x 5
minutes, there will be a one minute half-time break at half-time
for the changeover of teams.
• If the scores are equal after the first round of penalty throws, it
shall be continued until a decision is reached. In the second
round, the other team shall start. Again five players shall be
named who are eligible to play (the players named before may be
named once again).
If the placement match 3/4 ends in a draw, there shall be no extra
time, the match will be decided directly by penalty throws.
• In the second round, a decision is reached when a goal
difference arises after both teams have taken one throw each.
If penalty throws are needed to decide the match, the procedure
is as follows:
• Eligible players are players entered in the match report that
have not been disqualified or suspended at the time of the final
whistle.
• Prior to the penalty throws, each team shall name five players
eligible to play at the end of the match by handing the referees
a list of numbers. These players shall then take one throw each,
alternating with their opponents. Each team is free to determine
the sequence in which throwers will take their throws.
• Serious infractions committed during penalty throws shall be
sanctioned by disqualification. If a thrower is disqualified or
suffers an injury, an eligible substitute player shall be
supplementary named.
• The goalkeepers may be freely selected from the match
report and exchanged in accordance with the Rules of the
Game. Goalkeepers may take throws and throwers may perform
as goalkeepers.
• While the throws are being taken, only the player taking the
throw, the current goalkeeper and the referees may enter the
respective half of the playing court.
• If the number of eligible players falls below five, players may be
named to take a second throw in the same round.
• At the Technical Meeting the teams will be informed at which
goal the penalty throws will be taken. The team taking the first
penalty throw shall be determined by the referees by drawing
2015 MVM EHF FINAL4
Media Information
by
EHF Media & Communications, 06/05/2015
Contributors: Björn Pazen, Zoran Milosavljevic, Nemanja Savic, Amina Idrizi, Sasa Joncic, Peter Bruun, all stats by Roy Knoppert
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