group b - European Handball Federation

VELUX EHF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2011/12 PREVIEW
• 8,880 minutes until the trophy is won
• 19 th season for the EHF Champions League
• 24 teams from 15 countries (36 from 24 if including Qualification Phase)
• 148 matches until the final destination Cologne
• RK Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb participate for the 18 th time
• Chekhovskie Medvedi for the 12 th straight time
• Three newcomers
One trophy, one city, one dream: 24 teams have to go 18 (or maybe even 20) steps to be on top of
Europe; to be crowned champions of the VELUX EHF Champions League 2011/2012.
In 275 days, on 27 May 2012, the winner of the most important cup in the world of the club handball
will be known – after 148 matches in Group Stage, Last 16, Quarter-Finals and the VELUX EHF FINAL4.
FC Barcelona Intersport start as defending champions – but the number of top opponents is huge this
season. With their new name and new home BM Atletico Madrid are keen to continue their successful
tradition, when they were known as BM Ciudad Real.
The German sides from Hamburg and Kiel will be strong like the Catalans and like the new Danish
champions AG Kobenhavn or traditionally strong teams like MKB Veszprem, MAHB Montpellier or
Chekhovskie Medvedi.
The first steps for all of them are the 10 matches of the Group Stage. On 28 September the starting
whistle will be blown and after the break for EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia the Group Stage continues with
the last three rounds on 8 February 2012.
By 26 February the 16 participants of the knock-out stage will be known, whilst the Last 16 (14 – 25
March) will also be played in the same form as last season.
The four group winners face the four fourth-ranked teams, and the clubs ranked third meet those
ranked second. The better ranked teams have the home right in the second leg.
The winners of the Last 16 qualify for the Quarter-Finals (18 – 29 April 2012), which is the last step to
Cologne. The group winners (if they qualify) again have the home right in the decisive second leg –
and group winners cannot face each other before the VELUX EHF FINAL4.
The semi-finals will take place in Cologne on 26 May – and one day later the 19 th winner of the VELUX
EHF Champions League will be known.