Barcelona 20 points ahead of Kiel in the all-time ranking

The last season of the VELUX EHF Champions League saw not only the unexpected rise of HSV Hamburg to the contitnental throne as the tenth team in 20-year history of the premier European club competition lifted the elusive trophy.

The jubilee edition of the Europe's top flight also witnessed how FC Barcelona Intersport cemented their top position in the all-time standings. Seven-time winners of the EHF Champions League currently lead by 20 points ahead of their fiercest opponents THW Kiel.

Both teams just concluded their 16th season amongst the continental elite two weeks ago at the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne as Barcelona failed to raise the trophy for the eight-time after a final extra-time defeat by Hamburg and Kiel's dream of defending the 2012 title was left in tatters after a bitter semi-final defeat by HSV.

Clash of titans

Barcelona extended the gap ahead of Kiel by four points during the last season as their point total has reached 324 points. As there will be another 32 points at the stake in the 2013/14 season the eternal tug-of-war between the Spanish and the German club is bound to continue with another thrilling part.

Any ambitions of other clubs to join this clash of titans would mean a long campaign lasting several seasons as their nearest rival MKB Veszprém sit on the third place not fewer than 42 points behind Kiel.

Veszprém with the longest streak

The Hungarian record title holders just narrowly missed the final weekend in the LANXESS arena as Kiel concluded Veszprém's 18th season in the quarter-finals.

Only one team have more appearances in the EHF Champions League as HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb missed only the 2001/02 season in the 20-year-old history. Slovenian powerhouse and 2004 champions RK Celje Pivovarna Laško have 17 participations.

However, no other team than Veszprém can pride themselves with a streak of 12 consecutive starts in the best European competition.

Atlético rule on the average

Barcelona might have the most points and the record number of trophies, but it is their domestic arch-rival who rules another statistic. BM Atlético Madrid, formerly known as BM Ciudad Real, have the highest points average per season as they recorded 226 points in only ten seasons.

Their mark 22,6 tops 21 by HSV Hamburg. FC Barcelona are third with 20,25 points per season, Rhein Neckar Löwen fourth (19,33) and Kiel fifth (19).

Record-holding Kiel

THW as the most successful German club top the ranking in two other perspectives – they gathered at least 20 points in seven consecutive seasons and no other team recorded more than 29 points, what Kiel gained in 2009/10 on the way to their second out of three titles.

Vive Targi Kielce finished just one point shy of the Kiel's top mark in the last season as the newcomers of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 lost only two out of 16 matches.

All-time ranking of the EHF Champions League after 20 seasons: