Out for the 'Cologne treble'

Carlos Antonio Ortega has a dream - to become the second man in handball to win the VELUX EHF Champions League as a coach and a player after he had raised the trophy six times as part of the ‘golden’ FC Barcelona team in the 1990’s. He has led Veszprem twice consecutively to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne in 2014 and 2015 - and in May he even made it to the final against his former club FC Barcelona.

The fans of the Hungarian record champions are confident too - shown by long queues in front of the ticket counter for the 2016 FINAL4 event already in May 2015.

Most of the coaches and experts have Veszprem also on their list to go again all the way to Cologne, this is mainly due to the fact that the club from Lake Balaton signed two top-class players to strengthen their squad again: Croatian top star Ivan Sliskovic from Celje and playmaker Aron Palmarsson - the third former THW Kiel player to sign since the Champions League top scorer Momir Ilic and right back Christian Zeitz both put pen to paper.

On the other hand, only Iman Jamali left Veszprem, the well-balanced and well-rehearsed squad is expected to be on a high this season. “We are out to qualify for the VELUX EHF FINAL4 again,” that is the clear message given by club director Csaba Hajnal.

Veszprem will face Kiel, PSG, Flensburg, Plock, Zagreb, Celje and Besiktas in Group A - all of them tough opponents. “Our group is composed only by excellent teams, including two German competitors. But in our opinion the strongest team in this group and all over Europe is PSG,” says Hajnal.

As Veszprem is also competing in the multi-national SEHA LIGA (which they won in 2015), team captain Laszlo Nagy expects “a long and difficult season. But we hope to achieve great results in all competitions.” Nagy – two-time Champions League winner with FC Barcelona - believes that PSG are the strongest team in their group, but also estimates the two German sides as main contenders for Veszprem in the fight for a top position.

In preparation Veszprem already clashed with some of Europe’s top teams at the tournaments in Ehingen (Germany) and Straßbourg (France) to be right on top for the start of the season.

Veszprem Handball Club (HUN)

Qualification for the 2015/2016 VELUX EHF Champions League season: Hungarian champions

Coach: Carlos Antonio Ortega (since 2012)

Newcomers: Aron Palmarsson (THW Kiel), Ivan Sliskovic (RK Celje)

Left the club: Iman Moorchegani Jamali (IFK Kristianstad)

Opponents in the group phase: Kiel, PSG, Celje, Plock, Zagreb, Besiktas, Flensburg in Group A

VELUX EHF Champions League records:

Participations (including 2015/16 season): 21
Final (2): 2001/02, 2014/15
Semi-final (3): 2002/03, 2005/06, 2013/14
Quarter-final (9): 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2012/13
Last 16 (3): 1993/94, 2010/11, 2011/12
Group Phase (3): 1994/95, 1995/96, 2007/08

Other achievements:

Cup Winners Cup: Winner 2007/08, Final 1996/97

Hungarian champions: 1984/85, 1985/86, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15

Hungarian Cup winner: 1983/84, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/2010, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15