14 multiple Champions League winners on court in Budapest

Dreams will come true on 8 May in Papp Laszlo Arena when the Women’s EHF Champions League 2015/16 winners are crowned.

Due to the semi-final draw, only one former winner – either Györi Audi ETO KC (2013, 2014) or defending champions Buducnost (2012, 2015) – can make it to the final. From the second semi-final, it will be either Champions League debutants CSM Bucuresti or Vardar, for whom it would be the first semi-final win at the event, that proceed.

Looking individually at players, Katarina Bulatovic is on the verge of making history: After winning the trophy in 2015 for the fourth time with her third champion club, she can become the third female player in EHF Champions League history to triumph for the fifth time after winning with Slagelse (2007), Györ (2014) and Buducnost (2012, 2015).

Only Ausra Fridrikas (seven trophies) and Buducnost’s current sports director Bojana Popovic (six) have won the competition more often.

In contrast to 2015 when only two multiple former Champions League winners were on court at the FINAL4 in Budapest, this year, 14 players that have won the competition more than once will contest the semi-finals.

Romanian veteran Cristina Varzaru (all titles with Viborg) and Györ line player Heidi Löke (twice winner with the Hungarian side, once with Larvik) were Champions League winners three times.

Overall, eleven players are dual winners of the competition, including five that won the trophy either twice with Györ or with Buducnost.

Vardar line player Anja Althaus won the title twice with Viborg, and now has the chance to become the first female German player to win the EHF Champions League with two different clubs.

Alongside the multiple winners on court in Budapest will be ten players that have won the trophy once each.

Vardar coach Indira Kastratovic can also make history in Budapest: If her team win the title on 8 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 (1994) and as a coach with Ciudad Real (2006, 2008, 2009).  

Ambros Martin (Györ) and Dragan Adzic (Buducnost) can each take their third trophy as a coach.

Champions League winners on court at the Women’s EHF FINAL4 2016:
Buducnost: Katarina Bulatovic (Slagelse 2006/07, Buducnost 2011/12, Györ 2013/14, Buducnost 2014/15), Dragana Cvijic, Milena Rajcevic (Knezevic), Suzanna Lazovic, Majda Mehmedovic, Radmila Petrovic (all Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15), Kinga Achruk (Byzdra), Cristina Neagu, Biljana Pavicevic, Ema Ramusovic, Marta Zderic (all Buducnost 2014/15)

Györi Audi ETO KC: Heidi Löke (Larvik 2010/11, Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14), Eduarda Amorim, Anita Görbicz, Dorina Korsos, Aniko Kovacsics, Adrienn Orban (all Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14), Linn Sulland (Larvik 2010/11), Bernadett Bognar-Bodi (Györ 2013/14)

HC Vardar: Anja Althaus (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10), Andrea Lekic and Jovanka Radicevic (both Györ 2012/13)

CSM Bucuresti: Cristina Varzaru (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10), Maria Fisker (Viborg 2008/09)

Multiple Women’s EHF Champions League winners:
Six titles with two clubs:
Ausra Fridrikas (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95, Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/2000, Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05)

Six titles with three clubs:
Bojana Popovic (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10, Podgorica 2011/12)

Five titles:-
Four titles with one club:
Rima Sypkus (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95, Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/2000)
Tanja Dshandshagava (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95, Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/2000)

Four titles with two clubs:
Katrine Lunde-Haraldsen (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10, Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)

Four titles with three clubs:
Katarina Bulatovic (Slagelse 2006/07, Buducnost 2011/12, Györ 2013/14, Buducnost 2014/15)

Three titles with one club:
Chao Zhai (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Cristina Varzaru (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)  
Grit Jurack (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Lene Lund-Nielsen (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Rikke Skov (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Louise Bager-Norgaard (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Iris Morhammer (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95, Hypo 1999/2000)
Stanca Bozovic (Hypo 1994/95, Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/2000)
Mette Melgaard (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07)

Three titles with two clubs:
Anja Freser (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03, Slagelse 2003/04)
Luminita Hutupan (Dinu) (Krim 2000/01, Skopje 2001/02, Krim 2002/03)
Cecilie Leganger (Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07, Larvik 2010/11)
Maja Savic (Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07, Podgorica 2011/12)
Heidi Löke (Larvik 2010/11, Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)

Two titles with one club:
Agnieszka Matuszewska (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03)
Branka Mijatovic (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03)
Deja Doler (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03)
Natalia Derepasko (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03)
Tatjana Oder (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03)
Anja Althaus (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Gitte Aaen (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Heidi Astrup (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2009/10)
Henriette Mikkelsen (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Janne Pedersen (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Kristine Lunde-Borgesen (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Monika Kovacsicz (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Nora Reiche (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Anne Loft (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2006/07)
Carmen Lungu (Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07)
Line Hougaard (Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07)
Rikke Schmidt (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05)
Stina Madsen (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05)
Valentina Radulovic (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05)
Barbara Strass (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95)
Beatrice Wagner (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95)
Bozena Karkut (Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/2000)
Edit Matei (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95)
Laura Fritz (Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/2000)
Marianne Racz (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95)
Mia Hermansson-Hogdahl (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95)
Renata Cieloch (Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/2000)
Tanja Logvin (Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/2000)
Eduarda Amorim (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Anita Görbicz (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Orsolya Herr (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Agnes Hornyak (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Dora Hornyak (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Dorina Korsos (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Aniko Kovacsics (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Adrienn Orban (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Victoria Redei-Soos (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Szederke Sirian (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Ivett Szepesi (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Raphaelle Tervel (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Dragana Cvijic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Milena Rajcevic (Knezevic) (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Suzanna Lazovic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Majda Mehmedovic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Zeljka Nikolic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Radmila Petrovic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Marina Rajcic (Vukovic) (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Clara Woltering (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)

Two titles with two clubs:
Irina Poltoratskaya (Slagelse 2004/05, Zvezda 2007/08)
Maja Mitrovic (Krim 2000/01, Slagelse 2003/04)