22 Champions League winners on court in Cologne

History has repeated itself once again: The defending VELUX EHF Champions League champions KS Vive Tauron Kielce were eliminated in the Last 16 by Montpellier and have no chance to defend their title at the VELUX EHF FINAL4, continuing the series of early eliminations of the defending champions.

Also once again, one player can defend his individual trophy.

Croatian right wing Ivan Cupic has a great chance to become the first player since 2009 – and thus since the implementation of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in the 2009/10 season – to defend the title. In 2016 he raised the trophy with Kielce, and now plays for HC Vardar.

Aside from goalkeeper Arpad Sterbik, who won the EHF Champions League three times with Ciudad Real (2006, 2008, 2009), Cupic is the only former or current Champions League winner in the Vardar squad. Sterbik will be on court in Cologne with his fourth different club after being part of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 with Ciudad Real and Barcelona.

Record champions FC Barcelona Lassa count the highest number of former EHF Champions League winners with 12, including nine multiple winners and three one-time victors. Paris Saint-German have three former winners in their quad (all multiple), and Telekom Veszprém have five (three multiple and two single).

In total, 21 former Champions League winners and one current title holder will be on court in Cologne this year, with 16 of them having won more than one trophy. In 2016 the number was 19, including 11 multiple winners.

The top of the top in terms of titles this year is PSG goalkeeper Thierry Omeyer. The five-time world champion has won the EHF Champions League four times already – 2003 with Montpellier, and 2007, 2010 and 2012 with Kiel.

He is ahead of a quartet of triple winners: Victor Tomas (2005, 2011, 2015 with Barcelona), Viran Morros (2008, 2009 with Ciudad Real, 2015 with Barcelona), Nikola Karabatic (2003 with Montpellier, 2007 with Kiel, 2015 with Barcelona) and Sterbik.

Only 11 players so far have won the trophy five or more times, a list still topped by Andrei Xepkin, who was part of all six Barcelona squads that took the trophy between 1996 and 2005, and later claimed his seventh title with Kiel in 2007.

Xepkin’s 2007 Kiel teammate Nikola Karabatic can make special history if PSG win the final: The three-time IHF World Player of the Year can become the first ever handball player to win the EHF Champions League with four different clubs.

EHF Champions League winners in the VELUX EHF FINAL4 2017 squads:
FC Barcelona:
Multiple EHF Champions League winners (9): Victor Tomas (Barcelona 2005, 2011, 2015), Viran Morros (Ciudad Real 2008, 2009, Barcelona 2015), Filip Jicha (Kiel 2010, 2012), Aitor Arino, Raul Entrerrios, Jesper Nöddesbo, Gonzalo Perez de Vargas, Joan Saubich, Cedric Sorhaindo (all Barcelona 2011, 2015)
Single EHF Champions League winners (2): Kiril Lazarov, Wael Jallouz (all Barcelona 2014/15)

HC Vardar:
Multiple EHF Champions League winners (1): Arpad Sterbik (Ciudad Real 2006, 2008, 2009)
Single EHF Champions League winners (1): Ivan Cupic (Kielce 2015/16)

Paris Saint-Germain Handball:
Multiple EHF Champions League winners (3): Thierry Omeyer (Montpellier 2003, Kiel 2007, 2010, 2012), Nikola Karabatic (Montpellier 2003, Kiel 2007, Barcelona 2015), Daniel Narcisse (Kiel 2010, 2012)
Single EHF Champions League winners: -

Telekom Veszprém:
Multiple EHF Champions League winners (3): Momir Ilic, Aron Palmarsson (both Kiel 2010, 2012), Laszlo Nagy (Barcelona 2005, 2011)
Single EHF Champions League winners (3): Chema Rodriguez (Ciudad Real 2008/09), Cristian Ugalde (Barcelona 2010/11), Andreas Nilsson (HSV Hamburg 2012/13)

All multiple EHF Champions League winners:
7 titles with 2 clubs:
Andrei Xepkin (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05, Kiel 2006/07)

6 titles with 1 club:
David Barrufet (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05)

6 titles with 2 clubs:
Tomas Svensson (Irun 1994/95, Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)

6 titles with 3 clubs:
Siarhei Rutenka (Celje 2003/04, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Barcelona 2010/11), Barcelona 2014/15)

5 titles with 1 club:
Carlos Antonio Ortega (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Enric Masip (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Inaki Urdangarin (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Rafael Guijosa (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Xavier O'Callaghan (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05)

5 titles with 2 clubs:
Mateo Garralda (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, San Antonio 2000/01)

5 titles with 3 clubs:
Jose Javier Hombrados (Santander 1993/94, San Antonio 2000/01, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)

4 titles with 3 clubs:
Uros Zorman (Celje 2003/04, Ciudad Real 2007/09, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Kielce 2015/16)

4 titles with 2 clubs:
Didier Dinart (Montpellier 2002/03, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Fernando Barbeito (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, San Antonio 2000/01)
Olafur Stefansson (Magdeburg 2001/02, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Thierry Omeyer (Montpellier 2002/03, Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)

3 titles with 1 club:
Alberto Entrerrios (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Arpad Sterbik (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
David Davis (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Jonas Källman (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Petar Metlicic (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Rolando Urios (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Christian Zeitz (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Dominik Klein (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Henrik Lundström (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Kim Andersson (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Marcus Ahlm (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Jose Manuel Sierra (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Josep Espar (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Patrik Cavar (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Roger Magrina (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Victor Tomas (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)

3 titles with 2 clubs:
Viran Morros (Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Barcelona 2014/15)
Tobias Reichmann (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12, Kielce 2015/16)

3 titles with 3 clubs:
Nikola Karabatic (Montpellier 2002/03, Kiel 2006/07, Barcelona 2014/15)

2 titles with 1 club:
Ales Pajovic (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08)
Roberto Garcia Parrondo (Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Alexandru Dedu (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99)
David Barbeito (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Demetrio Lozano (Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Iker Romero (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11)
Jesus Olalla (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Juan Perez (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Laszlo Nagy (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11)
Quino Soler (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99)
Andreas Palicka (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Aron Palmarsson (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Christian Sprenger (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Daniel Narcisse (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Filip Jicha (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Momir Ilic (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Tobias Reichmann (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Aitor Arino (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Raul Entrerrios (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Jesper Nöddesbo (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Gonzalo Perez de Vargas (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Danijel Saric (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Joan Saubich (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Cedric Sorhaindo (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)

2 titles with 2 clubs:
Dejan Peric (Celje 2003/04, Barcelona 2004/05)
Jerome Fernandez (Barcelona 2004/05, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Lars Krogh Jeppesen (Barcelona 2004/05, Kiel 2006/07)
Mikhail Jakimovich (Santander 1993/94, San Antonio 2000/01)
Nenad Perunicic (Irun 1994/95, Magdeburg 2001/02)
Oleg Kisselev (Irun 1994/95, San Antonio 2000/01)
Juan Munoz (Santander 1993/94, Barcelona 1996/97)
Mattias Andersson (Kiel 2006/07, Flensburg 2013/14)