Coached by living legend, Zalau aim for quarter-finals

It is fair to say that HC Zalau have found a long-term solution on their bench.

With the exception of the seasons 2006/07 and 2007/08, Gheorghe Tadici has been coaching ‘his’ club since 1975.

Now even the playing arena has been named after the living legend, who was a long-term national team coach of Romania and still is coaching the Romanian youth team.

For the 16th time, Zalau is part of an EHF club competition, and it is the 15th time under the helm of Tadici. His side won all four qualification matches against Ankara and Hypo Niederösterreich clearly to make it to the group phase for the first time.

Their biggest international achievements were winning the City Cup in 1996 and making it to the EHF Cup Finals in 2012, when they lost to Lada Togliatti.

Tadici counts on an all-Romanian squad with a huge number of highly skilled talents from the rich pool of Romanian youngsters. In Group D, Zalau face Larvik, Höörs and Most.

“We hope to qualify for the quarter-finals, after making it to the group stage was already an appreciable achievement,” says Tadici, adding that “all teams of our group have equal chances to proceed in a group with only strong sides.”

For the highly experienced coach, there is no top favourite to win the trophy.

“Those teams which go through the upcoming weeks without major injuries of top players have the best chances to make it to the semis or the finals.”

HC Zalau (ROU)

Qualification for the EHF Cup Group Phase 2017/18: Round 2:  26:21, 34:29 against Ankara, Round 3: 30:22, 29:21 against Hypo Niederösterreich

Newcomers: Alexandra Bojan, Raluca Kelemen, Andreea Stinga, Diana Nichitean

Left the club: Teodora Bloj, Sabine Klimek, Ana-Maria Inculet

Coach: Gheorghe Tadici (1975-2006, since 2008)

Team captain: Valentina Panici

Opponents in the group matches: Larvik, Höörs and Most in Group D

Women’s EHF Champions League records:
Group matches: 2001/02

Other EC records:

Cup Winners’ Cup:
Semi-finals: 2000/01

EHF Cup:
Final: 2011/12
Semi-finals: 2012/13
Quarter-finals: 1994/95, 1999/00, 2004/05

EHF City Cup:
Winners: 1995/96

Romanian league: 2000/01, 2003/04, 2004/05
Romanian cup: 2002/03