2,481 goals and not a single draw

The best attack, the weakest defence, the highest number of goals and fans per match: ehfCL.com has been analysing the Women’s EHF Champions League 2017/18 Group Matches.

The main round begins on Friday, so it’s time to have a look at a selection of notable stats of the season so far.

0 of 48 group matches ended in a draw, after only one draw in the group matches last season.

1 team won all six group matches: 2017 finalists Vardar Skopje. Metz, Györ and Bucuresti each won five times.

1 team made it from qualification to main round: Thüringer HC.

1 former Champions League winner went out after the group matches and into the EHF Cup: 2011 champions Larvik HK.

1 team start their main round campaign with zero points: Thüringer HC.

2 Champions League debutants made it to the main round: Nykøbing and Bietigheim.

2 teams failed to win a single point in the group matches: Brest and Gdynia.

2 points (from a win against Larvik) in six matches were enough for Thüringer HC to advance to the main round.

3 nations have two teams each in the main round: Hungary (Györ and FTC), Denmark (Nykøbing and Midtjylland) and Germany (Bietigheim and Thüringer HC). Both Danish and German sides will meet in the main round.

4 - which means all - participants of the Women’s EHF FINAL4 2017 are still part of the competition: Bucuresti, Györ, Vardar and Buducnost.

4 former or current Champions League winners are part of the main round: Györ (2013, 2014, 2017), Bucuresti (2016), Buducnost (2012, 2015) and Krim (2001, 2003).

5 group matches ended with a total of 60 goals or more, compared to 10 last season.

7 group matches ended with a goal difference of 10 or more goals, one less than last season.

7 group matches were attended by 4,000 or more spectators.

7 teams won all three home matches: Bucuresti, Nykøbing, Rostov, Györ, Vardar, Buducnost and Metz.

9 teams from the main round in 2016/17 have made it to the same stage again this season: Vardar, Thüringer HC, Györ, Buducnost, FTC, Midtjylland, Bucuresti, Krim and Metz. Rostov, Nykøbing and Bietigheim replace Larvik, Astrakhan and Esbjerg.

9 different nations are represented by the 12 teams in the main round, one nation (Norway) less than last season. The only difference is Germany having two teams this season.

13 goals was the biggest winning margin in the group matches: Bucuresti vs Nykøbing 39:26.

18 away victories were among the 48 group matches, one more than last season.

23 goals was the aggregate difference between Bucuresti and Gdynia (34:23 and 34:22).

24 matches were attended by 2,000 or more spectators.

30 times the home team won, the same number as last season.

48 matches in the main round will determine the eight quarter-finalists.

+48 was the best goal difference by any team: Bucuresti (192:144).

50 goals made Czech international Iveta Luzumova (Thüringer HC) the top scorer of the group matches, ahead of Veronika Christiansen (Midtjylland) and Kim Naidzinavicius (Bietigheim) with 47 each. (Naidzinavicius is out for the season with a knee injury.)

93 goals on aggregate in both legs of Györ vs Rostov was the lowest score of all pairings in the group matches.

126 goals conceded meant Györ had the best defence of all teams.

192 goals scored meant Bucuresti had the best attack of all teams.

2,481 goals have been scored in total (51.68 goals per match), 34 less than last season. Groups C (662) and A (654) were considerably more productive than D (597) and B (568).

5,500 spectators attended Györ vs Rostov and Györ vs Brest, the highest attendance number in the group matches.

16,157 spectators in total attended the three home matches of Györ (5,386 fans per match).

The top 5 of the Women's EHF Champions League Group Matches 2017/18

Best attack:
192 goals: Bucuresti
183 goals: FTC
182 goals: Vardar
168 goals: Nykøbing
159 goals: Krim

Best defence:
126 goals: Györ
137 goals: Metz
138 goals: Rostov
147 goals: Midtjylland
147 goals: Vardar

Best goal difference:
+48: Bucuresti
+35: Vardar
+27: Györ
+20: Metz
+16: FTC

Most goals in a single match:
70: FTC vs Larvik (37:33)
65: Bucuresti vs Nykøbing (39:26)
65: Vardar vs FTC (34:31)
64: Gdynia vs Nykøbing (28:36)
63: Krim vs Bucuresti (30:33)

Fewest goals in a single match:
41: Buducnost vs Metz (23:18)
43: Györ vs Midtjylland (27:16)
43: Györ vs Brest (26:17)
45: Midtjylland vs Brest (24:21)
45: Brest vs Midtjylland (22:23)
45: Rostov vs Györ (23:22)

Biggest winning margin:
+13 goals: Bucuresti vs Nyköbing (39:26)
+12 goals: Bucuresti vs Gdynia (34:22)
+12 goals: Bucuresti vs Krim (30:18)
+12 goals: Larvik vs Vardar (19:31)
+11 goals: Gdynia vs Bucuresti (23:34)

Best home teams:
6-0 points: Bucuresti, Nykøbing, Rostov, Györ, Vardar, Buducnost, Metz

Best away teams:
6-0 points: Vardar
4-2 points: Bucuresti, Györ, FTC, Metz

Most spectators:
5,500: Györ vs Rostov
5,500: Györ vs Brest
5,157: Györ vs Midtjylland
5,000: Vardar vs THC
4,627: Bucuresti vs Krim

Top scorers:
50 goals: Iveta Luzumova (THC)
47 goals: Veronika Kristiansen (Midtjylland)
47 goals: Kim Naidzinavicius (Bietigheim)
42 goals: Cristina Neagu (Bucuresti)
41 goals: Johanna Westberg (Nykøbing)