Recent champions still in the hunt

2017 champions HC Lokomotiva Zagreb and 2016 winners Rocasa Gran Canaria are still in the race for the Women's Challenge Cup title this season, as the quarter-finals begin this coming weekend.

However, one of the two teams, Rocasa Gran Canaria, postpone their involvement until next weekend, when the Spanish side take on Zagnosspor from Turkey in a doubleheader.

Lokomotiva, on the other hand, play the first leg of their quarter-final tie this weekend.

They start at home in the Croatian capital against Dutch outfit Virto/Quintus on Sunday evening.

Prolific Poles

The quarter-final action begins on Friday in southern Spain, when Rincon Fertilidad Malaga welcome MKS Perla Lublin for the first leg of the only doubleheader this weekend.

After the first match Friday night in the Ciudad deportiva Carranque of Malaga, the same venue hosts the return match on Sunday morning.

The home team will be well advised to pay particular attention to Dagmarra Nocun and Malgorzata Rola.

These two Lublin players have scored a combined 71 goals in the Challenge Cup so far, putting them first and third on the individual scoring chart - Nocun has scored 38 goals and Rola has 33 so far this season.

Just like Spain, Turkey are represented by two teams in the quarter-finals and while Zagnosspor are involved in a doubleheader against Rocasa Gran Canaria next weekend, Ardesen GSK will be on the court this weekend.

Ardesen, who boast a Last 16 berth in the Cup Winners' Cup in 2015/16 as their best achievement to date, are at home in Saturday’s first leg against Sweden’s Kristianstad Handball Klubb, who are debutants in Europe this season.