Last season was hardly a success for Rostov-Don. The ambitious Russian team lost the domestic championship title to CSKA, and in the DELO EHF Champions League, they were defeated by future winners Vipers Kristiansand as early as the quarter-final.

In the new season, Rostov hope to do better, even though it will not be easy without their emblematic leader Anna Vyakhireva, who decided to take a break in her career. However, head coach Per Johansson has quite a number of other world-class players at his disposal, so the Russian side are aiming high as always.

Main facts

• after winning the Russian league four consecutive times, Rostov lost the title to CSKA in 2020/21
• in the continental top flight last season, Rostov failed to reach the EHF FINAL4 for the first time since 2016/17
• Grace Zaadi and new signing Beatrice Edwige won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with France
• Edwige and Eduarda Amorim both joined Rostov from Györ, while Anastasia Lagina and Ekaterina Levsha moved from domestic rivals, Lada and Astrakhanochka, respectively
• Anna Vyakhireva suspended her career, while four other players also left the team
• Swedish coach Per Johansson starts his second season at the team

Most important question: can Rostov be successful without Vyakhireva?

Anna Vyakhireva’s decision to suspend her career at least for one season is definitely a big blow for the Russian side. In the last few years, the right back has missed quite a number of matches due to injuries, and Rostov were two different teams with and without Vyakhireva. The EHF Champions League 2020/21 quarter-final was a perfect example, as Vyakhireva was absent and the Russian team lost to Vipers.

Vyakhireva, who was MVP of the 2020 Olympic tournament, named fatigue as the main reason behind her decision for a break. She is impossible to replace, and coach Johansson now admits that the right back position is one of his biggest problems. However, the team still boast a star-studded squad, so they should find a way to be successful even without their biggest star.

Under the spotlight: Eduarda Amorim

The 34-year-old Brazilian spent 12 seasons at Györ and won many trophies with the Hungarian club, including five DELO EHF Champions League titles. At some point, she was thinking of finishing her career in 2021, yet an exciting offer from Rostov made the left back change her mind and begin a new chapter in her career.

The player who is valuable in both offence and defence should be an asset for Rostov with her skill, experience and winning mentality. Notably, Amorim has moved to Russia together with Beatrice Edwige, her former teammate and another defensive mastermind from Györ.

How they rate themselves

Rostov’s big goal is still to win the DELO EHF Champions League for the first time, and the team will do their best to achieve the long-held aim.

“Our biggest motivation is to win titles we’ve never won before but were so close to doing it. That’s always a huge motivation,” team captain Iuliia Managarova said.

"Most of our rivals have new players, so it will be fun and interesting to face their new squads. For example, CSM or Esbjerg, and also Brest whom we haven’t played for a long time.”

Did you know?

While Vyakhireva put her career on hold, her sister Polina Kuznetsova, who is eight years older, will continue playing for Rostov in the 2021/22 season. However, the 34-year-old left wing will now focus only on her club duties, as she decided to finish her career in the national team after winning silver at the Olympics in Tokyo.

What the numbers say

Even without Vyakhireva, Rostov still have as many as six recent Olympic champions in their squad, as Viktoriia Kalinina, Anna Sen, Polina Kuznetsova and Vladlena Bobrovnikova won the title with Russia in 2016, while Grace Zaadi and Beatrice Edwige did it with France five years later.

Arrivals and departures:

Arrivals: Beatrice Edwige (Györi Audi ETO KC), Eduarda Amorim (Györi Audi ETO KC), Anastasia Lagina (Handball Club Lada), Ekaterina Levsha (Astrakhanochka)

Departures: Anna Vyakhireva (suspended career), Mayssa Pessoa (Dunarea Braila), Katarina Krpez Slezak (Krim), Valeriya Sobkalo (Kuban), Kristina Sorokina (Stavropol-SKFU)

Past achievements

Women’s EHF Champions League participations (including 2021/22 season): 10
Final (1): 2018/19
Semi-final (1): 2017/18
Quarter-final (2): 2015/16, 2020/21
Group matches (1): 2016/17
Qualification (3): 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14

Other EC records:

EHF Cup:
Winner (1): 2016/17
Runner-up (1): 2014/15
Quarter-final (1): 2009/10
Last 16 (3): 2004/05, 2005/06, 2008/09
Qualification (3): 2003/04, 2006/07, 2007/08

Cup Winners’ Cup:
Semi-final (2): 2012/13, 2013/14
Quarter-final (1): 2010/11
Last 16 (1): 2011/12
Qualification (1): 2002/03

Russian league (eight titles): 1990, 1991, 1994, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Russian Cup (13 titles): 1980, 1982, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021