23.05.2008, 12:26
Facts and figures: the Women’s CL finals

Who won the most titles, which finals were decided in the second leg? A brief look at history…

Facts and figures: the Women’s CL finals 

16 seasons, 8 winners – Eurohandball.com takes a brief look at the history of the Women’s CL finals to come to statistical conclusions for the second leg of this year’s final, Hypo Niederösterreich vs Zvezda Zvenigorod.

In the season 1993/94 the new EHF product, “Champions League” was launched for the women teams. Since then eight different teams from seven countries have won the title.

Four times the current finalist Hypo Niederösterreich raised the trophy. The last time they won in 2000, but Hypo also reached the final in 1996 to lose against Croatian Koprivnica.

The second most successful club is Danish Slagelse. They won the CL on three occasions (2004, 2005 and 2007).

The Slovenian Krim Ljubljana won twice (2001, 2003) and lost three more finals (against Dunaferr in 1999, Slagelse in 2004 and Viborg in 2006).

Kometal Skopje, Viborg HK, Koprivnica, Dunaferr and Mar Valencia also celebrated once.

Does it mean an advantage to play the second leg of the finals at home?

This question is easy to answer when looking into the CL history. And the answer is no!

Eight clubs won the Champions League who played the second leg away, only six at home. Especially for Hypo it doesn’t look seem to be an advantage to play at home: all four of their CL trophies were lifted abroad. The only time Hypo played the second leg at home they lost against Koprivnica.

But in the last two years both winners could celebrate at home: Viborg and Slagelse.

The team that won the first match also won the title?

Zvezda can trust another statistics. Nine teams that won the first leg also lifted the title at the end. Only three teams could make a comeback and win the finals in the second leg. In addition, two first legs ended with a draw.

These are the facts, but as sports are not about statistics we’ll have to wait and see which series will break and which will continue…

TEXT: Björn Pazen