05.05.2009, 06:14
Viborg vs Győr: a look at the history

The Danes had more success in the Champions League. Győr will try to keep the trophy in Hungary after 1999.


Viborg vs Győr: a look at the CL history

First title for Győr or the second for Viborg? Which team will raise the Champions League trophy on 16th May? These are the most important questions before the first leg of the Final this weekend when Viborg HK will meet Győri Audi ETO in Denmark.

The Viborg-Győr EHF Cup Final in 2004Viborg have the better and more experienced second string in their squad, while Győr will enjoy the advantage of playing the second leg on home court. The Hungarians can count on world class players such as Katalin Pálinger, Anita Görbicz or Orsolya Vérten.

Győr will organise the second leg of the Final in the newly built Veszprém Aréna, while Viborg will also change their usual home court to the Gigantium in Aalborg.

In the current season Viborg lost only two matches (in group phase against Krim and in the main round against Hypo) and made a draw against Valcea in the second leg of the semi-finals. The other 11 matches they won.

However, this achievement is even more valuable as top player Bojana Popovic suffered a serious knee injury during the group stage and she was missing from the major part of the season.

Győr played two outstanding semi-final games against Hypo Niederösterreich – runner-up of the previous season. After a one-goal defeat in Vienna, they have beaten the favourites clearly by 29:21 at home. On top of all, Győr had also eliminated the title holder Zvezda Zvenigorod in the first group stage.

This will be the fourth CL Final for Viborg after 1997, 2001 and 2006. The only time they could lift the trophy was 2006 after a thrilling final against Krim Ljubljana.

Győr never reached this far before. The biggest achievement of the club was coming to the semi-finals in the last two seasons and knocking on the Final’s door.

When looking at the European Cup history of the team, Győr doesn’t have good memories: they played five finals, but didn’t win a single title so far. In the EHF Cup (1999, 2002, 2004 and 2005) and in the Cup Winners’ Cup (2006) they had to take comfort in the silver medals. In fact, Győr already played two of these finals against the Danish Viborg (in 1999 and 2004).

From a national point of view, Denmark is leading by far. Apart from the success of Viborg, Slagelse also won the title three times (2004, 2005, 2007). On the other hand, Dunaferr were the only Hungarians to celebrate a CL title in 1999. Vasas (1994) and Herz FTC (2002) also reached the finals.

TEXT: Björn Pazen


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