16.04.2013, 11:26
Győr start their eighth European Cup final away at Larvik

Norwegian champions face the Hungarian powerhouse first on 4/5 May Larvik, with the second leg taking place in Hungary on 11/12 May

Győr start their eighth European Cup final away at Larvik

The winner's trophy of the Women's EHF Champions League will be awarded to the new holders in Hungary as the home right draw of the final games between Larvik HK and Győri Audi ETO KC determined that the second leg will be played in Veszprém Aréna on 11/12 May.

The first leg will take place in the Larvik Arena on 4/5 May.

Exact dates and times will be confirmed following the coordination of TV requirements.

The upcoming final will be Győr's eighth attempt to claim a European Cup trophy for their's club cabinet.

The Hungarian powerhouse, who lost just one match (in the semi-final against Vâlcea) in the current season, have already failed in two previous final matches in the premier continental club competition (2009, 2012) and were also left empty-handed on four occasions in the EHF Cup (1999, 2002, 2004, 2005) and once in the Cup Winners’ Cup (2006).

"It does not really matter if we play the first or the second leg at home. As we all saw in the semi-finals none of the teams won their home match and this tells a lot about the top quality of this competition. It is truth that we beat Larvik twice in the Main Round, but for us it is more important we are going to have two more great games and we want to win the trophy on 11 or 12 May," Győr´s president Ernő Kelecsényi

There are more plots in the final´s story - Győr’s current coach Ambros Martín was at the helm of Itxako when they lost to Larvik two years ago, Larvik former stalwart Heidi Løke transferred to Győr after this triumph joining another Norwegian international Katrine Lunde.

"All these facts can contribute to the special atmosphere of the upcoming final, but I do not think our team need an extra motivation when playing for the title. We have a superb team with a superb coach and we worked really hard on and off the court to achieve our final goal," Kelecsényi added.

Larvik's record in the European Cups final matches is more successful as the Norwegian champions won the EHF Champions League two years ago and also Cup Winners' Cup twice (2005 and 2008).

"Maybe players enjoy playing the last match away, but of course the audience and the club management wanted to have the final of the finals in Larvik. However, that did not happen and we are going to get the best out of this situation," Larvik's director Bjørn-Gunnar Bruun Hansen said after the draw.

"We lost twice this season and even if we have a look back in the history most people would say Győr is the favourite. I won´t take that position from them," he added smiling.

They were stopped only once in the final as they lost against FCK Håndbold in 2009.

TEXT: EHF / br