04.10.2013, 09:02
Five teams from the EHF Champions League qualifiers chasing compensation

ROUND PREVIEW: Five teams who did not make it to group phase of the Women´s EHF Champions League do now have the chance to seek success in the EHF Cup Winners Cup in stead, where a new champion may have to be found.

Five teams from the EHF Champions League qualifiers chasing compensation

16 teams are involved in Round 2 of the Women´s Cup Winners’ Cup, of which the first matches are being played over this weekend.

A new winner of the competition may have to be found, as ruling champions Hypo Niederösterreich are in the EHF Champions League, and only if the Austrian champions finish third in their group, they will be defending the title in the Cup Winners' Cup.

In total 36 teams will enter this season, the eight winners of the Round 2 will join 16 sides waiting in the Round 3 plus four third ranked outfits from the Women’s EHF Champions League Group Matches. The Women’s Cup Winners’ Cup will be played in a traditional knockout format with first two rounds followed by the last 16 stage, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final scheduled for 3/4 May (first leg) and 10/11 May (second leg).

Five of Round 2 teams come from the qualification for the EHF Champions League Group Matches.

Jomi Salerno from Italy, who finished last in Qualification Group 4 for the Champions League, are playing both their matches in the first weekend, when their Swiss opponents SPONO Nottwil are coming to Italy to play Saturday as well as Sunday.

Dutch champions SERCODAK Dalfsen, who were fourth and last in Qualification Group 3, have the home advantage in the first leg against KGHM Metraco Zagłębie Lubin from Poland, while Muratpasa Belediyesi SK from Turkey, who were ousted in Qualification Round 1 for the Champions League, are having their destiny decided this weekend already, when both matches against Juve Lis from Portugal are being played in Turkey.

The two remaining teams from the Champions League qualifiers, BNTU-BelAZ Minsk Reg. and LK Zug Handball are both waiting for next weekend with their ties against Üsküdar BSK Dernegi and OFN. Ionias.

Further information

Find the schedule of the first leg matches here

TEXT: Peter Bruun / br