19.11.2013, 10:10
Györ face three former winners in main round

NEWS REPORT: The top eight teams of the Women's EHF Champions League have learnt their fate in the main round as the draw at the EHF Office in Vienna defined both groups. Two stars of the competition helped to carry out the draw

Györ face three former winners in main round

Four current or former winners of the Women's EHF Champions League will play in the same main round group as the reigning champions of the European top flight, Györi Audi ETO KC, have been drawn to Group 2 alongside the 2012 winners Buducnost, the 2011 trophy holders Larvik HK and RK Krim Mercator, who dominated already twice in the competition (2001 and 2003).

Tuesday's draw at the EHF Office in Vienna defined both main round quartets also setting a group of three main round newcomers for FC Midtjylland.

Danish champions will face Germany's Thüringer HC, Sweden's IK Sävehof and emerging Macedonian power WHC Vardar SCBT, who are in their first season amongst the Europe's elite.

The first round of the next stage is scheduled for 1/2 February, the last for 15/16 March. Only two best teams of each group will qualify for the semi-finals.

While four former winners of the EHF Champions League Györ, Larvik, Krim and Buducnost repeated their presence in the top eight of the continent, Midtyjlland returned after one-year absence and three teams – Vardar, Thüringer and Sävehof will make their debuts in the main round.

Two shining stars of the EHF Champions League courts helped EHF Secretary General Michael Wiederer and Competition's Commission Chairman Leopold Kalin to carry out the draw in Vienna as Györ's line player Heidi Loke drew the teams from Pot 1 and Krim's left wing Tamara Mavsar pulled out the teams from Pot 2.

Women's EHF Champions League Main Round groups:

Group 1:

1) FC Midtjylland (DEN)
2) WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD)
3) IK Sävehof (SWE)
4) Thüringer HC (GER)

Group 2:

1) RK Krim Mercator (SLO)
2) Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
3) Larvik HK (NOR)
4) Buducnost (MNE)

Main Round playing periods and order of matches:

Round 1 (01./02.02.2014): 1-3 and 2-4
Round 2 (08./09.02.2014): 4-1 and 3-2
Round 3 (15./16.02.2014): 2-1 and 4-3
Round 4 (01./02.03.2014): 1-2 and 3-4
Round 5 (08./09.03.2014): 3-1 and 4-2
Round 6 (15./16.03.2014): 1-4 and 2-3

Further information

Follow the Google Hangout panel discussion of European handball experts commenting the main round draw on Tuesday, 19 November at 18:00 hrs CET on www.eurohandball.com.

TEXT: EHF / br