09.12.2014, 07:29
89 Champions League players take part in the EHF EURO

FACTS AND FIGURES: The WOMEN'S EHF Champions League will be well represented at the Women's EHF Euro 2014 in Hungary and Croatia.

89 Champions League players take part in the EHF EURO

The Women's EHF EURO 2014 in Hungary and Croatia will involve 89 players who have taken part in the Women's EHF Champions League this season - exactly the same number that took part two years ago, at EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia.

This means that 28.5% of the players turning out for the 16 nations taking part in this month's competition, come from Champions League clubs.

Without including the players from the four clubs, which missed out on the Champions League Main Round, the number of players at the EHF EURO remains high, at 75.

Although the number of Champions League players selected to represent their countries in Hungary and Croatia is exactly the same as in Serbia two years ago, the spread looks very different.

Two years ago Hungary had the highest number of Champions League players in their squad, at 11. This year that number has fallen to four with the primary reason being that unlike in 2012, only one Hungarian club advanced to this season’s main round, Györi Audi ETO KC.

Back in 2012, Romanian side Oltchim Valcea had been the top supplier of players to the EHF EURO, but they no longer compete in the Champions League due to financial problems.

2014 Women's EHF Champions League finalists Buducnost Podgorica are now the top-ranked club in terms of representation at the EHF EURO with 13 players from five countries involved in the competition, including nine Montenegrin internationals.

The club ranked second in player representation at the EHF EURO 2014 come from a country that did not qualify for the event, FYR Macedonia. An international mix of nine players from a record six different countries make Vardar Skopje an extraordinary case.

Behind them are defending champions from Györ with eight players. This number could have been greater, but Katrine Lunde and Anita Görbicz will not take part as they are pregnant while Susann Müller (Germany) and Jelena Grubisic (Croatia) could yet still be involved.

Only one team, which was part of the group phase, Hypo Niederösterreich, is not represented at the EHF EURO 2014. 

On the other hand, Ukraine are the only EHF EURO participants not to call on a single Champions League player.

Joint host Croatia are top of that table, with 14 of their 16 players coming from Champions League clubs – mainly because this season Podravka Vegeta and Lokomotiva Zagreb qualified for the group phase, before ultimately missing out on the main round. Two years ago, only six Croatian players came from Champions League clubs.

Germany have taken a big step forward in this regard, going from using five Champions League players in 2012, to nine this time around.

Both German teams – Thüringer HC and HC Leipzig - clinched a berth for the group phase and even the main round. 

Meanwhile Serbia, Netherlands, Slovakia and Spain may not be represented by clubs in the current Champions League season, but they have all called upon Champions League players in their squads.

National teams at EHF Euro 2014 ranked by Champions League player representation:

1. Croatia – 14 players

2. Montenegro 11 players

3. Germany – 9 players

4. France – 7 players

5. Russia – 6 players

5. Norway – 6 players

5. Sweden – 6 players

8. Denmark – 5 players

8. Serbia – 5 players

8. Poland – 5 players

11. Netherlands – 4 players

11. Romania – 4 players

11. Hungary – 4 players

14. Spain – 2 players

15. Slovakia – 1 player

16. Ukraine – 0 players

Champions League clubs ranked by number of EHF EURO 2014 participants:

1. Buducnost – 13 players

2. Vardar Skopje – 9 players

3. Audi ETO Györ – 8 players

4. Lokomotiva Zagreb – 7 players

4. Handball Metz – 7 players

6. Thüringer HC – 6 players

6. HCM Baia Mare – 6 players

6. Larvik HK – 6 players

6. Viborg HK – 6 players

10. HC Leipzig – 5 players

10. Sävehof IK – 5 players

12. Podravka Vegeta – 4 players

13. MKS Lublin – 3 players

14. Dinamo Sinara – 3 players

15. Krim Mercator – 1 player

16. Hypo Niederösterreich – 0 players

Number of different nations represented within Champions League squads: 

1. Vardar Skopje – 6 countries (Russia/1, France/2, Serbia/1, Montenegro/2, Croatia/2, Germany/1)

2. Buducnost – 5 countries (Montenegro/9, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Germany – each 1)

3. Audi ETO Györ – 5 countries (HUN/4, Norway, Russia, Spain, Croatia – each 1)

4. Viborg HK – 3 countries (Denmark/4, Serbia, Sweden – each 1)

4. HCM Baia Mare – 3 countries (Romania/3, Russia/2, Norway/1)

4. Larvik HK – 3 countries (Norway/4, Denmark, Poland – each 1)

4. Handball Metz – 3 countries (France/4, Netherlands/2, Spain/1)

4. Thüringer HC – 3 countries (Germany/3, Netherlands/2, Slovakia/1)

9. Dinamo Sinara – 2 countries (Russia/2, Croatia/1)

9. HC Leipzig – 2 countries (Germany/4, Poland/1)

9. Podravka Vegeta – 2 countries (Croatia/3, Serbia/1)

9. Lokomotiva Zagreb – 2 countries (Croatia/6, Serbia/1)

13. MKS Lublin – 1 country (Poland/3)

13. Sävehof – 1 country (Sweden/5)

13. Krim Mercator – 1 country (France/1)

16. Hypo Niederösterreich – 0 

TEXT: Björn Pazen / jh