Karabatic aims for fourth trophy in fourth jersey
Two Frenchmen have the chance to continue their long series of triumphs, add to their trophy collection and write more pieces of handball history in Cologne.
PSG goalkeeper Thierry Omeyer can become the twelfth male handball player in history to win the EHF Champions League five times.
With four EHF Champions League trophies in his tally – the first from 2003 with Montpellier, followed by three titles with Kiel – Omeyer is the most successful VELUX EHF FINAL4 participant at the 2016 edition.
Another Frenchman has a different goal: Nikola Karabatic is the only player at the VELUX EHF FINAL4 2016 in Cologne with the chance to defend the title. The 2007 and 2014 World Handball Player of the Year won the trophy one year ago with FC Barcelona and was named MVP of the event before he transferred to PSG.
If Karabatic raises the trophy in Cologne on 29 May he will be the first – of either individual players or teams – to defend his title in Cologne since the implementation of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in LANXESS Arena in 2009/10.
He would also become the first player in history to win the trophy with four different clubs: Montpellier, Kiel, Barcelona and PSG.
Besides Karabatic, three players on court in Cologne have won the Champions League three times: Kiel left wing Dominik Klein, Veszprém right back Christian Zeitz (both three times with Kiel) and Kielce playmaker Uros Zorman, who won the trophy twice with Ciudad Real and once with Celje.
In total, 11 multiple EHF Champions League winners will participate in the season’s pinnacle event, as well as eight one-time winners of the competition.
The record holder is still Andrei Xepkin, who won the trophy six times with FC Barcelona before he ended his remarkable career with his seventh title with THW Kiel in 2007.
Three players have won six titles, among them former Barcelona goalkeepers David Barrufet and Tomas Svensson.
Siarhei Rutenka, who won the title three times with Ciudad Real, twice with Barcelona and once with Celje, joined the list of six-time winners when Barca raised the trophy in 2015.
Multiple EHF Champions League players in the four VELUX EHF FINAL squads:
THW Kiel: Dominik Klein (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12), Christian Sprenger (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12
Paris Saint-Germain Handball: Daniel Narcisse (Kiel 2010, Kiel 2012), Nikola Karabatic (Montpellier 2003, Kiel 2007, Barcelona 2015), Thierry Omeyer (Montpellier 2003, Kiel 2007, Kiel 2010, Kiel 2012)
KS Vive Tauron Kielce: Uros Zorman (Celje 2003/04, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09), Tobias Reichmann (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
MVM Veszprém: Christian Zeitz (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12), Laszlo Nagy (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11), Momir Ilic (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12), Aron Palmarsson (Kiel 2009/10, 2011/12)
VELUX EHF FINAL4 2016 participants with one Champions League title:
THW Kiel: Steffen Weinhold (Flensburg 2013/14), Domagoj Duvnjak (Hamburg 2012/13), Torsten Jansen (Hamburg 2012/13)
MVM Veszprém: Andreas Nilsson (Hamburg 2012/13), Cristian Ugalde (Barcelona 2010/11), Chema Rodriguez (Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Paris Saint-Germain Handball: Luc Abalo (Ciudad Real 2008/09), Igor Vori (Hamburg 2012/13)
KS Vive Tauron Kielce: -
All multiple EHF Champions League winners:
7 titles in 2 clubs:
Andrei Xepkin (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05, Kiel 2006/07)
6 titles in 1 club:
David Barrufet (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05)
6 titles in 2 clubs:
Tomas Svensson (Irun 1994/95, Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
6 titles in 3 clubs:
Siarhei Rutenka (Celje 2003/04, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Barcelona 2010/11), Barcelona 2014/15)
5 titles in 1 club:
Carlos Antonio Ortega (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Enric Masip (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Inaki Urdangarin (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Rafael Guijosa (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Xavier O'Callaghan (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05)
5 titles in 2 clubs:
Mateo Garralda (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, San Antonio 2000/01)
5 titles in 3 clubs:
Jose Javier Hombrados (Santander 1993/94, San Antonio 2000/01, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
4 titles in 2 clubs:
Didier Dinart (Montpellier 2002/03, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Fernando Barbeito (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, San Antonio 2000/01)
Olafur Stefansson (Magdeburg 2001/02, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Thierry Omeyer (Montpellier 2002/03, Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
3 titles in 1 club:
Alberto Entrerrios (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Arpad Sterbik (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
David Davis (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Jonas Källman (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Petar Metlicic (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Rolando Urios (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Christian Zeitz (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Dominik Klein (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Henrik Lundström (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Kim Andersson (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Marcus Ahlm (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Jose Manuel Sierra (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Josep Espar (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Patrik Cavar (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Roger Magrina (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Victor Tomas (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
3 titles in 2 clubs:
Uros Zorman (Celje 2003/04, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Viran Morros (Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Barcelona 2014/15)
3 titles in 3 clubs:
Nikola Karabatic (Montpellier 2002/03, Kiel 2006/07, Barcelona 2014/15)
2 titles in 1 club:
Ales Pajovic (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08)
Roberto Garcia Parrondo (Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Alexandru Dedu (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99)
David Barbeito (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Demetrio Lozano (Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Iker Romero (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11)
Jesus Olalla (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Juan Perez (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Laszlo Nagy (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11)
Quino Soler (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99)
Andreas Palicka (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Aron Palmarsson (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Christian Sprenger (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Daniel Narcisse (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Filip Jicha (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Momir Ilic (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Tobias Reichmann (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Aitor Arino (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Raul Entrerrios (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Jesper Nöddesbo (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Gonzalo Perez de Vargas (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Danijel Saric (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Joan Saubich (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Cedric Sorhaindo (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
2 titles in 2 clubs:
Dejan Peric (Celje 2003/04, Barcelona 2004/05)
Jerome Fernandez (Barcelona 2004/05, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Lars Krogh Jeppesen (Barcelona 2004/05, Kiel 2006/07)
Mikhail Jakimovich (Santander 1993/94, San Antonio 2000/01)
Nenad Perunicic (Irun 1994/95, Magdeburg 2001/02)
Oleg Kisselev (Irun 1994/95, San Antonio 2000/01)
Juan Munoz (Santander 1993/94, Barcelona 1996/97)
Mattias Andersson (Kiel 2006/07, Flensburg 2013/14)
TEXT: Bjorn Pazen / cg
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