25.05.2020, 11:30
50 nominees from 18 clubs: All-star Team vote set to start

NEWS: The vote for the VELUX EHF Champions League 2019/20 All-star Team will launch Tuesday, when fans can select their favourite players and coaches out of 50 nominees

The VELUX EHF Champions League is experiencing an extraordinary season, with play halted after the group phase and with the VELUX EHF FINAL4 still months away.

But the handball on the courts across Europe has been brilliant this season and to reward players and coaches for their efforts and give fans the opportunity to show their support, the vote for the All-star Team 2019/20 will go ahead.

The public vote is presented by Gorenje and will be launched on Tuesday 26 May.

Like in previous years, five names have been selected for each of the 10 categories: the seven playing positions, best defender, best young player (born in 1997 or later), and best coach.

One set of nominees has been selected by the coaches of this season’s participating teams – providing one name for each category. The competition’s coaches submitted their votes and those have been combined to produce one nomination per category.

The remaining four sets of nominees have been provided by the EHF network of experts and journalists.

On the list of the 50 nominated players and coaches, THW Kiel and Telekom Veszprém HC are the best represented teams with seven nominees each, followed by Paris Saint-Germain Handball with six and Barça with five.

Only two of the seven players that formed last season’s All-star Team have been nominated again: Mikkel Hansen (PSG) and Tibur Dibirov (HC Vardar).

Also, Blaz Blagotinsek (Veszprém), who was voted best defender a year ago, could retain that title this season.

Nominations for the VELUX EHF Champions League 2019/20 All-star Team vote presented by Gorenje:

Goalkeeper:
Andreas Wolff (PGE VIVE Kielce)
Arpad Sterbik (Telekom Veszprém HC)
Gonzalo Perez de Vargas (Barça)
Niklas Landin (THW Kiel) - coaches’ choice
Roland Mikler (MOL-Pick Szeged)

Left wing:
Hugo Descat (Montpellier HB) - coaches’ choice
Timur Dibirov (HC Vardar)
Sebastian Barthold (Aalborg Handbold)
Diogo Branquinho (FC Porto Sofarma)
Manuel Strlek (Telekom Veszprém HC)

Left back:
Vladislav Ostroushko (HC Eurofarm Rabotnik)
Sander Sagosen (Paris Saint-Germain Handball) - coaches’ choice
Ante Kaduz (C.S. Dinamo Bucuresti)
Lukas Nilsson (THW Kiel)
Rasmus Lauge (Telekom Veszprém HC)

Centre back:
Barys Pukhouski (HC Motor Zaporozhye)
Petar Nenadic (Telekom Veszprém HC)
Luka Cindric (Barça) - coaches’ choice
Mikkel Hansen (Paris Saint-Germain Handball)
Domagoj Duvnjak (THW Kiel)

Line player:
Bence Banhidi (MOL-Pick Szeged) - coaches’ choice
Hendrik Pekeler (THW Kiel)
Artsem Karalek (PGE VIVE Kielce)
Johannes Golla (SG Flensburg-Handewitt)
Kamil Syprzak (Paris Saint-Germain Handball)

Right back:
Alex Dujshebaev (PGE VIVE Kielce) - coaches’ choice
Valentin Porte (Montpellier HB)
Amine Bannour (C.S. Dinamo Bucuresti)
Jorge Maqueda (MOL-Pick Szeged)
Nedim Remili (Paris Saint-Germain Handball)

Right wing:
Niclas Ekberg (THW Kiel)
Valentin Ghionea (Sporting CP)
Bogdan Radivojevic (MOL-Pick Szeged)
Dragan Gajic (Telekom Veszprém HC)
Blaz Janc (PGE VIVE Kielce) - coaches’ choice

Best defender:
Patrick Wiencek (THW Kiel)
Blaz Blagotinsek (Telekom Veszprém HC)
Henrik Møllgaard (Aalborg Handbold)
Viran Morros (Paris Saint-Germain Handball)
Thiagus Petrus (Barça) - coaches’ choice

Young player:
Alexander Blonz (Elverum Handball)
Josip Sarac (RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko)
Aleix Gomez (Barça)
Zoltan Szita (Orlen Wisla Plock)
Andre Gomes (FC Porto Sofarma) - coaches’ choice

Coach:
Xavi Pascual (Barça) - coaches’ choice
Raul Gonzalez (Paris Saint-Germain Handball)
Filip Jicha (THW Kiel)
David Davis (Telekom Veszprém HC)
Magnus Andersson (FC Porto Sofarma)

TEXT: EHF / ew