Wikipedia

2020–21 EHF Champions League

This article is about the men's competition. For the women's competition, see 2020–21 Women's EHF Champions League.

The 2020–21 EHF Champions League was the 61st edition of Europe's premier club handball tournament and the 28th edition under the current EHF Champions League format.

EHF Champions League
2020–21
Tournament information
SportHandball
Dates16 September 2020–13 June 2021
Teams16
Websiteehfcl.com
Final positions
ChampionsSpain Barça
Runner-upDenmark Aalborg Håndbold
Tournament statistics
Matches played123
Goals scored7405 (60.2 per match)
Attendance53,304 (433 per match)
Top scorer(s)Spain Valero Rivera Folch
(95 goals)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, each local health department dictated the number of spectators allowed at a given match.

Barça defeated Aalborg Håndbold, 36–23, to win their tenth title.[1]

Format edit

The competition begins with a group stage featuring 16 teams divided in two groups. Matches are played in a double round-robin system with home-and-away fixtures. In Groups A and B, originally the top two teams qualify for the quarterfinals, with teams ranked 3rd to 6th entering the playoffs. After a decision by the EHF, all teams advanced.

The knockout stage included four rounds: the round of 16, quarterfinals, and a final-four tournament comprising two semifinals and the final. The teams were paired against each other in two-legged home-and-away matches, with the aggregate winners qualifying to the next round.

In the final four tournament, the semifinals and the final were played as single matches at a pre-selected host venue.[2]

Teams edit

class=notpageimage|
Location of teams of the 2020–21 EHF Champions League group stage.
  Red: Group A;   Blue: Group B.

A total of 24 teams from 16 countries submitted their application for a place in the competition's group stage before the deadline of 10 June 2020.[3] The final list of 16 participants was revealed by the EHF Executive Committee on 19 June. Ten teams were registered according to fixed places, while six were granted wild cards.[4]

Participating teams
  Paris Saint-Germain (1st)   THW Kiel (1st)   Vardar 1961 (1st)   Telekom Veszprém (1st)
  Barça (1st)   Łomża Vive Kielce (1st)   Aalborg Handbold (1st)   PPD Zagreb (1st)
  FC Porto (1st)   SG Flensburg-Handewitt (2nd)   Meshkov Brest (WC)   HBC Nantes (WC)
  MOL-Pick Szeged (WC)   Elverum Håndball (WC)   Celje Pivovarna Laško (WC)   Motor (WC)
Wildcard rejection
  GOG Håndbold   RK Eurofarm Pelister   Orlen Wisła Płock   Sporting CP
  Dinamo București   CB Ademar León   Kadetten Schaffhausen   Beşiktaş

Group stage edit

Main article: 2020–21 EHF Champions League group stage

The draw was held on 1 July 2020 at the EHF headquarters in Vienna, Austria.[4][5] The 16 teams were drawn into two groups of eight, with the restriction that teams from the same national association could not be drawn into the same group.[6]

In each group, teams play against each other in a double round-robin format, with home and away matches. After completion of the group stage matches, the top two teams from each group would have qualified directly for the quarterfinals, and the four teams ranked 3rd–6th advance to the playoffs, but on 10 February 2021, it was announced that all 16 teams advance from the group stage.[7]

Matches were played on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with starting times at 18:45 and 20:45 (CET/CEST).

Tiebreakers edit

In the group stage, teams are ranked according to points (2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). After completion of the group stage, if two or more teams have scored the same number of points, the ranking will be determined as follows:

  1. Highest number of points in matches between the teams directly involved;
  2. Superior goal difference in matches between the teams directly involved;
  3. Highest number of goals scored in matches between the teams directly involved (or in the away match in case of a two-team tie);
  4. Superior goal difference in all matches of the group;
  5. Highest number of plus goals in all matches of the group;

If the ranking of one of these teams is determined, the above criteria are consecutively followed until the ranking of all teams is determined. If no ranking can be determined, a decision shall be obtained by EHF through drawing of lots.

During the group stage, only criteria 4–5 apply to determine the provisional ranking of teams.

Group A edit

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification FLE PAR KIE BRE POR SZE VAR ELV
1   SG Flensburg-Handewitt 14 10 1 3 341 336 +5 21 Play-offs — 28–27 31–30 29–29 36–29 26–24 0–10 37–35
2   Paris Saint-Germain 14 9 1 4 388 327 +61 19[a] 28–29 — 37–26 33–26 29–28 10–0 5–5 35–29
3   Łomża Vive Kielce 14 9 1 4 442 414 +28 19[a] 28–31 35–33 — 34–27 32–30 26–23 36–29 39–29
4   Meshkov Brest 14 7 1 6 383 380 +3 15 26–28 32–31 35–30 — 10–0 26–24 24–22 29–27
5   FC Porto 14 5 2 7 361 352 +9 12[b] 10–0 31–34 32–32 27–25 — 25–19 27–24 28–30
6   MOL-Pick Szeged 14 6 0 8 318 329 −11 12[b] 0–10 29–32 26–30 30–27 35–31 — 34–33 36–27
7   Vardar 1961 14 3 3 8 335 350 −15 9 31–26 0–10 29–33 32–36 25–25 26–28 — 34–34
8   Elverum Håndball 14 2 1 11 387 457 −70 5 29–30 29–44 22–31 33–31 31–38 0–10 32–35 —
Source: EHF
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Paris 70–61 Kielce
  2. ^ a b Porto 56–54 Pick Szeged


Group B edit

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification BAR VES KIE ALB ZAP NAN CEL ZAG
1   Barça 14 14 0 0 505 412 +93 28 Play-offs — 37–30 29–25 42–33 42–34 30–29 42–28 45–27
2   Telekom Veszprém 14 9 2 3 443 392 +51 20 34–37 — 41–33 30–32 34–30 5–5 39–24 37–25
3   THW Kiel 14 7 2 5 394 378 +16 16 26–32 31–31 — 28–26 34–23 27–35 33–29 36–30
4   Aalborg Håndbold 14 7 0 7 397 411 −14 14[a] 32–35 27–33 23–31 — 38–29 32–24 0–10 38–29
5   Motor 14 7 0 7 389 411 −22 14[a] 25–30 34–37 10–0 27–29 — 29–28 31–29 29–25
6   HBC Nantes 14 5 2 7 388 378 +10 12 27–35 24–28 24–24 38–29 31–32 — 28–30 30–28
7   Celje Pivovarna Laško 14 4 0 10 372 413 −41 8 29–32 25–29 24–35 29–31 31–32 25–31 — 29–28
8   PPD Zagreb 14 0 0 14 369 462 −93 0 33–37 28–35 21–31 26–27 23–24 24–34 22–30 —
Source: EHF
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Aalborg 67–56 Motor

Note All matches ending with a 10–0 (or 5–5) results were assessed by the EHF.[8]

Knockout stage edit

Main article: 2020–21 EHF Champions League knockout stage

Originally, the top six teams advanced but on 10 February 2021, after a decision by the EHF Executive Committee, it was announced that all 16 teams advance from the group stage.[7]

Play-offs edit

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
HBC Nantes   58–56   Łomża Vive Kielce 24–25 34–31
MOL-Pick Szeged   56–66   THW Kiel 28–33 28–33
Motor   55–60   Meshkov Brest 32–30 23–30
FC Porto   56–56 (a)   Aalborg Håndbold 32–29 24–27
PPD Zagreb   0–20[note 1]   SG Flensburg-Handewitt 0–10 0–10
Elverum Håndball   44–76   Barça 25–37 19–39
Celje Pivovarna Laško   47–68   Paris Saint-Germain 24–37 23–31
Vardar 1961   57–80   Telekom Veszprém 27–41 30–39
  1. ^ The matches, scheduled for 7 and 8 April 2021, were assessed by the EHF after Zagreb had several cases of positive COVID-19 tests.[9]

Quarterfinals edit

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
HBC Nantes   62–60   Telekom Veszprém 32–28 30–32
THW Kiel   59–63   Paris Saint-Germain 31–29 28–34
Meshkov Brest   57–73   Barça 29–33 28–40
Aalborg Håndbold   55–54   SG Flensburg-Handewitt 26–21 29–33

Final four edit

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
12 June
 
 
  Paris Saint-Germain33
 
13 June
 
  Aalborg Håndbold35
 
  Aalborg Håndbold23
 
12 June
 
  Barça36
 
  Barça31
 
 
  HBC Nantes26
 
Third place
 
 
13 June
 
 
  Paris Saint-Germain31
 
 
  HBC Nantes28

Final edit

13 June 2021
18:00 		Barça   36–23   Aalborg Håndbold Lanxess Arena, Cologne
Attendance: 1,000
Referees: Horáček, Novotný (CZE)
Gómez 9 (16–11) Sandell 8
 1×  Report 1×  3× 

Statistics and awards edit

Top goalscorers edit

Rank Player Club Goals[10]
1   Valero Rivera Folch   HBC Nantes 95
2   Dika Mem   Barça 93
  Mikita Vailupau   Meshkov Brest
4   Aleix Gómez   Barça 92
5   Alex Dujshebaev   Łomża Vive Kielce 90
6   Mikkel Hansen   Paris Saint-Germain 88
7   Niclas Ekberg   THW Kiel 83
8   Petar Nenadić   Telekom Veszprém 73
  Sander Sagosen   THW Kiel
10   Nedim Remili   Paris Saint-Germain 72

Awards edit

The all-star team was announced on 11 June 2021.[11]

Position Player
Goalkeeper   Niklas Landin Jacobsen (THW Kiel)
Right wing   Aleix Gómez (Barça)
Right back   Dika Mem (Barça)
Centre back   Luka Cindrić (Barça)
Left back   Mikkel Hansen (Paris Saint-Germain)
Left wing   Valero Rivera (HBC Nantes)
Pivot   Ludovic Fabregas (Barça)
MVP   Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas[12] (Barça)
Best defender   Henrik Møllgaard (Aalborg Handbold)
Best young player   Dylan Nahi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Best coach   Alberto Entrerríos (HBC Nantes)

References edit

  1. ^ "Barça lift the trophy at the end of perfect season". eurohandball.com. 13 June 2021.
  2. ^ Competition system
  3. ^ "24 clubs submit registration for the new season". ehfcl.com. 10 June 2020.
  4. ^ a b "2020/21 season: EXEC announced the starting grid season". timeoutmag.com. 19 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Elite 16 teams learn their group phase fate". ehfcl.com. 1 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Pots for the group phase draw revealed". ehfcl.com. 22 June 2020.
  7. ^ a b "EHF adapts playing schedule for EHF Champions League". eurohandball.com. 10 February 2021.
  8. ^ "EHF assesses non-played matches in top men's competitions". eurohandball.com. 26 February 2021.
  9. ^ "EHF calls off Flensburg vs Zagreb play-off tie". eurohandball.com. EHF. 6 April 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  10. ^ Goalscorers
  11. ^ "Barça All-star Team favourites; Landin and Hansen top votes". eurohandball.com. 11 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Spaniards take MVP and best scorer awards". eurohandball.com. 13 June 2021.

External links edit

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