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)

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.

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

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

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
France Paris Saint-Germain (1st) Germany THW Kiel (1st) North Macedonia Vardar 1961 (1st) Hungary Telekom Veszprém (1st)
Spain Barça (1st) Poland Łomża Vive Kielce (1st) Denmark Aalborg Handbold (1st) Croatia PPD Zagreb (1st)
Portugal FC Porto (1st) Germany SG Flensburg-Handewitt (2nd) Belarus Meshkov Brest (WC) France HBC Nantes (WC)
Hungary MOL-Pick Szeged (WC) Norway Elverum Håndball (WC) Slovenia Celje Pivovarna Laško (WC) Ukraine Motor (WC)
Wildcard rejection
Denmark GOG Håndbold North Macedonia RK Eurofarm Pelister Poland Orlen Wisła Płock Portugal Sporting CP
Romania Dinamo București Spain CB Ademar León Switzerland Kadetten Schaffhausen Turkey Beşiktaş

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

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

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification FLE PAR KIE BRE POR SZE VAR ELV
1 Germany 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 France Paris Saint-Germain 14 9 1 4 388 327 +61 19[lower-alpha 1] 28–29 37–26 33–26 29–28 10–0 5–5 35–29
3 Poland Łomża Vive Kielce 14 9 1 4 442 414 +28 19[lower-alpha 1] 28–31 35–33 34–27 32–30 26–23 36–29 39–29
4 Belarus 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 Portugal FC Porto 14 5 2 7 361 352 +9 12[lower-alpha 2] 10–0 31–34 32–32 27–25 25–19 27–24 28–30
6 Hungary MOL-Pick Szeged 14 6 0 8 318 329 11 12[lower-alpha 2] 0–10 29–32 26–30 30–27 35–31 34–33 36–27
7 North Macedonia 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 Norway 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. 1 2 Paris 70–61 Kielce
  2. 1 2 Porto 56–54 Pick Szeged

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification BAR VES KIE ALB ZAP NAN CEL ZAG
1 Spain 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 Hungary 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 Germany 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 Denmark Aalborg Håndbold 14 7 0 7 397 411 14 14[lower-alpha 1] 32–35 27–33 23–31 38–29 32–24 0–10 38–29
5 Ukraine Motor 14 7 0 7 389 411 22 14[lower-alpha 1] 25–30 34–37 10–0 27–29 29–28 31–29 29–25
6 France 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 Slovenia 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 Croatia 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. 1 2 Aalborg 67–56 Motor

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

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

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
HBC Nantes France 58–56 Poland Łomża Vive Kielce 24–25 34–31
MOL-Pick Szeged Hungary 56–66 Germany THW Kiel 28–33 28–33
Motor Ukraine 55–60 Belarus Meshkov Brest 32–30 23–30
FC Porto Portugal 56–56 (a) Denmark Aalborg Håndbold 32–29 24–27
PPD Zagreb Croatia 0–20[note 1] Germany SG Flensburg-Handewitt 0–10 0–10
Elverum Håndball Norway 44–76 Spain Barça 25–37 19–39
Celje Pivovarna Laško Slovenia 47–68 France Paris Saint-Germain 24–37 23–31
Vardar 1961 North Macedonia 57–80 Hungary 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

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

Final four

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

Final

13 June 2021
18:00
Barça Spain 36–23 Denmark Aalborg Håndbold Lanxess Arena, Cologne
Attendance: 1,000
Referees: Horáček, Novotný (CZE)
Gómez 9 (16–11) Sandell 8
 number 2 in light blue rounded square Report Yellow card number 2 in light blue rounded square

Statistics and awards

Top goalscorers

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

Awards

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

PositionPlayer
GoalkeeperDenmark Niklas Landin Jacobsen (THW Kiel)
Right wingSpain Aleix Gómez (Barça)
Right backFrance Dika Mem (Barça)
Centre backCroatia Luka Cindrić (Barça)
Left backDenmark Mikkel Hansen (Paris Saint-Germain)
Left wingSpain Valero Rivera (HBC Nantes)
PivotFrance Ludovic Fabregas (Barça)
MVPSpain Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas[12] (Barça)
Best defenderDenmark Henrik Møllgaard (Aalborg Handbold)
Best young playerFrance Dylan Nahi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Best coachSpain Alberto Entrerríos (HBC Nantes)

References

  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. 1 2 "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. 1 2 "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.
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