The European Handball Federation can confirm that six teams will feature in the four games selected as the Match of the Week in rounds 1-4 of the EHF Champions League Women group phase for the 2022/23 season.
In round 1, on the opening evening of the season, reigning champions Vipers Kristiansand will host former runners-up Brest Bretagne Handball. When Vipers and Brest clashed in the 2021 final, the Norwegian side won 34:28 to claim their first title. After defending the trophy last season, Vipers have added Anna Vyakhireva, Oceane Sercien Ugolin and Jamina Roberts to their squad as they look to make it three titles in a row.
With 12 wins from 12 games in the EHF European League Women last season, SG BBM Bietigheim stormed to the title. The German side last played in the EHF Champions League in 2020/21 – and their only win came against FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria. On Sunday 18 September, FTC right wing Angela Malestein, who played for Bietigheim for six seasons, will try to ensure that the Budapest-based team do not suffer a repeat result in the second Match of the Week of the season.
FTC and Brest Bretagne will once again star in the Match of the Week when they face each other in round 3 on Saturday 24 September. When FTC faced Brest Bretagne in Hungary in the group phase in October 2021, the Hungarian side narrowly won 28:27.
Odense Håndbold and CSM Bucuresti have not met before in a European club competition, but both teams have featured regularly in the knockout stages of the EHF Champions League. Their round 4 clash on Sunday 9 October will see prolific scorers Dione Housheer and Cristina Neagu meet in an intriguing Match of the Week.
Match of the Week schedule
Round 1
Saturday 10 September
Vipers Kristiansand vs Brest Bretagne Handball (18:00 CEST)
Round 2
Sunday 18 September
SG BBM Bietigheim vs FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (14:00 CEST)
Round 3
Saturday 24 September
FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria vs Brest Bretagne Handball (16:00 CEST)
Round 4
Sunday 9 October
Odense Håndbold vs CSM Bucuresti (16:00 CEST)
