Former champions Skövde and Minsk to meet in Last 16
The battle for quarter-final berths is really on in the EHF European Cup Men 2021/22 since the eight pairings for the Last 16 have been drawn in Vienna on Tuesday.
The 16 remaining clubs now know who they will have to beat when play resumes in February 2022.
One of the standout ties includes IFK Skövde HK and SKA Minsk, both former winners of the Challenge Cup, which was replaced by the European Cup as Europe’s third-tier club competition in 2020.
The Swedish side lifted the trophy in 2004 and will start at home against the 2013 winners from Belarus.
Another notable pairing pits AHC Potaissa Turda, the 2018 Challenge Cup winners from Romania, first at home against Swedish side Alingsås HK.
Clubs from only nine different countries are still in the race for the trophy, with Russia and Romania leading the way with three participants each.
No country-protection rule applied to the draw, enabling a national derby to appear on the Last 16 playing schedule, as Russian sides SGAU-Saratov and HC Victor are set to lock horns twice in February.
The first leg of the Last 16 takes place on 12/13 February 2022, followed by the decisive second leg one week later.
EHF European Cup Men 2021/22 Last 16:
AHC Potaissa Turda (ROU) vs Alingsås HK (SWE)
Handball Esch (LUX) vs Talent tym Plzenskeho kraje (CZE)
Drammen HK (NOR) vs SKIF Krasnodar (RUS)
CS Minaur Baia Mare (ROU) vs A.C. PAOK (GRE)
HCB Karvina (CZE) vs HSC Suhr Aarau (SUI)
IFK Skövde HK (SWE) vs SKA Minsk (BLR)
Nærbø IL (NOR) vs CSM Focsani 2007 (ROU)
SGAU-Saratov (RUS) vs HC Victor (RUS)
