The past weekend brought a lot of action and surprising results, marking the end of round 2 in this season of the EHF European Cup Men. Among the 32 clubs that secured a ticket to the next round are last season’s runners-up Olympiacos SFP and former EHF Champions League winners RK Celje Pivovarna Laško.
The fate of the remaining participants will be decided in the draw on Tuesday. The teams have been seeded in two pots of 16 teams each.
Pot 1
- Handball WEST WIEN (AUT)
- HC Izvidac (BIH)
- HK FCC Mesto Lovosice (CZE)
- AEK Athens HC (GRE)
- Olympiacos SFP (GRE)
- Haukar (ISL)
- Drammen HK (NOR)
- ØIF Arendal (NOR)
- CS Minaur Baia Mare (ROU)
- MRK Krka (SLO)
- RK Celje Pivovarna Laško (SLO)
- RK Jeruzalem Ormoz (SLO)
- RK Partizan AdmiralBet (SRB)
- Pfadi Winterthur Handball (SUI)
- MSK Povazska Bystrica (SVK)
- Besiktas (TUR)
Pot 2
- Förthof UHK Krems (AUT)
- Kur (AZE)
- RK Leotar Trebinje (BIH)
- RK Porec (CRO)
- Sabbianco Anorthosis Famagusta (CYP)
- Mistra (EST)
- Pölva Serviti (EST)
- BK-46 (FIN)
- Diomidis Argous (GRE)
- SSV Brixen Handball (ITA)
- KH Rahoveci (KOS)
- HC Alkaloid (MKD)
- HC Lovcen - Cetinje (MNE)
- Runar Sandefjord (NOR)
- AHC Potaissa Turda (ROU)
- HC Motor (UKR)
Each team from pot 1 will be drawn against an opponent from pot 2. No country protection rule applies for the draw, which means that teams from the same country can play against each other. The only limitation in place is that the team from Kosovo, KH Rahoveci, cannot play against the Serbian side RK Partizan AdmiralBet. Therefore, the match for KH Rahoveci will be drawn first and then the event will continue with the normal draw procedure.
The first leg of the round 3 duels will take place on 23/24 November, while the return legs are scheduled for the following weekend, on 30 November/1 December. Successful teams from round 3 will make their way to the Last 16.
The event will be available to watch live on the Home of Handball YouTube channel on Tuesday 29 October, starting at 11:00 CET.
Main photo © Anze Malovrh / Kolektiff Images