Barça coach Ortega aims for record eighth trophy

Apart from Pérez de Vargas and Ariño, both four-time winners with Barça, no player at the TruckScout24 EHF FINAL4 2023 has lifted the trophy more than three times in the past.

However, a different record can be set by Ortega, who has the chance to become the outright leader on the all-time winners list. Ortega has won the title already six times as a player and once as a coach – at last season’s EHF FINAL4.

If Barça win again, it would mark Ortega’s eighth title, moving him one past his legendary former teammate Andrei Xepkin, who remains the only player with seven trophies.

Another coach can raise his trophy tally from five to six: Barlinek Industria Kielce’s Talant Dushjebaev, who won his first as player in 1994 and has meanwhile added four more as a coach, most recently with his current club Kielce in 2016.

Since 10 current Barça players have already won the trophy with their club in 2021 and 2022, the total number of multiple EHF Champions League winners at the TruckScout24 EHF FINAL4 is 16.

Multiple EHF Champions League winners

7 titles in 1 club:

Carlos Antonio Ortega (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05 – coach: Barcelona 2021/22)

7 titles in 2 clubs:

Andrei Xepkin (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05, Kiel 2006/07)

6 titles in 1 club:

David Barrufet (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05)
Xavier O'Callaghan (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05)

6 titles in 2 clubs:

Tomas Svensson (Irun 1994/95, Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)

6 titles in 3 clubs:

Siarhei Rutenka (Celje 2003/04, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Barcelona 2010/11), Barcelona 2014/15)

5 titles in 1 club:

Enric Masip (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Inaki Urdangarin (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Rafael Guijosa (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)

5 titles in 2 clubs:

Mateo Garralda (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, San Antonio 2000/01)

5 titles in 3 clubs:

Talant Dujshebaev (Santander 1993/94 – coach: Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Kielce 2015/16)
Jose Javier Hombrados (Santander 1993/94, San Antonio 2000/01, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)

4 titles in 1 club:

Aitor Ariño (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15, Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)
Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15, Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)

4 titles in 2 clubs:

Arpad Sterbik (Ciudad Real 2005/06, 2007/08, 2008/09, Vardar 2016/17)
Didier Dinart (Montpellier 2002/03, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Fernando Barbeito (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, San Antonio 2000/01)
Olafur Stefansson (Magdeburg 2001/02, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Thierry Omeyer (Montpellier 2002/03, Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)

4 titles with 3 clubs:

Uros Zorman (Celje 2003/04, Ciudad Real 2007/09, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Kielce 2015/16)

3 titles in 1 club:

Victor Tomas (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Raul Entrerrios (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15, Barcelona 2020/21)
Cédric Sorhaindo (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15, Barcelona 2020/21)
Alberto Entrerrios (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
David Davis (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Jonas Källman (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Petar Metlicic (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Rolando Urios (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Christian Zeitz (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Dominik Klein (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Henrik Lundström (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Kim Andersson (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Marcus Ahlm (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Jose Manuel Sierra (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Josep Espar (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Patrik Cavar (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Roger Magrina (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Filip Jicha (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12 – as coach: Kiel 2019/20)

3 titles in 2 clubs:

Ludovic Fabregas (Montpellier 2017/18, Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)
Luka Cindric (Vardar 2017, Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)
Viran Morros (Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Barcelona 2014/15)
Tobias Reichmann (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12, Kielce 2015/16)
Ivan Cupic (Kielce 2015/16, Vardar 2016/17, Vardar 2018/19)
Aron Palmarsson (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12, Barcelona 2020/21)

3 titles in 3 clubs:

Nikola Karabatic (Montpellier 2002/03, Kiel 2006/07, Barcelona 2014/15) 

2 titles in 1 club:

Luis Frade (Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)
Aleix Gómez (Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)
Blaz Janc (Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)
Haniel Langaro (Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)
Domen Makuc (Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)
Dika Mem (Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)
Timothy N’Guessan (Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)
Thiagus Petrus (Barcelona 2020/21, Barcelona 2021/22)
Igor Karacic (Vardar 2016/17, Vardar 2018/19)
Michaël Guigou (Montpellier 2002/03, Montpellier 2017/18)
Ales Pajovic (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08)
Roberto Garcia Parrondo (Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Alexandru Dedu (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99)
David Barbeito (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Demetrio Lozano (Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Iker Romero (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11)
Jesus Olalla (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Juan Perez (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Laszlo Nagy (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11)
Quino Soler (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99)
Andreas Palicka (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Christian Sprenger (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Daniel Narcisse (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Momir Ilic (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Jesper Nøddesbo (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Danijel Saric (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Joan Saubich (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Timur Dibirov (Vardar 2016/17, Vardar 2018/19)
Rogerio Moares (Vardar 2016/17, Vardar 2018/19)
Vlado Nedanovski (Vardar 2016/17, Vardar 2018/19)
Daniil Shishkarev (Vardar 2016/17, Vardar 2018/19)
Stojance Stoilov  (Vardar 2016/17, Vardar 2018/19)

2 titles in 2 clubs:

Melvyn Richardson (Montpellier 2017/18, Barcelona 2021/22)
Krzystof Lijewski (HSV Hamburg 2013, Kielce 2016)
Vid Kavticnik (THW Kiel 2006/07, Montpellier 2017/18)
Dejan Peric (Celje 2003/04, Barcelona 2004/05)
Jerome Fernandez (Barcelona 2004/05, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Lars Krogh Jeppesen (Barcelona 2004/05, Kiel 2006/07)
Mikhail Jakimovich (Santander 1993/94, San Antonio 2000/01)
Nenad Perunicic (Irun 1994/95, Magdeburg 2001/02)
Oleg Kisselev (Irun 1994/95, San Antonio 2000/01)
Juan Munoz (Santander 1993/94, Barcelona 1996/97)
Mattias Andersson (Kiel 2006/07, Flensburg 2013/14)
Domagoj Duvnjak (Hamburg 2012/13, Kiel 2019/20)
Steffen Weinhold (Flensburg 2013/14, Kiel 2019/20)

bold = qualified for TruckScout24 EHF FINAL4 2023

photos © Victor Salgado, Roland Peka