Exciting start waits for new EHF European League Women
The teams starting in the opening qualification round of the new EHF European League Women know what task they have to complete in October in order to keep their international journey on track.
On Tuesday, the 12 teams involved learned their first opponents of the new European season during the draw in Vienna.
The six ties promise an exciting start to the inaugural season of the EHF European League Women.
The first leg is scheduled for 10/11 October, followed by the second leg one week later. The six winners will advance to qualification round 3 in November, when 18 other teams are set to enter the competition.
Ultimately, 12 teams will qualify for the group phase starting in January 2021, joining the four teams – Denmark’s Herning-Ikast Handbold, Russia’s Handball Club Lada, Romania’s CS Minaur Baia Mare and Hungary’s Siófok KC – which have been directly seeded through to the group phase.
A complete overview of the seeding for the whole inaugural season of the EHF European League Women can be downloaded here.
"More than perfect for us"
Recent EHF Champions League regulars Thüringer HC of Germany were handed Austrian neighbours WAT Atzgersdorf as their opponents.
THC head coach Herbert Müller, who also leads the Austrian national women’s team, called the draw result “more than perfect for us.”
“It is the major goal of our new team to proceed, and to make it to the next stage is definitely possible,” Müller said. “Five of my players at Thüringer HC are Austrians, both teams and the players know each other so well.”
WAT’s domestic rivals Hypo Niederösterreich, four-time EHF Champions League winners, will face Molde HK Elite of Norway, and Sweden’s Lugi Handboll are set to meet Kuban of Russia in two of the standout ties.
"There are no limits to our dreams"
Elsewhere, Paris 92 are up against IUVENTA Michalovce from Slovakia in the opening qualification round.
Paris newcomer Nadia Offendal, who arrived from Odense this summer, is “super excited” about playing in the EHF European League Women with the French side.
“I can see that they won a lot of championships in Slovakia,” the Danish centre back says. “They want to play fast but I want to focus on ourselves. There are no limits to our dreams of what we can achieve in the EHF European League. I am curious to see how far we can go.”
Also, HC Dunarea Braila of Romania have been drawn against Norwegian side Tertnes Bergen, while LC Brühl Handball of Switzerland will take on Hungary's Alba Fehervar KC in the opening qualification round.
