The 2020–21 EHF European League was the 1st edition of the EHF European League, replacing the EHF Cup as the second most important European handball club competition organised by the European Handball Federation (EHF), which had been in existence for 39 years.
Team allocation A total of 51 teams from 21 countries participated in the 2020–21 EHF European League.
Teams Group stage CB Ademar León USAM Nîmes Gard SC Magdeburg Grundfos Tatabanya KC RK Eurofarm Pelister Orlen Wisła Płock Dinamo București Chekhovskiye Medvedi Kadetten Schaffhausen HT Tatran Prešov Alingsås HK Besiktas AygazSecond qualifying round RK Nexe GOG Håndbold BM Benidorm Fenix Toulouse Handball Montpellier HB Füchse Berlin Rhein-Neckar Löwen Balatonfüredi KSE Sporting CPFirst qualifying round Fivers SKA Minsk HRK Gorica RK Dubrava RK Spacva Vinkovci Bjerringbro-Silkeborg Skjern Håndbold TTH Holstebro Bidasoa Irun PAUC Handball MT Melsungen B. Braun Gyöngyös Valur Handball Esch HC Butel Skopje RK Metalurg Skopje Haslum HK ØIF Arendal KS Azoty-Puławy CF Os Belenenses SL Benfica HC Dobrogea Sud Constanta AHC Potaissa Turda HC CSKA HC Victor RK Trimo Trebnje HC Kriens-Luzern Pfadi Winterthur HK Malmö IFK Kristianstad
Round and draw dates The schedule of the competition was as follows. PhaseRoundDraw dateFirst legSecond legQualificationFirst qualifying round28 July 202029-30 August 20205-6 September 2020Second qualifying round8 September 202022 September 202029 September 2020Group stageMatchday 11 October 202020 October 2020Matchday 227 October 2020Matchday 317 November 2019Matchday 424 November 2020Matchday 51 December 2020Matchday 68 December 2020Matchday 79 February 2021Matchday 816 February 2021Matchday 923 February 2021Matchday 102 March 2021Knockout phaseRound of 16No draw23 March 202130 March 2021Quarter-finals13 April 202120 April 2021Final four27 April 202122–23 May 2021
Qualifying rounds
First qualifying round
Seeding A total of 30 teams were involved in the first qualifying round draw, they were divided into three geographical zones, each one with two pots of five teams, to limit travel distances and to reduce possible travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Teams from the same country could not be drawn into the same tie. Zone 1Zone 2Zone 3SeededUnseededSeededUnseededSeededUnseeded
Matches
Second qualifying round
Seeding A total of 24 teams were involved in the second qualifying round draw, 15 advancing from the previous round and 9 teams entering this round. Teams were divided in two pots and were drawn without any restrictions. SeededUnseeded
Matches
Group stage
Seeding The 24 teams were divided into six pots of four teams, with a team from each pot being drawn to each group. Teams from the same country could not be drawn into the same group. Pot 1Pot 2Pot 3Pot 4Pot 5Pot 6
Tiebreakers Teams were ranked according to points (2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings: Points in matches among tied teams; Goal difference in matches among tied teams; Away goals scored in matches among tied teams; Goal difference in all group matches; Goals scored in all group matches; If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams; Drawing lots.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Knockout stage The pairings for the last 16 and the quarter-finals are based on group stage standings, according to the following bracket. This assures teams from the same group can only play each other again in the final four.
Last 16 The last 16 first legs were scheduled for 23 March 2021, while the second legs followed on 30 March 2021.
Quarterfinals The quarter-finals first legs were scheduled for 13 April 2021, while the second legs followed on 20 April 2021.
Final four The EHF Finals Men 2021 was played on 22 and 23 May 2021 in Mannheim, Germany and comprised one leg semifinals, final and third-place match. The pairings for the semifinals were decided by drawing of lots.
Bracket
Semifinals
Third-place game
Final
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club GoalsGoalscorers1 Emil Jakobsen GOG Håndbold1112 Ómar Ingi Magnússon SC Magdeburg943 Halil Jaganjac RK Nexe804 Adam Nyfjäll IFK Kristianstad74 Jerry Tollbring Rhein-Neckar Löwen6 Alexander Kotov Chekhovskiye Medvedi727 Hugo Descat Montpellier HB718 Mathias Gidsel GOG Håndbold699 Hans Lindberg Füchse Berlin68 Gonzalo Pérez Arce CB Ademar León Zoltán Szita Orlen Wisła Płock
See also 2020–21 EHF Champions League
Notes
References
External links Official website