Derbies dominate EHF European Cup draw

• first draw event for new-look EHF European Cup
• 38 men's teams and 18 women's teams discovered their round 2 fate
• Kosovan and Swiss derbies on the women's side, Baltic rivalries resume on the men
• event can be viewed on-demand below or on the Home of Handball Facebook page and YouTube channel

11:36
European Cup Men Round 2 - Zone 3

Parnassos Strovolou (CYP) vs Raimond Sassari (ITA)
RK Gorenje Velenje (SLO) vs Ego Handball Siena (ITA)
TJ Sokol Nove Veseli (CZE) vs Sabbianco Anorthosis Famagusta (CYP)
HC Robe Zubri (CZE) vs TSV St. Otmar St. Gallen (SUI)
SG INSIGNIS Handball WESTWIEN (AUT) vs Cassano Magnago Handball Club (ITA)
HCB Karvina (CZE) vs SC kelag Ferlach (AUT)

Remarkably, no local derbies in this one, but plenty of cross-border rivalries, which are arguably more entertaining.

The first leg will take place on 14/15 November with the second leg to follow one week later.

11:27
European Cup Men Round 2 - Zone 2

Spor Toto SC (TUR) vs HC Zeleznicar 1949 (SRB)
AC Diomidis Argous (GRE) vs Antalyaspor (TUR)
PGU Kartina TV Tiraspol (MDA) vs SGAU-Saratov (RUS)
CSM Bucuresti (ROU) vs MRK Sloga Gornji Vakuf Uskoplje (BIH)
HC Odessa (UKR) vs RK Gracanica (BIH)
KH Prishtina (KOS) vs HC Dobrudja (BUL)
HC Bosna Vispak Visoko (BIH) vs KH Besa Famgas (KOS)

11:20
European Cup Men Round 2 - Zone 1

Afturelding Mosfellsbear (ISL) vs Granitas-Karys (LTU)
ZRHK TENAX Dobele (LAT) vs IFK Handball Helsinki (FIN)
Cocks (FIN) vs HC Dragunas Klaipeda (LTU)
Ystads IF (SWE) vs VHC Sviesa Vilnius (LTU)
BK-46 (FIN) vs HC Tallinn (EST)
Pölva Serviti (EST) vs Kolstad Handball Elite team (NOR)

11:14
European Cup Women Round 2 - Zone 2

WHC Cair-Skopje (MKD) vs ZRK Naisa Nis (SRB)
KHF Vushtrria (KOS) vs KHF Istogu (KOS)
Izmir Büyüksehir Belediyesi GSK (TUR) vs SSV Brixen Südtirol (ITA)
PF Cassano Magnago (ITA) vs Muratpasa Belediyesi SK (TUR)
HC Real (UKR) vs Ali-Best Espresso-Mestrino (ITA)

So what we are certain of at this stage is that a Swiss and Kosovan club will qualify for round 3, two interesting derbies drawn so far this morning.

And that marks the end of the women's draw. The first leg matches of the second round will be played on 10/11 October and the second leg will follow one week later on 17/18 October.

11:07
European Cup Women Round 2 - Zone 1

Rocasa Gran Canaria (ESP) vs Westfriesland SEW (NED)
Rincon Fertilidad Malaga (ESP) vs Valur (ISL)
Spono Eagles (SUI) vs DHB Rotweiss Thun (SUI)
Alavarium Love Tiles (POR) vs KH-7 BM Granollers (ESP)

First derby in the bag and it is an all-Swiss affair!

11:02
We are all set to go in Vienna. The drawing dream team for today sees Andrew Barringer make his debut as presenter, while seasoned pros Markus Glaser and Mario Kovacic will take care of the balls, beginning with the women's draw.

10:53
Last week, the EHF announced that the second round of the EHF European Cup Men has been rescheduled to 14/15 November with the second leg to follow one week later.

A total of 51 teams have been registered for the 2020/21 season. 19 winners of the second round will join 13 directly seeded teams in Round 3 in December. A complete overview of the seeding for the whole inaugural season of the EHF European Cup Men can be downloaded here.

10:41
In the European Cup Women, first leg matches of the second round will be played on 10/11 October and the second leg will follow one week later on 17/18 October.

A total of 41 teams have been registered for the 2020/21 season. Nine winners of the second round will join 23 directly seeded teams for Round 3 in November. A complete overview of the seeding for the whole inaugural season of the EHF European Cup Women can be downloaded here.

10:30
There is no country protection in this morning's draw, this coupled with regional zoning means we could be handed some derbies in the opening round. At this time, a short trip will be appreciated by all involved and although it may not be the most exotic result for players, it sure makes for a good narrative.

10:23
Among the Challenge Cup winners on the men's side, we have reigning champions CSM Bucuresti and 2012 winners Diomidis Argous.

Slovenia's Gorenje Velenje reached the EHF Cup Finals in 2015 and are no strangers to the EHF Champions League.

Cocks are one of the Challenge Cup's great success stories of recent years, having progressed from that level to the top flight, where they achieved some respectable results in the past two seasons.

They are back to compete in the European Cup and are one of three Finnish teams in Zone 1.

10:12
38 teams in the mix on the men's side, with 13 teams waiting in round 3.

Zone 1

Pot 1

BK-46 (FIN)
HC Dragunas Klaipeda (LTU)
Ystads IF (SWE)
ZRHK TENAX Dobele (LAT)
Pölva Serviti (EST)
Afturelding Mosfellsbear (ISL)

Pot 2

Cocks (FIN)
VHC Sviesa Vilnius (LTU)
HC Tallinn (EST)
IFK Handball Helsinki (FIN)
Granitas-Karys (LTU)
Kolstad Handball Elite team (NOR)

Zone 2

Pot 1

HC Zeleznicar 1949 (SRB)
KH Besa Famgas (KOS)
HC Dobrudja (BUL)
PGU Kartina TV Tiraspol (MDA)
CSM Bucuresti (ROU)
AC Diomidis Argous (GRE)
RK Gracanica (BIH)

Pot 2

HC Odessa (UKR)
Spor Toto SC (TUR)
KH Prishtina (KOS)
HC Bosna Vispak Visoko (BIH)
Antalyaspor (TUR)
SGAU-Saratov (RUS)
MRK Sloga Gornji Vakuf Uskoplje (BIH)

Zone 3

Pot 1

TSV St. Otmar St. Gallen (SUI)
SC kelag Ferlach (AUT)
Parnassos Strovolou (CYP)
Cassano Magnago Handball Club (ITA)
RK Gorenje Velenje (SLO)
TJ Sokol Nove Veseli (CZE)

Pot 2

SG INSIGNIS Handball WESTWIEN (AUT)
Sabbianco Anorthosis Famagusta (CYP)
Raimond Sassari (ITA)
HC Robe Zubri (CZE)
Ego Handball Siena (ITA)
HCB Karvina (CZE)

09:46
So this is how the women's draw pots look and we have some former Challenge Cup big hitters in the hat today.

Naisa Nis are 2007 champs, Muratpasa reached the final and lost in both 2011 and 2012, while Rocasa Gran Canaria won the title in 2016 and 2019, which makes them reigning champions.

Zone 1

Pot 1
Westfriesland SEW (NED)
Alavarium Love Tiles (POR)
Spono Eagles (SUI)
Valur (ISL)

Pot 2
Rocasa Gran Canaria (ESP)
DHB Rotweiss Thun (SUI)
Rincon Fertilidad Malaga (ESP)
KH-7 BM Granollers (ESP)

Zone 2

Pot 1
SSV Brixen Südtirol (ITA)
ZRK Naisa Nis (SRB)
Muratpasa Belediyesi SK (TUR)
KHF Vushtrria (KOS)
HC Real (UKR)

Pot 2
Ali-Best Espresso-Mestrino (ITA)
PF Cassano Magnago (ITA)
KHF Istogu (KOS)
Izmir Büyüksehir Belediyesi GSK (TUR)
WHC Cair-Skopje (MKD)

09:40
The EHF has decided to adopt a new approach to the seeding of the teams. It was already used in July for the EHF European League qualification rounds draw and it received a very positive response from the clubs and players alike.

Instead of dividing the teams in just two pots like in previous years, this time zones based on reasonable geographical proximity have been created to prevent teams from travelling to the opposite side of the continent and also to reduce possible travel restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

There will be two pots in each zone and the country protection rule will not be applied.

09:30
Welcome to another new chapter in European club handball. This morning we have the first draw event of the EHF European Cup for men and women, following its transformation from the Challenge Cup this summer.

The draw event will be hosted by the EHF headquarters in Vienna on Tuesday 1 September at 11:00 CEST and you can follow the fun right here.