2022–23 EHF European League

EHF European League
2022–23
Tournament information
Sport	Handball
Dates	27 August 2022–28 May 2023
Teams	44 (qualification stage); 24 (group stage)
Website	ehfel.com
Final positions
Champions	Füchse Berlin
Runner-up	Fraikin BM Granollers
Tournament statistics
MVP	Fabian Wiede
Top scorer(s)	Óðinn Þór Ríkharðsson; (110 goals)
	← 2021–22 2023–24 →

The 2022–23 EHF European League was the 42nd season of Europe's secondary club handball tournament organised by European Handball Federation (EHF), and the 3rd season since it was renamed from the EHF Cup to the EHF European League.

Füchse Berlin became champions, having defeated Fraikin BM Granollers in the final.^[1]

Qualified teams

The full list of teams qualified for each stage of the 2022–23 EHF European League was announced on 12 July 2022.^[2]

The labels in the parentheses show how each team qualified for the place of its starting round:

EL: European League title holders
CW: Cup winners
CR: Cup runners-up
4th, 5th, etc.: League position of the previous season
- SF: Semi-final league position
- QF: Quarter-final league position

Group stage
SL Benfica (3rd)^EL	Füchse Berlin (3rd)	PAUC Handball (3rd)	Skjern Håndbold (4th)
Ystads IF (1st)	Kadetten Schaffhausen (1st)	Fraikin BM Granollers (2nd)	Eurofarm Pelister (2nd)
Balatonfüredi KSE (3rd)	Tatran Prešov (1st)	HC Motor (1st)	Valur (1st)

Qualification round 2
SG Flensburg-Handewitt (4th)	Bidasoa Irun (3rd)	Frisch Auf Göppingen (5th)	Sporting CP (2nd)
Montpellier HB (4th)	KS Azoty-Puławy (3rd)	Skanderborg-Aarhus (5th)	BM Benidorm (4th)
Butel Skopje (3rd)	Fejér B.Á.L. Veszprém (CR)	CSA Steaua București (CR)	Belenenses (4th)
MMTS Kwidzyn (4th)	RK Nexe (2nd)

Qualification round 1
IK Sävehof (CW)	GC Amicitia Zürich (CW)	Rebi Balonmano Cuenca (5th)	RK Trimo Trebnje (2nd)
Eurofarm Pelister 2 (5th)	Minaur Baia Mare (2nd)	Drammen HK (SF)	Águas Santas Milaneza (5th)
Dobrogea Sud (3rd)	TBV Lemgo Lippe (6th)	Chambery Savoie MB HB (5th)	Górnik Zabrze (5th)
Bjerrinbro-Silkeborg (3rd)	Logroño La Rioja (6th)	FTC (4th)	Potaissa Turda (4th)
IFK Kristianstad (SF)	Alpla HC Hard (1st)	Kolstad Håndball (QF)	HC Cocks (1st)

Qualifying rounds

First qualifying round

A total of 20 teams were involved in the first qualifying round. The first leg matches were held on 27–28 August 2022, while the second leg matches were held on 3–4 September 2022. The draw was held in EHF office in Vienna.^[3]

The results of this round were:^[4]^[5]

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Rebi Balonmano Cuenca	48–64	Bjerrinbro-Silkeborg	26–31	22–33
Chambery Savoie MB HB	49–46	HC Dobrogea Sud Constanța	27–23	22–23
CS Minaur Baia Mare	49–74	FTC	27–36	22–38
HC Cocks	42–51	Águas Santas Milaneza	22–21	20–30
IK Sävehof	79–51	AHC Potaissa Turda	45–21	34–30
Górnik Zabrze	50–51	GC Amicitia Zürich	27–19	23–32
Alpla HC Hard	51–45	HC Eurofarm Pelister 2	24–21	27–24
Kolstad Håndball	57–47	Drammen HK	28–26	29–21
IFK Kristianstad	69–64	RK Trimo Trebnje	33–33	36–31
TBV Lemgo Lippe	67–62	BM Logroño La Rioja	39–34	28–28

Second qualifying round

A total of 24 teams were involved in the second qualifying round, 10 teams advancing from the previous round and 14 teams entering this round. The first leg matches were held on 27 September 2022, while the second leg matches were held on 4 October 2022. The draw was held in EHF office in Vienna.^[6]

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Chambery Savoie MB HB	54–56	Fejér B.Á.L. Veszprém	29–25	25–31
IK Sävehof	50–54	Montpellier HB	24–24	26–30
KS Azoty-Puławy	59–61	RK Nexe	32–26	27–35
Frisch Auf Göppingen	59–57	TBV Lemgo Lippe	28–24	31–33
Alpla HC Hard	51–42	HC Butel Skopje	26–21	25–21
IFK Kristianstad	64–67	Skanderborg-Aarhus	31–32	33–35
CSA Steaua București	64–66	FTC	33–31	31–35
Beleneses	42–57	Águas Santas Milaneza	20–23	22–34
Bidasoa Irun	61–60	Kolstad Håndball	30–27	31–33
BM Benidorm	64–58	GC Amicitia Zürich	34–24	30–34
Sporting CP	61–55	Bjerringbro-Silkeborg	31–22	30–33
MMTS Kwidzyn	49–76	SG Flensburg-Handewitt	25–39	24–37

Group stage

Lisbon

Lisbon teams

Location of teams of the 2022–23 EHF European League group stage.

Red: Group A;

Blue: Group B;

Yellow: Group C;

Green: Group D.

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. The draw was held in EHF office in Vienna.^[7]

A total of 14 national associations were represented in the group stage.

Group A

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	MON	GÖP	KAD	BEN	PRE	VES
1	Montpellier HB	10	8	2	330	295	+35	16^[a]	Knockout stage	—	35–27	40–36	33–27	41–30	34–30
2	Frisch Auf Göppingen	10	8	2	323	274	+49	16^[a]		27–25	—	24–25	31–29	34–24	46–30
3	Kadetten Schaffhausen	10	7	3	319	299	+20	14		28–30	30–35	—	26–25	38–30	38–32
4	SL Benfica	10	4	6	297	289	+8	8		24–26	27–31	27–28	—	35–28	39–35
5	Tatran Prešov	10	2	8	279	319	−40	4		35–27	26–28	31–37	25–29	—	22–20
6	Fejér B.Á.L. Veszprém	10	1	9	282	354	−72	2		31–39	23–40	25–33	26–35	30–28	—

Source: EHF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:

^ ^a ^b Montpellier 60–54 Göppingen

Group B

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	FLE	YST	VAL	FTC	PAU	BEN
1	SG Flensburg-Handewitt	10	8	1	1	327	280	+47	17	Knockout stage	—	30–23	33–30	42–30	30–25	35–30
2	Ystads IF	10	5	1	4	317	316	+1	11^[a]		30–26	—	33–35	35–35	29–33	36–30
3	Valur	10	5	1	4	338	328	+10	11^[a]		32–37	29–32	—	43–39	40–31	35–29
4	FTC	10	3	3	4	318	328	−10	9		27–27	37–34	33–33	—	28–25	32–33
5	PAUC Handball	10	4	0	6	305	313	−8	8		21–29	34–36	32–29	33–30	—	39–29
6	BM Benidorm	10	2	0	8	295	335	−40	4		32–38	27–29	29–32	23–27	33–32	—

Source: EHF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:

^ ^a ^b Ystad 65–64 Valur

Group C

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	NEX	SPO	GRA	SKJ	ALP	BAL
1	RK Nexe	10	8	0	2	311	281	+30	16	Knockout stage	—	32–31	39–36	29–28	22–29	37–23
2	Sporting CP	10	7	0	3	312	294	+18	14		28–34	—	38–31	28–24	31–30	35–32
3	Fraikin BM Granollers	10	6	1	3	315	301	+14	13		25–22	32–29	—	34–31	38–28	33–30
4	Skjern Håndbold	10	5	0	5	294	284	+10	10		29–30	28–30	32–29	—	27–23	32–26
5	Alpla HC Hard	10	1	2	7	270	300	−30	4		24–35	26–31	27–27	27–32	—	30–30
6	Balatonfüredi KSE	10	1	1	8	274	316	−42	3		28–31	25–31	25–30	28–31	27–26	—

Source: EHF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Group D

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	BER	SKA	BID	MOT	EUR	AGU
1	Füchse Berlin	10	10	0	0	343	266	+77	20	Knockout stage	—	30–24	34–29	32–24	34–25	34–20
2	Skanderborg-Aarhus	10	7	0	3	307	276	+31	14		28–29	—	38–27	33–30	24–22	33–26
3	Bidasoa Irun	10	4	1	5	295	296	−1	9		32–40	29–26	—	26–22	32–20	35–26
4	HC Motor	10	3	1	6	280	305	−25	7		27–38	31–37	33–31	—	30–33	30–24
5	Eurofarm Pelister	10	2	2	6	271	303	−32	6		34–43	27–30	29–29	25–27	—	27–27
6	Águas Santas Milaneza	10	1	2	7	252	302	−50	4		23–29	25–34	28–25	26–26	27–29	—

Source: EHF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Knockout stage

Pairings

The pairings for the last 16 and the quarterfinals 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				Quarterfinals

21 March/28 March

3D Bidasoa Irun	30	28	58
				11 April/18 April
2C Sporting CP	27	34	61
				Sporting CP	32	30	62
21 March/28 March
				Montpellier HB	32	31	63
4B FTC	30	29	59

1A Montpellier HB	36	43	79

21 March/28 March

3C Fraikin BM Granollers	32	30	62
				11 April/18 April
2D Skanderborg-Aarhus	34	25	59
				Fraikin BM Granollers	30	35	65
21 March/28 March
				SG Flensburg-Handewitt	31	27	58
4A SL Benfica	26	28	54

1B SG Flensburg-Handewitt	39	33	72

21 March/28 March

3B Valur	29	31	60
				11 April/18 April
2A Frisch Auf Göppingen	36	33	69
				Frisch Auf Göppingen	32	31	63
21 March/28 March
				RK Nexe	23	27	50
4D HC Motor	23	29	52

1C RK Nexe	27	27	54

21 March/28 March

3A Kadetten Schaffhausen	38	27	65
				11 April/18 April
2B Ystads IF	32	25	57
				Kadetten Schaffhausen	37	24	61
21 March/28 March
				Füchse Berlin	33	30	63
4C Skjern Håndbold	23	32	55

1D Füchse Berlin	28	38	66

Last 16

The last 16 first legs were played 21 March 2023, while the second legs followed on 28 March 2023.^[8]

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Bidasoa Irun	58–61	Sporting CP	30–27	28–34
FTC	59–79	Montpellier HB	30–36	29–43
Fraikin BM Granollers	62–59	Skanderborg-Aarhus	32–34	30–25
SL Benfica	54–72	SG Flensburg-Handewitt	26–39	28–33
Valur	60–69	Frisch Auf Göppingen	29–36	31–33
HC Motor	52–54	RK Nexe	23–27	29–27
Kadetten Schaffhausen	65–57	Ystads IF	38–32	27–25
Skjern Håndbold	55–66	Füchse Berlin	23–28	32–38

Quarterfinals

The quarterfinals first legs were played 11 April 2023, while the second legs followed on 18 April 2023.^[9]

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Sporting CP	62–63	Montpellier HB	32–32	30–31
Fraikin BM Granollers	65–58	SG Flensburg-Handewitt	30–31	35–27
Frisch Auf Göppingen	63–50	RK Nexe	32–23	31–27
Kadetten Schaffhausen	61–63	Füchse Berlin	37–33	24–30

Final four

Bracket

Semifinals		Final

27 May

Montpellier HB	29
		28 May
Füchse Berlin	35
		Füchse Berlin	36
27 May
		Fraikin BM Granollers	31
Fraikin BM Granollers	31

Frisch Auf Göppingen	29
		Third place

		28 May

		Montpellier HB	29

		Frisch Auf Göppingen	33

Final

28 May 2023 18:00	Füchse Berlin	36–31	Fraikin BM Granollers	Campushalle, Flensburg Attendance: 4,300 Referees: Madsen, Mortensen (DEN)
	Andersson 8	(16–12)	García Robledo, Salinas 7
	2× 2×	Report	2× 4×

Top goalscorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals^[10]
1	Óðinn Þór Ríkharðsson	Kadetten Schaffhausen	110
2	Martim Costa	Sporting CP	102
3	Bence Nagy	FTC	99
4	Ihor Turchenko	HC Motor	97
5	Francisco Costa	Sporting CP	95
6	Antonio García Robledo	Fraikin BM Granollers	94
7	Marcel Schiller	Frisch Auf Göppingen	78
8	Miloš Vujović	Füchse Berlin	76
9	Emil Jakobsen	SG Flensburg-Handewitt	75
	Josip Šarac	Frisch Auf Göppingen
	Kyllian Villeminot	Montpellier HB