2019–20 EHF Cup

The 2019–20 EHF Cup was the 39th edition of the EHF Cup, the second most important European handball club competition organised by the European Handball Federation (EHF), and the seventh edition since the merger with the EHF Cup Winners' Cup.^[1] On 24 April 2020 EHF announced that EHF Cup would be cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.^[2]

EHF Cup

2019–20
Tournament information
Sport	Handball
Dates	31 August 2019–24 May 2020
Teams	64 (qualification stage) 16 (group stage)
Website	eurohandball.com
Final positions
Champions	Cancelled
Tournament statistics
Top scorer(s)	Mohammad Sanad (49 goals)
← 2018–19 2020–21 →

Team allocation

Teams

Third qualifying round
SC Magdeburg	Rhein-Neckar Löwen	Chambéry Savoie Mont-Blanc	MT Melsungen
HBC Nantes	Bjerringbro-Silkeborg	Liberbank Cuenca	Grundfos Tatabánya KC
Gwardia Opole	Metalurg Skopje	Füchse Berlin	USAM Nîmes Gard
TTH Holstebro	BM Logroño La Rioja	Balatonfüredi KSE	RK Nexe
Second qualifying round
NMC Górnik Zabrze	RK Gorenje Velenje	SCM Politehnica Timișoara	Wacker Thun
SKA Minsk	Hapoel Ashdod	ØIF Arendal Elite	Selfoss
HC Butel Skopje	PAUC Handball	Skjern Håndbold	CB Ademar León
Csurgói KK	KS Azoty-Puławy	RK Pelister	SL Benfica
First qualifying round
RK Dubrava	RD Ribnica	HC Dobrogea Sud Constanța	Maccabi Rishon LeZion
FH Hafnarfjordur	Spartak Moscow	SSK Talent M.A.T.Plzeň	ZTR Zaporizhia
RK Vojvodina	HC Achilles Bocholt	Olympiacos S.F.P.	Alpla HC Hard
KRAS/Volendam	KH BESA Famgas	Handball Esch	Beşiktaş Aygaz
Põlva Serviti	Dragūnas Klaipėda	SSV Bozen Loacker	London GD
B.S.B. Batumi	RK Lovćen	RK Borac m:tel	Swieqi Phoenix Handball Club
RK Metaloplastika	HC Visé BM	CIP Travel Antalyaspo A.Ş.	RK Poreč
HK Malmö	Pfadi Winterthur	Haukar Handball	SG Handball West Wien

Round and draw dates

The schedule of the competition was as follows (all draws were held at the EHF headquarters in Vienna, Austria).^[3][4]

Phase	Round	Draw date	First leg	Second leg
Qualification	First qualifying round	16 July 2019	31 August-1 September 2019	7-8 September 2019
	Second qualifying round		5–6 October 2019	12–13 October 2019
	Third qualifying round	15 October 2019	16–17 November 2019	23–24 November 2019
Group stage	Matchday 1	28 November 2019	8–9 February 2020
	Matchday 2		15–16 February 2020
	Matchday 3		22–23 February 2019
	Matchday 4		29 February–1 March 2020
	Matchday 5		21–22 March 2020
	Matchday 6		28–29 March 2020
Knockout phase	Quarter-finals	31 March 2020	25–26 April 2020	2–3 May 2020
	Final four	5 May 2020	23–24 May 2020

Qualification stage

The qualification stage consists of three rounds, which will be played as two-legged ties using a home-and-away system. In the draws for each round, teams are allocated into two pots, with teams from Pot 1 facing teams from Pot 2. The winners of each pairing (highlighted in bold) will qualify for the following round.

For each round, teams listed first will play the first leg at home. In some cases, teams agree to play both matches at the same venue.

Round 1

A total of 32 teams entered the draw for the first qualification round, which was held on Tuesday, 16 July 2019.^[5] The draw seeding pots were composed as follows:

Pot 1	Pot 2
RK Dubrava RD Riko Ribnica HC Dobrogea Sud Constanța Maccabi Rishon LeZion FH Hafnarfjordur HC Spartak Moscow SSK Talent M.A.T. Plzeň ZTR Zaporizhia RK Vojvodina HC Achilles Bocholt Olympiacos S.F.P. Alpla HC Hard KRAS/Volendam KH BESA Famgas Handball Esch Beşiktaş Aygaz	Põlva Serviti Dragūnas Klaipėda SSV Bozen Loacker London GD B.S.B. Batumi RK Lovćen RK Borac m:tel Swieqi Phoenix Handball Club RK Metaloplastika HC Visé BM CIP Travel Antalyaspor A.Ş. RK Poreč HK Malmö Pfadi Winterthur Haukar Handball SG Handball West Wien

The first legs were played on 31 August–1 September and the second legs were played on 7–8 September 2019. Some teams agreed to play both matches in the same venue.^[6]

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
KH BESA Famgas	54–67 1	Pfadi Winterthur	24–33	30–34
Olympiacos S.F.P.	60–46	RK Borac m:tel	30–21	30–25
HK Malmö	61–52	HC Spartak Moscow	31–23	30–29
Maccabi Rishon LeZion	57–48 2	Dragūnas Klaipėda	34–28	23–20
RK Poreč	60–51	KRAS/Volendam	29–23	31–28
HC Visé BM	48–56	FH Hafnarfjordur	27–27	21–29
RD Riko Ribnica	59–48	Põlva Serviti	32–22	27–26
ZTR Zaporizhia	78–34 3	London GD	39–20	39–14
CIP Travel Antalyaspor A.Ş.	40–53	HC Dobrogea Sud Constanța	24–24	16–29
SSV Bozen Loacker	50–51	Alpla HC Hard	24–23	26–28
Beşiktaş Aygaz	49–49 (a)4	RK Metaloplastika	25–25	24–24
Haukar Handball	45–51	SSK Talent M.A.T. Plzeň	20–25	25–26
HC Achilles Bocholt	48–47	SG Handball West Wien	26–22	22–25
Handball Esch	80–38 5	B.S.B. Batumi	38–16	42–22
RK Vojvodina	79–52 6	RK Lovćen	38–23	41–29
RK Dubrava	81–43 7	Swieqi Phoenix Handball Club	45–22	36–21

Notes

¹ Both legs were hosted by KH BESA Famgas.

² Both legs were hosted by Maccabi Rishon LeZion.

³ Both legs were hosted by ZTR Zaporizhia.

⁴ Both legs were hosted by Beşiktaş Aygaz.

⁵ Both legs were hosted by Handball Esch.

⁶ Both legs were hosted by RK Vojvodina.

⁷ Both legs were hosted by RK Dubrava.

Round 2

The first legs were played on 5–6 October and the second legs were played on 12–13 October 2019. Some teams agreed to play both matches in the same venue.^[7]

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
SCM Politehnica Timișoara	57–58	Olympiacos S.F.P.	31–29	26–29
PAUC Handball	64–46	RK Poreč	38–26	26–20
SSK Talent M.A.T. Plzeň	58–44 1	Hapoel Ashdod	32–23	26–21
RD Riko Ribnica	56–61	SKA Minsk	33–33	23–28
HK Malmö	64–56	Selfoss	33–27	31–29
Alpla HC Hard	60–59 (p)3	Skjern Håndbold	25–26	26–25
RK Vojvodina	43–58	CB Ademar León	20–28	23–30
SL Benfica	63–44 2	RK Dubrava	29–28	34–16
RK Metaloplastika	53–64	RK Gorenje Velenje	24–32	29–32
HC Butel Skopje	42–43	ZTR Zaporizhia	18–14	24–29
KS Azoty-Puławy	57–53	Handball Esch	31–28	26–25
HC Dobrogea Sud Constanța	43–43 (a)	Csurgói KK	22–24	21–19
NMC Górnik Zabrze	50–48	Maccabi Rishon LeZion	29–26	21–22
HC Achilles Bocholt	59–52	Wacker Thun	34–33	25–19
FH Hafnarfjordur	52–58	ØIF Arendal Elite	25–30	27–28
Pfadi Winterthur	72–37	RK Pelister	39–16	33–21

Notes

¹ Both legs were hosted by Talent M.A.T. Plzeň.

² Both legs were hosted by SL Benfica.

³ A penalty shootout – which lasted nine shots for each team – was necessary to determine the winner of the tie between ALPLA HC Hard and Skjern Handbold. ALPLA HC Hard won 9–8.

Round 3

A total of 32 teams entered the draw for the third qualification round, which was held on Tuesday, 15 October 2019.^[8] The draw seeding pots were composed as follows: ^[9]

Pot 1	Pot 2
RK Nexe Bjerringbro-Silkeborg TTH Holstebro BM Logroño La Rioja Liberbank Cuenca Chambéry Savoie Mont-Blanc HBC Nantes USAM Nîmes Gard Füchse Berlin MT Melsungen Rhein-Neckar Löwen SC Magdeburg Balatonfüredi KSE Grundfos Tatabánya KC Metalurg Skopje Gwardia Opole	Alpla HC Hard HC Achilles Bocholt SKA Minsk SSK Talent M.A.T. Plzeň CB Ademar León PAUC Handball Olympiacos S.F.P. Csurgói KK ØIF Arendal Elite KS Azoty-Puławy NMC Górnik Zabrze SL Benfica RK Gorenje Velenje Pfadi Winterthur HK Malmö ZTR Zaporizhia

The first legs were played on 16–17 November and the second legs were played on 23–24 November 2019.^[10]

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Balatonfüredi KSE	51–56	CB Ademar León	30–27	21–29
SKA Minsk	45–61	Rhein-Neckar Löwen	28–32	17–29
NMC Górnik Zabrze	51–74	SC Magdeburg	25–37	26–37
Pfadi Winterthur	63–70	Bjerringbro-Silkeborg	33–36	30–34
Chambéry Savoie Mont-Blanc	43–44	PAUC Handball	20–25	23–19
Liberbank Cuenca	59–50	Alpla HC Hard	34–18	25–32
Grundfos Tatabánya KC	53–51	ZTR Zaporizhia	27–24	26–27
HBC Nantes	60–59	ØIF Arendal Elite	30–29	30–30
RK Nexe	54–54 (a)	SL Benfica	30–26	24–28
RK Gorenje Velenje	47–42	Metalurg Skopje	24–19	23–23
HK Malmö	53–61	Füchse Berlin	27–34	26–27
MT Melsungen	52–47	Olympiacos S.F.P.	32–28	20–19
SSK Talent M.A.T. Plzeň	46–67	TTH Holstebro	25–30	21–37
BM Logroño La Rioja	73–57	HC Achilles Bocholt	37–26	36–31
Gwardia Opole	54–53	KS Azoty-Puławy	26–24	28–29
Csurgói KK	48–54	USAM Nîmes Gard	28–25	20–29

Group stage

Main article: 2019–20 EHF Cup group stage

The draw of the EHF Cup group stage will take place on Thursday, 28 November 2019. The 16 teams allocated into four pots will be drawn into four groups of four teams.

In each group, teams play against each other home-and-away in a round-robin format. The matchdays are 8–9 February, 15–16 February, 22–23 February, 29 February–1 March, 21–22 March and 28–29 March 2020.

On 25 March 2020, the EHF announced that no matches will be played before June due to the coronavirus pandemic.^[11]

In the group stage, teams are ranked according to points (2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). After completion of the group stage, if two or more teams have scored the same number of points, the ranking will be determined as follows:

1. Highest number of points in matches between the teams directly involved;
2. Superior goal difference in matches between the teams directly involved;
3. Highest number of goals scored in matches between the teams directly involved (or in the away match in case of a two-team tie);
4. Superior goal difference in all matches of the group;
5. Highest number of plus goals in all matches of the group;

If the ranking of one of these teams is determined, the above criteria are consecutively followed until the ranking of all teams is determined. If no ranking can be determined, a decision shall be obtained by EHF through drawing of lots.

During the group stage, only criteria 4–5 apply to determine the provisional ranking of teams.

Group A

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		BEN	MEL	BJE	GWA
1	SL Benfica	4	4	0	0	121	97	+24	8	Knockout stage		—	29–26	Cancelled	29–24
2	MT Melsungen	4	2	0	2	118	118	0	4	Ranking of the second-placed teams		Cancelled	—	35–33	26–21
3	Bjerringbro-Silkeborg	4	2	0	2	124	128	−4	4	Eliminated		24–33	35–31	—	Cancelled
4	Gwardia Opole	4	0	0	4	97	117	−20	0			23–30	Cancelled	29–32	—

Updated to match(es) played on 29 February 2020. Source: EHF

Group B

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		RNL	NIM	LIB	HOL
1	Rhein-Neckar Löwen	4	4	0	0	136	111	+25	8	Knockout stage		—	32–31	36–25	Cancelled
2	USAM Nîmes Gard	4	2	1	1	123	117	+6	5	Ranking of the second-placed teams		Cancelled	—	29–29	33–28
3	Liberbank Cuenca	4	1	1	2	111	125	−14	3	Eliminated		28–33	Cancelled	—	29–27
4	TTH Holstebro (E)	4	0	0	4	110	127	−17	0			27–35	28–30	Cancelled	—

Updated to match(es) played on 29 February 2020. Source: EHF
(E) Eliminated

Group C

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		MAG	NAN	GOR	ADE
1	SC Magdeburg	4	4	0	0	123	109	+14	8	Knockout stage		—	29–28	32–26	Cancelled
2	HBC Nantes	4	2	0	2	125	116	+9	4	Ranking of the second-placed teams		28–31	—	Cancelled	34–28
3	Gorenje Velenje	4	2	0	2	110	115	−5	4	Eliminated		Cancelled	28–35	—	30–25
4	Abanca Ademar León	4	0	0	4	103	121	−18	0			27–31	Cancelled	23–26	—

Updated to match(es) played on 1 March 2020. Source: EHF

Group D

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		FUC	PAU	TAT	LOG
1	Füchse Berlin	4	2	1	1	110	102	+8	5	Knockout stage		—	Cancelled	27–27	33–26
2	PAUC Handball	4	1	2	1	102	100	+2	4	Ranking of the second-placed teams		23–25	—	26–22	Cancelled
3	Grundfos Tatabánya KC	4	1	2	1	99	102	−3	4	Eliminated		Cancelled	24–24	—	26–25
4	BM Logroño La Rioja	4	1	1	2	106	113	−7	3			26–25	29–29	Cancelled	—

Updated to match(es) played on 1 March 2020. Source: EHF

Ranking of the second-placed teams

The top three second-placed teams will qualify to the quarter-finals. The ranking of the second-placed teams will be determined on the basis of the team's results in the group stage.

Pos	Grp	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	B	USAM Nîmes Gard	4	2	1	1	123	117	+6	5	Knockout stage
2	C	HBC Nantes	4	2	0	2	125	116	+9	4
3	D	PAUC Handball	4	1	2	1	102	100	+2	4
4	A	MT Melsungen	4	2	0	2	118	118	0	4	Eliminated

Updated to match(es) played on 1 March 2020. Source: EHF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Knockout stage

Quarter-finals

The draw for the quarter-final pairings was scheduled to be held on Tuesday, 31 March, in the EHF headquarters in Vienna, but due to the postponed matches of the group stage, EHF will announce any further updates accordingly. On 24 April 2020 the matches were cancelled.^[2]

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
	–		–	–
	–		–	–
	–		–	–
	–		–	–

Final four

The eighth edition of the EHF Cup Finals in 2020 will be hosted by Füchse Berlin after the EHF Executive Committee decided to award the hosting rights to the German club at its meeting on 22 November 2019. The tournament was scheduled to take place at Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, on 23 and 24 May 2020, but was rescheduled to 29 and 30 August 2020.^[12][13][11] On 24 April 2020 EHF announced that in agreement with the organizers, Füchse Berlin, the MEN’S EHF Cup Finals scheduled for 29 and 30 August are cancelled. The tournament will not be carried out.^[2]

Bracket

	Semifinals				Final
					Third place

Semifinals

	TBD	Cancelled	TBD

---

	TBD	Cancelled	TBD

Third place game

	LSF1	Cancelled	LSF2

Final

	WSF1	Cancelled	WFF2

Top goalscorers

As of 29 February 2020

Rank	Player	Club	Goals[14]
1	Mohammad Sanad	USAM Nîmes Gard	49
2	Magnus Bramming	TTH Holstebro	44
	Petar Đorđić	S.L. Benfica

See also

• 2019–20 EHF Champions League
• 2019–20 EHF Challenge Cup