# 2012–13 EHF Women's Champions League

The 2012–13 EHF Women's Champions League was the 20th edition of the EHF Women's Champions League, the competition for top women's clubs of Europe, organized and supervised by the European Handball Federation. Budućnost Podgorica was title holder, after beating Győri Audi ETO KC in past season's final.
Győri redeemed themselves by winning this season's edition. They defeated Larvik HK 47–43 in the final.

## Overview
### Format

A few changes had been made in the competition's format. The first qualifying tournament has been deleted. As past season the second qualifying tournament was played under a final four format. A Wild Card Tournament with three teams was organized, the winner were qualified for the Group Phase. In addition, a knock-out match between one team from Pot 1 of the QT2 and a team from Pot 2 of the QT2 was played. The winner also qualified for the Group Phase.

### Team allocation

28 teams from 19 federations participated to the Women's Champions League this season. Places were distributed according to the EHF league coefficient, which took into account the performances in European competitions from 2008–09 to 2010–11.
Group matches :
| Hypo Niederösterreich | RK Podravka Koprivnica | Randers HK | Thüringer HC |
| Győri Audi ETO KC | ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica | Larvik HK | CS Oltchim Rm. Vâlcea |
| Dinamo Volgograd | Krim Ljubljana | IK Sävehof | Wild Card Tournament Winner |
| WQT1 | WQT2 | WQT3 | Knock-out game winner |
| Qualification Tournament ||||
| Viborg HK | Buxtehuder SV | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | ŽRK Metalurg |
| SERCODAK Dalfsen | Byåsen HE | Vistal Łączpol Gdynia | Universitatea Cluj |
| Rostov-Don | RK Zaječar | IUVENTA Michalovce | Balonmano Bera-Bera |
| LC Brühl | Muratpaşa BSK |
| Wild Card Tournament ||||
| Issy-Paris Hand | Zvezda Zvenigorod | HC Leipzig | |
th Title Holder

### Round and draw dates

The draws will be held in Vienna, Austria and Herzogenaurach, Germany.
| Phase | Round | Draw date | First leg | Second leg |
| Qualifying | Qualification Tournament 2 | 3 July 2012 | 22–23 September 2012 | 22–23 September 2012 |
| Qualifying | Wild Card Tournament | 3 July 2012 | 22–23 September 2012 | 22–23 September 2012 |
| Group stage | Matchday 1 | 6 July 2012 | 13–14 October 2012 | 13–14 October 2012 |
| Group stage | Matchday 2 | 6 July 2012 | 20–21 October 2012 | 20–21 October 2012 |
| Group stage | Matchday 3 | 6 July 2012 | 27–28 October 2012 | 27–28 October 2012 |
| Group stage | Matchday 4 | 6 July 2012 | 3–4 November 2012 | 3–4 November 2012 |
| Group stage | Matchday 5 | 6 July 2012 | 10–11 November 2012 | 10–11 November 2012 |
| Group stage | Matchday 6 | 6 July 2012 | 17–18 November 2012 | 17–18 November 2012 |
| Main round | Matchday 1 | 20 November 2012 | 2–3 February 2013 | 2–3 February 2013 |
| Main round | Matchday 2 | 20 November 2012 | 9–10 February 2013 | 9–10 February 2013 |
| Main round | Matchday 3 | 20 November 2012 | 16–17 February 2013 | 16–17 February 2013 |
| Main round | Matchday 4 | 20 November 2012 | 2–3 March 2013 | 2–3 March 2013 |
| Main round | Matchday 5 | 20 November 2012 | 9–10 March 2013 | 9–10 March 2013 |
| Main round | Matchday 6 | 20 November 2012 | 16–17 March 2013 | 16–17 March 2013 |
| Knockout phase | Semifinals | — | 6–7 April 2013 | 13–14 April 2013 |
| Knockout phase | Finals | 16 April 2013 | 4–5 May 2013 | 11–12 May 2013 |

## Qualification stage
### Qualification tournament

A total of 14 teams took part in the qualification tournaments. The clubs were drawn into three groups of four and played a semifinal and the final. The winner of the qualification groups advanced to the group stage, while the eliminated clubs went to the EHF Cup. Matches were played at 8–9 September 2011. The draw took place on 3 July, at 11:00 local time at Vienna, Austria.

### Seedings

The two remaining teams from Pot 1 and 4 played a knock-out match, the winner went into the group stage. The draw was held on 3 July 2012.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
| Byåsen HE FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria Universitatea Cluj Viborg HK | Balonmano Bera-Bera Rostov-Don Buxtehuder SV | Vistal Łączpol Gdynia SERCODAK Dalfsen RK Zaječar | ŽRK Metalurg Muratpaşa BSK IUVENTA Michalovce LC Brühl |

### Qualification tournament 1

Viborg HK organized the event.
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| 22 September 2012 | 22 September 2012 |
| Viborg HK | 30 |
| Viborg HK | 30 | 23 September 2012 | 23 September 2012 |
| LC Brühl | 14 | 23 September 2012 | 23 September 2012 |
| LC Brühl | 14 | Viborg HK | 26 |
| 22 September 2012 | 22 September 2012 | | Viborg HK | 26 |
| 22 September 2012 | 22 September 2012 | Vistal Łączpol Gdynia | 22 |
| Balonmano Bera-Bera | 22 | Vistal Łączpol Gdynia | 22 |
| Vistal Łączpol Gdynia | 31 | | |
| Vistal Łączpol Gdynia | 31 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 23 September 2012 | 23 September 2012 |
| | | LC Brühl | 23 |
| | | Balonmano Bera-Bera | 33 |

### Qualification tournament 2

Byåsen HE organized the event.
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| 22 September 2012 | 22 September 2012 |
| Byåsen HE | 29 |
| Byåsen HE | 29 | 23 September 2012 | 23 September 2012 |
| ŽRK Metalurg | 19 | 23 September 2012 | 23 September 2012 |
| ŽRK Metalurg | 19 | Byåsen HE | 22 |
| 22 September 2012 | 22 September 2012 | | Byåsen HE | 22 |
| 22 September 2012 | 22 September 2012 | Buxtehuder SV | 26 |
| Buxtehuder SV | 34 | Buxtehuder SV | 26 |
| SERCODAK Dalfsen | 31 | | |
| SERCODAK Dalfsen | 31 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 23 September 2012 | 23 September 2012 |
| | | ŽRK Metalurg | 34 |
| | | SERCODAK Dalfsen | 26 |

### Qualification tournament 3

Universitatea Cluj organized the event.
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| 22 September 2012 | 22 September 2012 |
| Universitatea Cluj | 34 |
| Universitatea Cluj | 34 | 23 September 2012 | 23 September 2012 |
| Muratpaşa BSK | 26 | 23 September 2012 | 23 September 2012 |
| Muratpaşa BSK | 26 | Universitatea Cluj | 23 |
| 22 September 2012 | 22 September 2012 | | Universitatea Cluj | 23 |
| 22 September 2012 | 22 September 2012 | Rostov-Don | 22 |
| Rostov-Don | 29 | Rostov-Don | 22 |
| RK Zaječar | 28 | | |
| RK Zaječar | 28 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 23 September 2012 | 23 September 2012 |
| | | Muratpaşa BSK | 27 |
| | | RK Zaječar | 35 |

### Play-off

IUVENTA Michalovce and FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria played a playoff series to determine a participant for the group stage.
| 19 September 2012 18:00 | IUVENTA Michalovce | 26–40 | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | Chemkostav Arena, Chemkostav Arena Attendance: 1,800 Referees: Marić, Mašić (SRB) |
| 19 September 2012 18:00 | Tobiášová 6 | (10–15) | Pena, Tomori 6 | Chemkostav Arena, Chemkostav Arena Attendance: 1,800 Referees: Marić, Mašić (SRB) |
| 19 September 2012 18:00 | 2× 4× | Report | 3× 1× | Chemkostav Arena, Chemkostav Arena Attendance: 1,800 Referees: Marić, Mašić (SRB) |
| 22 September 2012 18:00 | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 31–22 | IUVENTA Michalovce | Elek Gyula Aréna, Budapest Attendance: 1,000 Referees: Delle, Engberg (SWE) |
| 22 September 2012 18:00 | Pena 6 | (16–8) | Wollingerová 5 | Elek Gyula Aréna, Budapest Attendance: 1,000 Referees: Delle, Engberg (SWE) |
| 22 September 2012 18:00 | 3× 3× | Report | 3× 1× | Elek Gyula Aréna, Budapest Attendance: 1,000 Referees: Delle, Engberg (SWE) |
FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria wins 71–48 on aggregate.

### Wild card tournament

Issy-Paris Hand organized the event.
| Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Zvezda Zvenigorod | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 41 | +11 | 4 |
| HC Leipzig | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 42 | 0 | 2 |
| Issy-Paris Hand | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 36 | 47 | −11 | 0 |

## Group matches

The draw of the group matches was held on 6 July at the Gartenhotel Altmannsdorf in Vienna. A total of sixteen teams were concerned in the process, to be divided into four pots of four. Teams were divided into four pots, based on EHF coefficients. Clubs from the same pot or the same association could not be drawn into the same group, except the wild card tournament winner, which did not enjoy any protection.

### Seedings

| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
| Győri Audi ETO KC ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica Larvik HK CS Oltchim Rm. Vâlcea | Randers HK Thüringer HC Dinamo Volgograd Krim Ljubljana | Hypo Niederösterreich RK Podravka Koprivnica IK Sävehof Zvezda Zvenigorod | Viborg HK Buxtehuder SV Universitatea Cluj FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria |

### Group A

| Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | CSV | RHK | HYP | BSV |
| CS Oltchim Rm. Vâlcea | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 170 | 129 | +41 | 12 | — | 27–23 | 30–25 | 30–22 |
| Randers HK | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 166 | 156 | +10 | 6 | 20–24 | — | 29–20 | 36–26 |
| Hypo Niederösterreich | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 156 | 153 | +3 | 6 | 24–25 | 32–25 | — | 27–24 |
| Buxtehuder SV | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 134 | 188 | −54 | 0 | 15–34 | 27–33 | 20–28 | — |

### Group B

| Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | GKC | RKK | KOP | UJC |
| Győri Audi ETO KC | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 134 | +46 | 12 | — | 29–22 | 24–19 | 37–26 |
| Krim Ljubljana | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 151 | 157 | −6 | 6 | 20–31 | — | 28–22 | 28–27 |
| Podravka Koprivnica | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 136 | 143 | −7 | 6 | 22–29 | 25–22 | — | 28–21 |
| Universitatea Cluj | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 141 | 174 | −33 | 0 | 25–30 | 23–31 | 19–20 | — |

### Group C

| Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | LHK | FTC | VOL | IKS |
| Larvik HK | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 197 | 156 | +41 | 10 | — | 30–23 | 40–25 | 39–31 |
| FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 183 | 163 | +20 | 10 | 28–24 | — | 30–28 | 31–28 |
| Dinamo Volgograd | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 157 | 200 | −43 | 2 | 24–35 | 21–37 | — | 25–30 |
| IK Sävehof | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 174 | 192 | −18 | 2 | 25–29 | 32–34 | 28–34 | — |

### Group D

| Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | ZVE | ŽRK | THC | VHK |
| Zvezda Zvenigorod | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 154 | 142 | +12 | 10 | — | 31–25 | 31–24 | 20–17 |
| Budućnost Podgorica | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 149 | 134 | +15 | 8 | 29–21 | — | 23–15 | 26–23 |
| Thüringer HC | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 146 | 153 | −7 | 6 | 20–23 | 24–20 | — | 34–30 |
| Viborg HK | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 143 | 163 | −20 | 0 | 27–28 | 20–26 | 26–29 | — |

## Main round

The draw of the group matches was held on 20 November at the Gartenhotel Altmannsdorf in Vienna. A total of eight teams were concerned in the process, to be divided into two pots of four. Teams were divided into two pots, based on EHF coefficients. Clubs from the same pot or group could not be drawn into the same group.

### Seedings

| Pot 1 | Pot 2 |
| CS Oltchim Rm. Vâlcea Győri Audi ETO KC Larvik HK Zvezda Zvenigorod | Randers HK Krim Ljubljana FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica |

### Group 1

| Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | GKC | LHK | ŽRK | RHK |
| Győri Audi ETO KC | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 160 | 122 | +38 | 12 | — | 30–24 | 27–17 | 32–24 |
| Larvik HK | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 146 | 133 | +13 | 8 | 18–24 | — | 28–16 | 25–19 |
| Budućnost Podgorica | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 116 | 139 | −23 | 3 | 21–22 | 18–20 | — | 24–22 |
| Randers HK | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 129 | 157 | −28 | 1 | 18–25 | 26–31 | 20–20 | — |

### Group 2

| Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | RKK | CSV | FTC | ZVE |
| Krim Ljubljana | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 161 | 149 | +12 | 8 | — | 28–24 | 31–25 | 27–23 |
| CS Oltchim Rm. Vâlcea | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 154 | 142 | +12 | 8 | 23–20 | — | 22–23 | 29–25 |
| FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 163 | 173 | −10 | 6 | 30–26 | 23–30 | — | 35–34 |
| Zvezda Zvenigorod | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 159 | 173 | −14 | 2 | 24–29 | 23–26 | 30–27 | — |

## Knockout stage
### Semifinals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| CS Oltchim Rm. Vâlcea | 47–48 | Győri Audi ETO KC | 22–24 | 25–24 |
| Larvik HK | 49–43 | Krim Ljubljana | 22–24 | 27–19 |

### Final

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Larvik HK | 43–47 | Győri Audi ETO KC | 21–24 | 22–23 |

## Top scorers

| Rank | Name | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Zsuzsanna Tomori (HUN) | Ferencváros | 95 |
| 2 | Katarina Bulatović (MNE) | Vâlcea | 90 |
| 3 | Milena Knežević (MNE) | Budućnost | 86 |
| 4 | Anita Görbicz (HUN) | Győr | 79 |
| 4 | Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth Koren (NOR) | Larvik | 79 |
| 6 | Gro Hammerseng (NOR) | Larvik | 71 |
| 7 | Heidi Løke (NOR) | Győr | 67 |
| 7 | Lyudmila Postnova (RUS) | Zvenigorod | 67 |
| 9 | Camilla Dalby (DEN) | Randers | 66 |
| 10 | Zita Szucsánszki (HUN) | Ferencváros | 65 |
    Excluding qualifying rounds