# 2020–21 Women's EHF European League

The 2020–21 Women's EHF European League was the 40th edition of EHF's second-tier women's handball competition, running from 10 October 2020 to 9 May 2021. The tournament was previously called Women's EHF Cup.
There was no defending champion, after last season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Overview
### Team allocation

Group stage :
| Herning-Ikast Håndbold | Siófok KC | CS Minaur Baia Mare | HC Lada |
| Round 3 ||||
| DHK Baník Most | Nykøbing Falster Håndbold | Viborg HK | Super Amara Bera Bera |
| Fleury Loiret Handball | Nantes Atlantique Handball | HSG Blomberg-Lippe | TuS Metzingen |
| DVSC Schaeffler | Váci NKSE | Byåsen Håndball Elite | Storhamar Håndball Elite |
| MKS Perła Lublin | SCM Gloria Buzău | Astrakhanochka | HC Zvezda |
| H 65 Höörs HK | Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK | | |
| Round 2 ||||
| Hypo Niederösterreich | WAT Atzgersdorf | Paris 92 | Thüringer HC |
| Alba Fehérvár KC | Molde Elite | Tertnes Håndball Elite | HC Dunărea Brăila |
| Kuban | LC Brühl Handball | IUVENTA Michalovce | Lugi HF |

## Round and draw dates

The schedule of the competition was as follows (all draws were held at the EHF headquarters in Vienna, Austria). The EHF announced that the originally planned first qualification round in September would be skipped.
| Phase | Round | Draw date | First leg | Second leg |
| Qualification | Second qualifying round | 28 July 2020 | 10–11 October 2020 | 17–18 October 2020 |
| Qualification | Third qualifying round | 20 October 2020 | 14–15 November 2020 | 21–22 November 2020 |
| Group stage | Matchday 1 | 26 November 2020 | 9–10 January 2021 | 9–10 January 2021 |
| Group stage | Matchday 2 | 26 November 2020 | 16–17 January 2021 | 16–17 January 2021 |
| Group stage | Matchday 3 | 26 November 2020 | 23–24 January 2021 | 23–24 January 2021 |
| Group stage | Matchday 4 | 26 November 2020 | 6–7 February 2021 | 6–7 February 2021 |
| Group stage | Matchday 5 | 26 November 2020 | 13–14 February 2021 | 13–14 February 2021 |
| Group stage | Matchday 6 | 26 November 2020 | 20–21 February 2021 | 20–21 February 2021 |
| Knockout phase | Quarter-finals | no draw | 27–28 March 2021 | 3–4 April 2021 |
| Knockout phase | Semi finals | 15 April 2021 | 8 May 2021 | 8 May 2021 |
| Knockout phase | Final | no draw | 9 May 2021 | 9 May 2021 |

## Qualification stage
### Round 2

There were 12 teams participating in round 2. The first legs were played on 10–11 October and the second legs were played on 16–17 October 2020.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| HC Dunărea Brăila | 53–52 | Tertnes Håndball Elite | 28–26 | 25–26 |
| Molde Elite | 58–40 | Hypo Niederösterreich | 28–19 | 30–21 |
| Paris 92 | 65–40 | IUVENTA Michalovce | 36–14 | 29–26 |
| WAT Atzgersdorf | 45–81 | Thüringer HC | 24–39 | 21–42 |
| Lugi HF | (wo) | Kuban | – | – |
| LC Brühl Handball | (wo) | Alba Fehérvár KC | – | – |

#### Notes
### Round 3

A total of 24 teams entered the draw for the third qualification round, which was held on Tuesday, 20 October 2020.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 |
| Nykøbing Falster Håndbold Viborg HK Fleury Loiret Handball HSG Blomberg-Lippe TuS Metzingen DVSC Schaeffler Váci NKSE Byåsen Håndball Elite Storhamar Håndball Elite SCM Gloria Buzău Astrakhanochka HC Zvezda | DHK Baník Most Super Amara Bera Bera Nantes Atlantique HB Paris 92 Thüringer HC Alba Fehérvár KC Molde Elite MKS Perła Lublin HC Dunărea Brăila Kuban H 65 Höörs HK Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK |
The first legs were played on 14–15 November and the second legs were played on 21–22 November 2020.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Super Amara Bera Bera | 51–56 | HC Zvezda | 27–27 | 24–29 |
| Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK | 31–30 | DVSC Schaeffler | 31–30 | – |
| Byåsen Håndball Elite | (wo) | MKS Perła Lublin | – | – |
| HC Dunărea Brăila | 58–52 | Viborg HK | 26–24 | 32–28 |
| Paris 92 | 56–42 | Nykøbing Falster Håndbold | 28–16 | 28–26 |
| Thüringer HC | 57–51 | HSG Blomberg-Lippe | 27–31 | 30–20 |
| Astrakhanochka | (wo) | Molde Elite | – | – |
| Fleury Loiret Handball | 57–50 | H 65 Höörs HK | 29–26 | 28–24 |
| Nantes Atlantique HB | 44–43 | SCM Gloria Buzău | 23–16 | 21–27 |
| Alba Fehérvár KC | (wo) | Storhamar Håndball Elite | – | – |
| DHK Baník Most | 41–42 | Váci NKSE | – | 41–42 |
| Kuban | (wo) | TuS Metzingen | – | – |

#### Notes
## Group stage

The draw for the group phase was held on Thursday, 26 November 2020. In each group, teams played against each other in a double round-robin format, with home and away matches.
* Tiebreakers
* In the group stage, teams were 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:
* Highest number of points in matches between the teams directly involved;
* Superior goal difference in matches between the teams directly involved;
* Highest number of goals scored in matches between the teams directly involved (or in the away match in case of a two-team tie);
* Superior goal difference in all matches of the group;
* 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 | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | HIH | ZVE | PAR | VAC |
| 1 | Herning-Ikast Håndbold | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 198 | 160 | +38 | 10 | Quarterfinals | — | 34–25 | 25–23 | 39–29 |
| 2 | HC Zvezda | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 135 | 135 | 0 | 6 | Quarterfinals | 31–39 | — | 10–0 | 29–33 |
| 3 | Paris 92 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 93 | 101 | −8 | 6 | | 26–23 | 0–10 | — | 10–0 |
| 4 | Váci NKSE | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 150 | 180 | −30 | 2 | | 26–38 | 29–30 | 33–34 | — |
* 1 2 HC Zvezda 10–10 Paris 92, HC Zvezda advanced on superior goal difference.

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | NAN | LAD | LUB | KAS |
| 1 | Nantes Atlantique | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 120 | 115 | +5 | 8 | Quarterfinals | — | 0–10 | 25–21 | 35–26 |
| 2 | HC Lada | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 117 | 115 | +2 | 6 | Quarterfinals | 32−29 | — | 30–24 | 27–29 |
| 3 | MKS Perla Lublin | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 130 | 125 | +5 | 5 | | 26–31 | 28–23 | — | 35–26 |
| 4 | Kastamonu Bld. GSK | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 130 | 142 | −12 | 5 | | 26–29 | 29–25 | 20–20 | — |
* 1 2 MKS Perla Lublin 55–46 Kastamonu Bld. GSK

### Group C

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | BAI | AST | STO | THU |
| 1 | CS Minaur Baia Mare | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 150 | 116 | +34 | 10 | Quarterfinals | — | 30–27 | 33−29 | 10–0 |
| 2 | Astrakhanochka | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 137 | 112 | +25 | 8 | Quarterfinals | 33–27 | — | 10–0 | 10–0 |
| 3 | Storhamar Håndball Elite | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 157 | 182 | −25 | 4 | | 27–40 | 33–28 | — | 32–30 |
| 4 | Thüringer HC | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 93 | 127 | −34 | 2 | | 0–10 | 22–29 | 41–36 | — |

### Group D

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | SIO | DUN | KUB | FLE |
| 1 | Siófok KC | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 181 | 154 | +27 | 11 | Quarterfinals | — | 31–24 | 28−28 | 29–28 |
| 2 | HC Dunărea Brăila | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 170 | 167 | +3 | 7 | Quarterfinals | 25–27 | — | 36–32 | 29–27 |
| 3 | Kuban | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 130 | 120 | +10 | 6 | | 25–31 | 25–25 | — | 10–0 |
| 4 | Fleury Loiret | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 104 | 144 | −40 | 0 | | 24–35 | 25–31 | 0–10 | — |

## Quarterfinals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| HC Lada | 54–59 | Herning-Ikast Håndbold | 29–31 | 25–28 |
| Zvezda Zvenigorod | 57–63 | Nantes Atlantique HB | 29–33 | 28–30 |
| Dunărea Brăila | 49–58 | CS Minaur Baia Mare | 24–31 | 25–27 |
| Astrakhanochka | 54–61 | Siófok KC | 26–32 | 28–29 |

### Matches

| 27 March 2021 14:00 | HC Lada | 29–31 | Herning-Ikast Håndbold | Olymp Sportlomplex, Togliatti Attendance: 480 Referees: Ünlü Hatipoğlu, Şimşek (TUR) |
| 27 March 2021 14:00 | Shamanouskaya 6 | (17–17) | Fauske 8 | Olymp Sportlomplex, Togliatti Attendance: 480 Referees: Ünlü Hatipoğlu, Şimşek (TUR) |
| 27 March 2021 14:00 | 1× 3× | Report | 1× 3× | Olymp Sportlomplex, Togliatti Attendance: 480 Referees: Ünlü Hatipoğlu, Şimşek (TUR) |
| 3 April 2021 14:00 | Herning-Ikast Håndbold | 28–25 | HC Lada | IBF Arena, Ikast Attendance: 0 Referees: Geraets, Geraets (NED) |
| 3 April 2021 14:00 | Fauske 9 | (13–13) | Shcherbak 5 | IBF Arena, Ikast Attendance: 0 Referees: Geraets, Geraets (NED) |
| 3 April 2021 14:00 | 1× 2× | Report | 4× | IBF Arena, Ikast Attendance: 0 Referees: Geraets, Geraets (NED) |
| 27 March 2021 18:00 | HC Zvezda | 29–33 | Nantes Atlantique HB | Olimpiysky Sport Palace, Chekhov Attendance: 500 Referees: Butskevich, Butskevich (BLR) |
| 27 March 2021 18:00 | two players 6 | (16–16) | Kpodar 8 | Olimpiysky Sport Palace, Chekhov Attendance: 500 Referees: Butskevich, Butskevich (BLR) |
| 27 March 2021 18:00 | 1× 2× | Report | 1× 4× | Olimpiysky Sport Palace, Chekhov Attendance: 500 Referees: Butskevich, Butskevich (BLR) |
| 4 April 2021 14:00 | Nantes Atlantique HB | 30–28 | HC Zvezda | Complexe sportif Mangin-Beaulieu, Nantes Attendance: 0 Referees: Lidacka, Lesiak (POL) |
| 4 April 2021 14:00 | de Paula 6 | (15–13) | Nikolaeva, Nikitina 6 | Complexe sportif Mangin-Beaulieu, Nantes Attendance: 0 Referees: Lidacka, Lesiak (POL) |
| 4 April 2021 14:00 | 2× 5× | Report | 1× 7× | Complexe sportif Mangin-Beaulieu, Nantes Attendance: 0 Referees: Lidacka, Lesiak (POL) |
| 27 March 2021 16:00 | HC Dunărea Brăila | 24–31 | CS Minaur Baia Mare | Sala Polivalentă Danubius, Brăila Attendance: 0 Referees: Bytyqi, Kasapi (KOS) |
| 27 March 2021 16:00 | Dmitrović 7 | (12–12) | Kovačević 8 | Sala Polivalentă Danubius, Brăila Attendance: 0 Referees: Bytyqi, Kasapi (KOS) |
| 27 March 2021 16:00 | 1× 3× | Report | 1× 4× | Sala Polivalentă Danubius, Brăila Attendance: 0 Referees: Bytyqi, Kasapi (KOS) |
| 4 April 2021 16:00 | CS Minaur Baia Mare | 27–25 | HC Dunărea Brăila | Lascăr Pană Sports Hall, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Sirbu, Serdiuc (MDA) |
| 4 April 2021 16:00 | Kovačević 7 | (13–14) | Kanaval 6 | Lascăr Pană Sports Hall, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Sirbu, Serdiuc (MDA) |
| 4 April 2021 16:00 | 2× | Report | 1× 3× | Lascăr Pană Sports Hall, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Sirbu, Serdiuc (MDA) |
| 2 April 2021 19:00 | HC Astrakhanochka | 26–32 | Siófok KC | Kiss Szilárd Sportcsarnok, Siófok Attendance: 0 Referees: Manea, Iliescu (ROU) |
| 2 April 2021 19:00 | Zelenkova 7 | (14–16) | Tomori 9 | Kiss Szilárd Sportcsarnok, Siófok Attendance: 0 Referees: Manea, Iliescu (ROU) |
| 2 April 2021 19:00 | 3× 3× | Report | 3× 1× | Kiss Szilárd Sportcsarnok, Siófok Attendance: 0 Referees: Manea, Iliescu (ROU) |
| 4 April 2021 14:00 | Siófok KC | 29–28 | HC Astrakhanochka | Kiss Szilárd Sportcsarnok, Siófok Attendance: 0 Referees: Manea, Iliescu (ROU) |
| 4 April 2021 14:00 | Niombla 9 | (15–13) | Zelenkova 8 | Kiss Szilárd Sportcsarnok, Siófok Attendance: 0 Referees: Manea, Iliescu (ROU) |
| 4 April 2021 14:00 | 3× 2× | Report | 2× 4× | Kiss Szilárd Sportcsarnok, Siófok Attendance: 0 Referees: Manea, Iliescu (ROU) |

## Final four

The final four was held at the Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană in Baia Mare, Romania on 8 and 9 May 2021. The draw was made on 15 April 2021.

### Bracket

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| 8 May | 8 May |
| Nantes Atlantique HB | 36 |
| Nantes Atlantique HB | 36 | 9 May | 9 May |
| CS Minaur Baia Mare | 34 | 9 May | 9 May |
| CS Minaur Baia Mare | 34 | Nantes Atlantique HB | 36 |
| 8 May | 8 May | | Nantes Atlantique HB | 36 |
| 8 May | 8 May | Siófok KC | 31 |
| Siófok KC | 36 | Siófok KC | 31 |
| Herning-Ikast Håndbold | 34 | | |
| Herning-Ikast Håndbold | 34 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 9 May | 9 May |
| | | CS Minaur Baia Mare | 33 |
| | | Herning-Ikast Håndbold | 31 |

### Semifinals

| 8 May 2021 14:45 | Nantes Atlantique HB | 36–34 | CS Minaur Baia Mare | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Praštalo, Balvan (BIH) |
| 8 May 2021 14:45 | Hagman 11 | (21–15) | Araújo 7 | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Praštalo, Balvan (BIH) |
| 8 May 2021 14:45 | 2× 3× | Report | 1× 5× | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Praštalo, Balvan (BIH) |
| 8 May 2021 18:00 | Siófok KC | 36–34 (a. e. t.) | Herning-Ikast Håndbold | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Ilieva, Karbeska (MKD) |
| 8 May 2021 18:00 | Horacek 7 | (19–18) | Kristensen 8 | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Ilieva, Karbeska (MKD) |
| 8 May 2021 18:00 | 2× 2× | Report | 3× 1× | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Ilieva, Karbeska (MKD) |

### Third place game

| 9 May 2021 14:45 | Herning-Ikast Håndbold | 31–33 | CS Minaur Baia Mare | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Lidacka, Lesiak (POL) |
| 9 May 2021 14:45 | Johansen 6 | (19–16) | Kovačević 11 | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Lidacka, Lesiak (POL) |
| 9 May 2021 14:45 | 2× 2× | Report | 3× | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Lidacka, Lesiak (POL) |

### Final

| 9 May 2021 18:00 | Siófok KC | 31–36 | Nantes Atlantique HB | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Vranes, Wenninger (AUT) |
| 9 May 2021 18:00 | Tóth 7 | (13–17) | Hagman 7 | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Vranes, Wenninger (AUT) |
| 9 May 2021 18:00 | 1× 6× | Report | 1× 3× | Sala Sporturilor Lascăr Pană, Baia Mare Attendance: 0 Referees: Vranes, Wenninger (AUT) |

## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Bruna de Paula | Nantes Atlantique HB | 68 |
| 2 | Helene Gigstad Fauske | Herning-Ikast Håndbold | 61 |
| 3 | Jovana Kovačević | CS Minaur Baia Mare | 55 |
| 4 | Aneta Udriștioiu | HC Dunărea Brăila | 51 |
| 5 | Tamara Horacek | Siófok KC | 49 |
| 6 | Déborah Kpodar | Nantes Atlantique HB | 48 |
| 7 | Amanda Kurtović | Kastamonu Bld. GSK | 46 |
| 8 | Katarina Ježić | Siófok KC | 44 |
| 9 | Natalia Nikitina | Zvezda Zvenigorod | 43 |
| 10 | Maria Kanaval | HC Dunărea Brăila | 42 |