# 2018–19 Women's EHF Champions League

The 2018–19 Women's EHF Champions League was the 26th edition of the Women's EHF Champions League, the competition for top women's clubs of Europe, organized and supervised by the European Handball Federation.
Győri Audi ETO KC defended their title by defeating Rostov-Don 25–24 in the final, to win their fifth overall and third straight title.

## Competition format

16 teams participated in the competition, divided in four groups who played in a round robin, home and away format. The top three teams in each group qualified for the main round.

### Main round

The 12 qualified teams were divided in two groups who played in a round robin, home and away format. The points and the goal difference gained against the qualified teams in the first round were carried over. The top four teams in each group qualified for the quarterfinals.

### Knockout stage

After the quarterfinals, the culmination of the season, the Women's EHF Final four, continued in its existing format, with the four top teams from the competition competing for the title.

## Team allocation

14 teams were directly qualified for the group stage.
Group stage :
| København Håndbold | Odense Håndbold | Brest Bretagne Handball | Metz Handball |
| Thüringer HC | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | Győri Audi ETO KC | ŽRK Budućnost |
| Larvik HK | Vipers Kristiansand | CSM București | Rostov-Don |
| RK Krim | IK Sävehof | | |
| Qualification tournaments ||||
| Podravka Koprivnica | SG BBM Bietigheim | Jomi Salerno | MKS Lublin |
| SCM Craiova | ŽORK Jagodina | BM Bera Bera | Muratpaşa BSK |

## Round and draw dates

| Phase | Draw date |
| Qualification tournaments | 27 June 2018 |
| Group stage | 29 June 2018 |
| Knockout stage | 29 June 2018 |
| Final Four (Budapest) | 16 April 2019 |

## Qualification stage

The draw was held on 27 June 2018. The two winners of the qualification tournaments advanced to the group stage. The second and third placed teams were translate to the third round of EHF Cup; the fourth places entered in the second round.

### Qualification tournament 1

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| 8 September | 8 September |
| SG BBM Bietigheim | 33 |
| SG BBM Bietigheim | 33 | 9 September | 9 September |
| BM Bera Bera | 27 | 9 September | 9 September |
| BM Bera Bera | 27 | SG BBM Bietigheim | 34 |
| 8 September | 8 September | | SG BBM Bietigheim | 34 |
| 8 September | 8 September | MKS Lublin | 19 |
| MKS Lublin | 28 | MKS Lublin | 19 |
| Jomi Salerno | 17 | | |
| Jomi Salerno | 17 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 9 September | 9 September |
| | | BM Bera Bera | 40 |
| | | Jomi Salerno | 20 |

### Qualification tournament 2

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| 8 September | 8 September |
| SCM Craiova | 31 |
| SCM Craiova | 31 | 9 September | 9 September |
| ŽORK Jagodina | 18 | 9 September | 9 September |
| ŽORK Jagodina | 18 | SCM Craiova | 21 |
| 8 September | 8 September | | SCM Craiova | 21 |
| 8 September | 8 September | Podravka Koprivnica | 22 |
| Podravka Koprivnica | 35 | Podravka Koprivnica | 22 |
| Muratpaşa BSK | 22 | | |
| Muratpaşa BSK | 22 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 9 September | 9 September |
| | | ŽORK Jagodina | 26 |
| | | Muratpaşa BSK | 24 |

## Group stage

The draw was held on 29 June 2018. In each group, teams play against each other in a double round-robin format, with home and away matches.
* Tiebreakers
* 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:
* 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 | MET | BUD | ODE | LAR |
| 1 | Metz Handball | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 166 | 133 | +33 | 9 | Main round | — | 25–24 | 41–26 | 31–20 |
| 2 | ŽRK Budućnost | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 152 | 142 | +10 | 8 | Main round | 23–19 | — | 31–28 | 26–25 |
| 3 | Odense Håndbold | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 155 | 165 | −10 | 5 | Main round | 19–19 | 22–26 | — | 27–23 |
| 4 | Larvik HK | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 137 | 170 | −33 | 2 | EHF Cup | 21–31 | 23–22 | 25–33 | — |

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | ROS | KOB | BRE | SÄV |
| 1 | Rostov-Don | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 178 | 146 | +32 | 11 | Main round | — | 30–25 | 30–24 | 30–21 |
| 2 | København Håndbold | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 175 | 157 | +18 | 7 | Main round | 21–27 | — | 32–28 | 33–22 |
| 3 | Brest Bretagne Handball | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 182 | 172 | +10 | 6 | Main round | 29–29 | 28–28 | — | 34–26 |
| 4 | IK Sävehof | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 144 | 204 | −60 | 0 | EHF Cup | 26–32 | 22–36 | 27–39 | — |

### Group C

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | GYO | KRI | THÜ | KOP |
| 1 | Győri Audi ETO KC | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 210 | 140 | +70 | 12 | Main round | — | 39–23 | 31–28 | 37–17 |
| 2 | RK Krim | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 153 | 164 | −11 | 6 | Main round | 23–32 | — | 27–20 | 27–20 |
| 3 | Thüringer HC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 153 | 173 | −20 | 3 | Main round | 22–38 | 26–26 | — | 26–28 |
| 4 | Podravka Koprivnica | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 142 | 181 | −39 | 3 | EHF Cup | 27–33 | 27–27 | 23–31 | — |
* 1 2 Thüringer HC 57–51 Podravka Koprivnica

### Group D

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | BUC | KRI | FER | BIE |
| 1 | CSM București | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 185 | 171 | +14 | 8 | Main round | — | 26–31 | 36–31 | 32–24 |
| 2 | Vipers Kristiansand | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 180 | 162 | +18 | 7 | Main round | 27–29 | — | 35–27 | 27–27 |
| 3 | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 174 | 186 | −12 | 6 | Main round | 28–34 | 27–26 | — | 33–30 |
| 4 | SG BBM Bietigheim | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 162 | 182 | −20 | 3 | EHF Cup | 30–28 | 26–34 | 25–28 | — |

## Main round

In each group, teams played against each other in a double round-robin format, with home and away matches. Points against teams from the same group are carried over.

### Group 1

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | MET | ROS | BUD | ODE | KOB | BRE |
| 1 | Metz Handball | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 299 | 242 | +57 | 15 | Quarterfinals | — | 29–25 | 25–24 | 41–26 | 36–24 | 39–26 |
| 2 | Rostov-Don | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 261 | 241 | +20 | 15 | Quarterfinals | 18–26 | — | 24–22 | 25–19 | 30–25 | 30–24 |
| 3 | ŽRK Budućnost | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 245 | 248 | −3 | 11 | Quarterfinals | 23–19 | 20–23 | — | 31–28 | 29–27 | 28–27 |
| 4 | Odense Håndbold | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 246 | 267 | −21 | 8 | Quarterfinals | 19–19 | 26–30 | 22–26 | — | 25–23 | 28–24 |
| 5 | København Håndbold | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 271 | 280 | −9 | 8 | | 36–33 | 21–27 | 31–20 | 24–24 | — | 32–28 |
| 6 | Brest Bretagne Handball | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 253 | 297 | −44 | 3 | | 21–32 | 29–29 | 22–22 | 24–29 | 28–28 | — |
* 1 2 Metz Handball 55–43 Rostov-Don
* 1 2 Odense Håndbold 49–47 København Håndbold

### Group 2

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | GYO | VIP | FER | BUC | KRI | THÜ |
| 1 | Győri Audi ETO KC | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 333 | 267 | +66 | 18 | Quarterfinals | — | 33–29 | 32–32 | 36–27 | 39–23 | 31–28 |
| 2 | Vipers Kristiansand | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 288 | 265 | +23 | 12 | Quarterfinals | 26–33 | — | 35–27 | 27–29 | 29–21 | 31–24 |
| 3 | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 298 | 306 | −8 | 12 | Quarterfinals | 32–32 | 27–26 | — | 28–34 | 31–27 | 30–29 |
| 4 | CSM București | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 292 | 282 | +10 | 11 | Quarterfinals | 25–27 | 26–31 | 36–31 | — | 32–26 | 23–23 |
| 5 | RK Krim | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 243 | 281 | −38 | 5 | | 23–32 | 24–25 | 23–25 | 23–22 | — | 27–20 |
| 6 | Thüringer HC | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 255 | 308 | −53 | 2 | | 22–38 | 21–29 | 32–35 | 30–38 | 26–26 | — |
* 1 2 Vipers Kristiansand 61–54 FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria

## Knockout stage

The top four placed teams from each of the two main round groups advanced to the knockout stage.

### Quarterfinals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| CSM București | 48–54 | Metz Handball | 26–31 | 22–23 |
| Odense Håndbold | 49–62 | Győri Audi ETO KC | 28–29 | 21–33 |
| FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 48–62 | Rostov-Don | 26–29 | 22–33 |
| ŽRK Budućnost | 37–49 | Vipers Kristiansand | 19–24 | 18–25 |

### Final four

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| 11 May | 11 May |
| Vipers Kristiansand | 22 |
| Vipers Kristiansand | 22 | 12 May | 12 May |
| Győri Audi ETO KC | 31 | 12 May | 12 May |
| Győri Audi ETO KC | 31 | Győri Audi ETO KC | 25 |
| 11 May | 11 May | | Győri Audi ETO KC | 25 |
| 11 May | 11 May | Rostov-Don | 24 |
| Metz Handball | 25 | Rostov-Don | 24 |
| Rostov-Don | 27 | | |
| Rostov-Don | 27 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 12 May | 12 May |
| | | Vipers Kristiansand | 31 |
| | | Metz Handball | 30 |

#### Final

| 12 May 2019 18:00 | Rostov-Don | 24–25 | Győri Audi ETO KC | László Papp Budapest Sports Arena, Budapest Attendance: 12,000 Referees: Brehmer, Skowronek (POL) |
| 12 May 2019 18:00 | Abbingh 7 | (11–15) | Amorim 7 | László Papp Budapest Sports Arena, Budapest Attendance: 12,000 Referees: Brehmer, Skowronek (POL) |
| 12 May 2019 18:00 | 4× 6× | Report | 3× 6× 2× | László Papp Budapest Sports Arena, Budapest Attendance: 12,000 Referees: Brehmer, Skowronek (POL) |

## Awards and statistics
### All-Star Team

The all-star team and awards were announced on 10 May 2019.
* Goalkeeper: Katrine Lunde (NOR) (Vipers Kristiansand)
* Right wing: Jovanka Radičević (MNE) (CSM București)
* Right back: Anna Vyakhireva (RUS) (Rostov-Don)
* Centre back: Stine Bredal Oftedal (NOR) (Győri Audi ETO KC)
* Left back: Anne Mette Hansen (DEN) (Győri Audi ETO KC)
* Left wing: Manon Houette (FRA) (Metz Handball)
* Pivot: Crina Pintea (ROU) (Győri Audi ETO KC)

### Other awards

* MVP of the Final Four: Kari Aalvik Grimsbø (NOR) (Győri Audi ETO KC)
* Best coach: Emmanuel Mayonnade (FRA) (Metz Handball)
* Best young player: Noémi Háfra (HUN) (FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria)
* Best defence player: Eduarda Amorim (BRA) (Győri Audi ETO KC)

## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Linn Jørum Sulland | Vipers Kristiansand | 89 |
| 2 | Noémi Háfra | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 80 |
| 2 | Jovanka Radičević | CSM București | 80 |
| 4 | Ana Gros | Brest Bretagne Handball | 76 |
| 5 | Andrea Lekić | CSM București | 73 |
| 5 | Nycke Groot | Győri Audi ETO KC | 73 |
| 7 | Iveta Luzumová | Thüringer HC | 71 |
| 7 | Henny Reistad | Vipers Kristiansand | 71 |
| 7 | Grâce Zaadi | Metz Handball | 71 |
| 10 | Nerea Pena | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 69 |