After the draw at the EHF headquarters in Vienna, the opponents of the Lithuanian teams in the first stage of the men’s European Cup and the second stage of the women’s tournament were revealed. The Lithuanian champions Klaipėda “Dragūnas” handball players, who ranked second, will skip the first stage and go directly to the second.
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Last season, the country’s vice-champion Vilnius “Šviesa”, who reached the third stage of the European Cup tournament, will start the European Cup tournament against the tournament debutant Istanbul GSK team. Last season, GSK handball players took 4th place in the Turkish championship.
Kaunas “Granitas-Karys”, who ended their fight in the Lithuanian Handball League quarterfinals, will meet the Cypriot championship prize-winner Nicosia “PAC Omonoia 29M” club. The “PAC Omonoia 29M” team, participating in European tournaments for the first time, earned their way to the European Cup tournament by winning the Cyprus Cup last season.
The first stage matches of the European Cup will take place on September 12-13 and 19-20. A total of 83 clubs will participate in the third strongest European handball club tournament.
In the women’s European Cup tournament, three Lithuanian teams will compete among 54 teams. Last season, only one Lithuanian team participated in the European tournament.
Last season, the country’s vice-champion Kaunas district “Cascada-HC Garliava SC”, who reached the third stage of the European Cup tournament, will meet the tournament debutant Cypriot championship prize-winner Nicosia “Mavrommatis” team.
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After 14 years, the most titled club in our country, Vilnius “Eglė”, returns to European tournaments. “Eglė”, who won bronze in the Lithuanian championship last season, will meet the “Anagennisi Artas” team, which took 4th place in the Greek championship.
Formidable opponents await the Kaunas “Žalgiris” handball players returning to the European Cup tournament after a year break. The Žalgiris players, who took 4th place in the national championship, will meet the multiple Ukrainian champion Lviv “Halychanka” team.
“Halychanka”, whose core consists of Ukrainian national team players, also competes in the neighboring Polish championship, which they joined after the war started. Last season, the Ukrainians took 7th place in the Polish league. A regular participant in European tournaments, “Halychanka” reached the semifinals of the European Cup tournament in the 2021-2022 season.
The women’s European Cup tournament will start on October 3-4. The return matches of the second stage are scheduled for October 10-11.
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