2015–16 Women's EHF Champions League
# 2015–16 Women's EHF Champions League

The 2015–16 Women's EHF Champions League was the 23rd 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.

CSM București won trophy in their European debut season by defeating Győri Audi ETO KC 29–26 in the big final.

## Overview

### Team allocation

14 teams were directly qualified for the group stage.

Group stage :

| Hypo Niederösterreich (1st) | Podravka Koprivnica (1st) | Midtjylland (1st) | Fleury Loiret HB (1st) |
| - | - | - | - |
| Thüringer HC (1st) | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (1st) | Vardar (1st) | Budućnost (1st) (1st) |
| Larvik HK (1st) | MKS Selgros Lublin (1st) | CSM București (1st) | Rostov-Don (1st) |
| Krim (1st) | IK Sävehof (1st) |
| Qualification tournament ||||
| BNTU Minsk (1st) | Team Esbjerg (2nd) | Győri Audi ETO KC (2nd) | SERCODAK Dalfsen (1st) |
| Glassverket IF (2nd) | HCM Baia Mare (2nd) | RK Radnički Kragujevac (1st) | Yenimahalle Bld. SK (1st) |

* $^{TH=Titleholders}$

### Round and draw dates

All draws held at the European Handball Federation headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

| Phase | Draw date |
| - | - |
| Qualifying | 26 June 2015 |
| Group stage | 26 June 2015 |
| Knockout stage | 26 June 2015 |
| Final Four | 12 April 2016 |

## Qualification stage

The draw was held on 26 June 2015. The teams played a semifinal and final to determine the last participants. Matches were played on 12 and 13 September 2015.

### Seedings

The seedings were announced on 23 June 2015.

| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
| - | - | - | - |
| Győri Audi ETO KC Team Esbjerg | Glassverket IF HCM Baia Mare | BNTU Minsk SERCODAK Dalfsen | RK Radnički Kragujevac Yenimahalle Bld. SK |

### Qualification tournament 1

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - |
| 12 September | 12 September |
| Győri Audi ETO KC | 42 |
| Győri Audi ETO KC | 42 | 13 September | 13 September |
| Kragujevac | 13 | 13 September | 13 September |
| Kragujevac | 13 | Győri Audi ETO KC | 30 |
| 12 September | 12 September | | Győri Audi ETO KC | 30 |
| 12 September | 12 September | Glassverket IF | 21 |
| Glassverket IF | 26 | Glassverket IF | 21 |
| SERCODAK Dalfsen | 21 | | |
| SERCODAK Dalfsen | 21 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 13 September | 13 September |
| | | Kragujevac | 17 |
| | | SERCODAK Dalfsen | 23 |

### Qualification tournament 2

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - |
| 12 September | 12 September |
| Team Esbjerg | 32 |
| Team Esbjerg | 32 | 13 September | 13 September |
| Yenimahalle Bld. SK | 28 | 13 September | 13 September |
| Yenimahalle Bld. SK | 28 | Team Esbjerg | 21 |
| 12 September | 12 September | | Team Esbjerg | 21 |
| 12 September | 12 September | HCM Baia Mare | 32 |
| HCM Baia Mare | 31 | HCM Baia Mare | 32 |
| BNTU Minsk | 21 | | |
| BNTU Minsk | 21 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 13 September | 13 September |
| | | Yenimahalle Bld. SK | 27 |
| | | BNTU Minsk | 31 |

## Group stage

The draw was held on 26 June 2015.

### Group A

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | ROS | LAR | HCM | KRI |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Rostov-Don | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 173 | 148 | +25 | 12 | Advanced to main round | — | 26–25 | 27–26 | 35–25 |
| 2 | Larvik HK | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 173 | 153 | +20 | 8 | Advanced to main round | 21–27 | — | 27–22 | 32–28 |
| 3 | HCM Baia Mare | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 165 | 162 | +3 | 4 | Advanced to main round | 20–22 | 29–31 | — | 35–28 |
| 4 | Krim | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 160 | 208 | −48 | 0 | | 31–36 | 21–37 | 27–33 | — |

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | FER | FLE | THÜ | KOP |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 181 | 146 | +35 | 11 | Advanced to main round | — | 36–23 | 32–28 | 28–16 |
| 2 | Fleury Loiret HB | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 144 | 149 | −5 | 7 | Advanced to main round | 28–28 | — | 27–21 | 19–17 |
| 3 | Thüringer HC | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 159 | 156 | +3 | 5 | Advanced to main round | 27–30 | 27–27 | — | 29–19 |
| 4 | Podravka Koprivnica | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 117 | 150 | −33 | 1 | | 24–27 | 20–20 | 21–27 | — |

### Group C

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | GYO | VAR | MID | NIE |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Győri Audi ETO KC | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 164 | 134 | +30 | 9 | Advanced to main round | — | 28–27 | 21–26 | 37–16 |
| 2 | Vardar | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 182 | 144 | +38 | 8 | Advanced to main round | 22–27 | — | 33–24 | 37–25 |
| 3 | Midtjylland | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 153 | 149 | +4 | 7 | Advanced to main round | 22–22 | 15–25 | — | 33–21 |
| 4 | Hypo Niederösterreich | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 135 | 207 | −72 | 0 | | 21–29 | 25–38 | 27–33 | — |

### Group D

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | BUD | BUC | SÄV | LUB |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Budućnost | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 169 | 131 | +38 | 11 | Advanced to main round | — | 23–23 | 33–20 | 29–25 |
| 2 | CSM București | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 163 | 138 | +25 | 9 | Advanced to main round | 22–28 | — | 27–22 | 33–21 |
| 3 | IK Sävehof | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 138 | 158 | −20 | 4 | Advanced to main round | 18–25 | 17–28 | — | 27–24 |
| 4 | MKS Selgros Lublin | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 141 | 184 | −43 | 0 | | 23–31 | 27–30 | 21–34 | — |

## Main round

### Group 1

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | ROS | LAR | FER | HCM | FLE | THÜ |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Rostov-Don | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 281 | 237 | +44 | 19 | Advanced to quarterfinals | — | 26–25 | 23–21 | 27–26 | 38–21 | 30–24 |
| 2 | Larvik HK | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 281 | 263 | +18 | 12 | Advanced to quarterfinals | 21–27 | — | 37–31 | 27–22 | 26–31 | 28–19 |
| 3 | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 282 | 272 | +10 | 12 | Advanced to quarterfinals | 29–29 | 30–27 | — | 21–18 | 36–23 | 32–28 |
| 4 | HCM Baia Mare | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 259 | 247 | +12 | 10 | Advanced to quarterfinals | 20–22 | 29–31 | 32–24 | — | 31–28 | 38–27 |
| 5 | Fleury Loiret HB | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 252 | 287 | −35 | 6 | | 22–27 | 28–31 | 28–28 | 17–18 | — | 27–21 |
| 6 | Thüringer HC | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 244 | 297 | −53 | 1 | | 28–32 | 20–28 | 27–30 | 23–25 | 27–27 | — |

* 1 2 Larvik 64–61 Ferencváros

### Group 2

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | BUD | GYO | VAR | BUC | MID | SÄV |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Budućnost | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 264 | 213 | +51 | 15 | Advanced to quarterfinals | — | 25–22 | 31–19 | 23–23 | 27–21 | 33–20 |
| 2 | Győri Audi ETO KC | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 252 | 230 | +22 | 15 | Advanced to quarterfinals | 22–20 | — | 28–27 | 28–22 | 21–26 | 32–26 |
| 3 | Vardar | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 269 | 246 | +23 | 14 | Advanced to quarterfinals | 26–24 | 22–27 | — | 22–21 | 33–24 | 37–25 |
| 4 | CSM București | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 242 | 239 | +3 | 9 | Advanced to quarterfinals | 22–28 | 22–24 | 25–30 | — | 24–22 | 27–22 |
| 5 | Midtjylland | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 220 | 261 | −41 | 5 | | 18–28 | 22–22 | 15–25 | 23–28 | — | 25–21 |
| 6 | IK Sävehof | 10 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 225 | 286 | −61 | 2 | | 18–26 | 18–26 | 26–29 | 17–28 | 32–24 | — |

* 1 2 Budućnost 45–44 Győr

## Knockout stage

### Quarterfinals

| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| CSM București | 55–53 | Rostov-Don | 26–25 | 29–28 |
| Vardar | 60–48 | Larvik HK | 34–20 | 26–28 |
| FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 41–71 | Győri Audi ETO KC | 18–31 | 23–40 |
| HCM Baia Mare | 49–61 | Budućnost | 24–29 | 25–32 |

### Final four

The final four was held at the László Papp Budapest Sports Arena in Budapest, Hungary on 7 and 8 May 2016. The draw was held on 15 April 2016 at 11:30.

### Bracket

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - |
| 7 May | 7 May |
| CSM București | 27 |
| CSM București | 27 | 8 May | 8 May |
| Vardar | 21 | 8 May | 8 May |
| Vardar | 21 | CSM București (Pen.) | 29 |
| 7 May | 7 May | | CSM București (Pen.) | 29 |
| 7 May | 7 May | Győri Audi ETO KC | 26 |
| Budućnost | 20 | Győri Audi ETO KC | 26 |
| Győri Audi ETO KC | 21 | | |
| Győri Audi ETO KC | 21 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 8 May | 8 May |
| | | Vardar | 30 |
| | | Budućnost | 28 |

### Final

| 8 May 2016 17:45 | CSM București | 29–26 (ET) | Győri Audi ETO KC | László Papp Budapest Sports Arena, Budapest Attendance: 12,000 Referees: Arntsen, Røen (NOR) |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 8 May 2016 17:45 | Gulldén 15 | (13–12) | Løke 8 | László Papp Budapest Sports Arena, Budapest Attendance: 12,000 Referees: Arntsen, Røen (NOR) |
| 8 May 2016 17:45 | 4× 2× | Report | 3× 3× | László Papp Budapest Sports Arena, Budapest Attendance: 12,000 Referees: Arntsen, Røen (NOR) |
| László Papp Budapest Sports Arena, Budapest Attendance: 12,000 Referees: Arntsen, Røen (NOR) |||

## Awards and statistics

### Top goalscorers

Statistics exclude qualifying rounds and play-off round.

| Rank | Player | Team | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Isabelle Gulldén | CSM București | 108 |
| 2 | Ekaterina Ilina | Rostov-Don | 97 |
| 3 | Cristina Neagu | Budućnost | 94 |
| 4 | Nora Mørk | Larvik | 93 |
| 5 | Allison Pineau | HCM Baia Mare | 89 |
| 6 | Katarina Bulatović | Budućnost | 87 |
| 7 | Andrea Penezić | Vardar | 79 |
| 8 | Iuliia Managarova | Rostov-Don | 72 |
| 9 | Andrea Lekić | Vardar | 70 |
| 10 | Heidi Løke | Győri Audi ETO KC | 69 |

### All-Star Team

The all-star team and awards were announced on 6 May 2016.

* Goalkeeper: Kari Aalvik Grimsbø (NOR)
* Right wing: Jovanka Radičević (MNE)
* Right back: Nora Mørk (NOR)
* Centre back: Cornelia Groot (NED)
* Left back: Cristina Neagu (ROU)
* Left wing: Anikó Kovacsics (HUN)
* Pivot: Heidi Løke (NOR)

### Other awards

* MVP of the Final Four: Jelena Grubišić (CRO)
* Best Coach: Ambros Martín (ESP)
* Best Young Player: Luca Szekerczes (HUN)
* Best Defence Player: Eduarda Amorim (BRA)
