2020/21 EHF Champions League

[Doru Delavale]

Florentin Pera coach of Valcea stated...

,,And so we are far behind in preparation for our future opponents, who have already played international friendly matches or even official matches. In these conditions, leaving aside the issues related to expenses, it would be very difficult for us to play so many matches of a very high intensity in such a short time... 3 days. In fact, I believe that if something good does not happen to us in a very short time, it will compromise the entire competition year and I am referring here to the participation of the national team in European championships and the participation of Romanian teams in European cups. I consider that handball, the most performing team sport in Romania, is not treated at the level of the performances it obtains internationally ”, said Florentin Pera for Handball Mania.

[HB9]

https://ehfcl.eurohandball.com/women/2020-21/matches/

Now only about 10 matches have a date/time set - I could swear that the schedule was almost complete until a few days ago. But it probably won't be the last change....

[HB9]

With just over two weeks to go let's see if there could be any problem for any of the matches to go ahead. Please fill in the blanks, as I really can't keep up with every country.

Odense - Dortmund
There are currently no travel/quarantine restrictions for either team.


CSKA - Gyor
?


Brest - Valcea
?


Krim - Vipers
https://www.fhi.no/nyheter/2020/endring ... htenstein/
Currently there shouldn't be any problem for either team. But the cases have risen for the past few days in Slovenia, which could mean that the Norwegian threshold of 20 cases per 100.000 inhabitants in the last 14 days can be exceeded. So Vipers would have to go into quarantine after they come back to Norway.


FTC - Rostov
"Hungary to close borders to foreigners next week to curb coronavirus infections": https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-healt ... KKBN25O273

Players, coaches, etc. are allowed to enter for international cup games, so no problem with CL games.

Bietigheim - Esbjerg
There are currently no travel/quarantine restrictions for either team.


Podravka - Buducnost

Montenegrins can't enter EU till August 31st.
Let's wait if something changes soon? The decision will be known in these two days.
Number of cases is much lower now.

CSM - Metz
?

[Bo$ko]

Montenegrins can't enter EU till August 31st.
Let's wait if something changes soon? The decision will be known in these two days.
Number of cases is much lower now.

[HB9]

With just over two weeks to go let's see if there could be any problem for any of the matches to go ahead. Please fill in the blanks, as I really can't keep up with every country.

Brest - Valcea
?


CSM - Metz
?

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/conse ... /roumanie/

Entry into Romanian territory remains prohibited for people who are not citizens of countries of the European Economic Area (European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland), the United Kingdom or the 10 third countries for which the restrictions to non-essential travel have been lifted across the European Union. . Exceptions are provided for holders of a Romanian residence permit, families of Romanian citizens or European citizens residing in Romania, people traveling for certain duly justified professional reasons, or passengers in transit.

If I interpret this correctly, then these two games should also be possible. Assuming there aren't any other issues.


Which brings us to the last one:

CSKA - Gyor
?

[HB9]

Krim - Vipers
https://www.fhi.no/nyheter/2020/endring ... htenstein/
Currently there shouldn't be any problem for either team. But the cases have risen for the past few days in Slovenia, which could mean that the Norwegian threshold of 20 cases per 100.000 inhabitants in the last 14 days can be exceeded. So Vipers would have to go into quarantine after they come back to Norway.

Slovenia is close to be added as 'red' for Norwegians traveling there: https://www.fhi.no/nyheter/2020/flere-l ... en-av-uka/

NIPH recommends that the government introduce entry quarantines for Italy, the Vatican City State, San Marino and Slovenia.

Any changes will take effect from midnight, night to Saturday 5 September.

Criteria for exemption from the quarantine obligation are less than 20 confirmed cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last two weeks (14 days incidence), and less than 5% positive tests on average per week in the last two weeks. In addition, an overall assessment is made.

Btw, I find the first rule (20 confirmed cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last two weeks) overly strict. On the other hand "5% positive tests on average per week in the last two weeks" is very lax.

[Bfg97]

With all this political decisions...we can closed this sport. End contracts. And tell current handball players to find some different job. Unless they change all this idiotic rules.Sports player are the most tested individuals in the world.WTF ?

[Bo$ko]

Tomorrow will be known if Montenegrins can travel abroad and enter EU.
I doubt they will add us on "green" list.
Also Croatia is not safe anymore... The number of cases is increasing dramatically due to EU tourists spending their holidays there.

[Bo$ko]

Official... EU didn't change anything. Citizens of Montenegro and other Balkan countries can't go in EU countries for next 2 weeks.

[HB9]

https://www.eurohandball.com/en/news/en ... workshops/

The first scheduled match in Europe’s elite club competition sees Rostov-Don host Metz Handball. The group A match in Russia gets under way at 16:00 CEST (17:00 local time).

Oh dear, what are they even on about? There is no such game scheduled all weekend: https://ehfcl.eurohandball.com/women/2020-21/matches/

Or is that supposed to be another last minute change?

[Germanicus]

Rostov - Metz is right now officially scheduled to Oct 17th.
https://ehfcl.eurohandball.com/women/20 ... -handball/
Metz did not publish anything about a CL game that weekend.
https://www.metz-handball.com/
Additionally, Rostov had a scheduled CL game against FTC in Hungary on Sep 12th:
https://ehfcl.eurohandball.com/women/20 ... ostov-don/

[HB9]

A new twist for the match against Krim: https://www.tv2.no/a/11624621

Normally, travel to red countries triggers a ten-day quarantine after returning to Norway, but the covid-19 regulations allow for a simplified quarantine scheme for business travel. Professional athletes who travel to compete fall under this.

This means concretely that the Vipers players after returning to Norway must take two corona tests at five-day intervals. Provided that the first is negative, players can practice and play matches until the result of the second is available.

But it's different for some of the other matches/countries:

Around the matches against Romanian Bucharest (home match on October 10) and Russian Rostov Don (away match on October 24) there may be further quarantine issues. The Norwegian authorities do not currently allow for any reduced quarantine arrangements in connection with business trips to Romania and Russia, as long as the countries are outside the Schengen area.

Thus, the Bucharest players risk having to come to Norway ten days before the match, while the Vipers may have to be in a ten-day quarantine after returning from Russia.

[Gojira]

The Norwegian authorities do not currently allow for any reduced quarantine arrangements in connection with business trips to Romania and Russia, as long as the countries are outside the Schengen area.

Did they tell the virus, too?

[HB9]

Current spectators restrictions

Metz: 3000 (hearsay - don't have a source to link to)

Esbjerg & Odense: 500 (hearsay - don't have a source to link to)

Bietigheim: 500 (https://www.sgbbm.de/bl-frauen/news/akt ... arena.html)

Dortmund: 300 (https://www.ruhrnachrichten.de/bvb-hand ... 51863.html)

Vipers: 200 (https://www.aftenposten.no/sport/i/K3Q5 ... g-over-det)

I don't have any info for the other teams.

[HB9]

So it's monday and I can't belive that there isn't supposed to be any news if some/most/all games will go ahead without any issue. Surely they won't wait until the last possible moment to find out?

[Germanicus]

FTC - Rostov (Location: Érd), 1,200 spectators (in a hall of 2,200 seats). Not any issue is expected.

[John]

Buducnost without Radicevic, Raicevic, Ramusovic, Brnovic, Grbic, Dzaferovic, Popovic, Ilic, Vujisic, Kadovic and Maslova.
Maslova is injured, the rest recently recovered from covid-19.

[TeKista]

Buducnost without Radicevic, Raicevic, Ramusovic, Brnovic, Grbic, Dzaferovic, Popovic, Ilic, Vujisic, Kadovic and Maslova.
Maslova is injured, the rest recently recovered from covid-19.

But, as far as I know (and thanks to google translator), there is some good news: the comeback of Radmila Petrovic

http://sportklub.rs/Rukomet/a341872-Pre ... ravke.html

[John]

But, as far as I know (and thanks to google translator), there is some good news: the comeback of Radmila Petrovic

That's right. But it's only for a short time. Until the girls come back..
Buducnost recruited some junior players to fill the gaps.
The starters won't be back so soon. According to to sources.

[OltchimRmValcea]

Nobody excited about this weekend?

Sat Sep 12, 2020
16:00 (CEST), Odense (DEN): Odense Håndbold vs BV Borussia 09 Dortmund
16:00 (CEST), Moscow (RUS): CSKA vs Györi Audi ETO KC
18:00 (CEST), Brest (FRA): Brest Bretagne Handball vs SCM Ramnicu Valcea
18:00 (CEST), Erd (HUN): FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria vs Rostov-Don
18:00 (CEST), Ljubljana (SLO): RK Krim Mercator vs Vipers Kristiansand

Sun Sep 13, 2020
14:00 (CEST), Ludwigsburg (GER): SG BBM Bietigheim vs Team Esbjerg
16:00 (CEST), Bucuresti (ROU): CSM Bucuresti vs Metz Handball
16:00 (CEST), Koprivnica (CRO):HC Podravka Vegeta vs Buducnost


My guess:
16:00 (CEST), Odense (DEN): Odense Håndbold vs BV Borussia 09 Dortmund
16:00 (CEST), Moscow (RUS): CSKA vs Györi Audi ETO KC
18:00 (CEST), Brest (FRA): Brest Bretagne Handball vs SCM Ramnicu Valcea
18:00 (CEST), Erd (HUN): FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria vs Rostov-Don
18:00 (CEST), Ljubljana (SLO): RK Krim Mercator vs Vipers Kristiansand

14:00 (CEST), Ludwigsburg (GER): SG BBM Bietigheim vs Team Esbjerg
16:00 (CEST), Bucuresti (ROU): CSM Bucuresti vs Metz Handball
16:00 (CEST), Koprivnica (CRO):HC Podravka Vegeta vs Buducnost

[dutchfan]

^i agree with most, but i think odense-bvb= 50/50

[OltchimRmValcea]

^i agree with most, but i think odense-bvb= 50/50

BVB is most exciting team this season, new faces and good handball. I will definitely root for them! My favourite players are Roch, Gutierrez, Grijseels and Amega. Is Delaila ready after so many injuries?

Odense has experience on their side and Groot, Wester and Hojlund can win by themselves if they are at their best. But Odense is playing unconvincing nowadays, BVB is more convincing and more like a team. However a debut away is always difficult for a newbie. Can't wait!

[dutchfan]

^i agree with most, but i think odense-bvb= 50/50

BVB is most exciting team this season, new faces and good handball. I will definitely root for them! My favourite players are Roch, Gutierrez, Grijseels and Amega. Is Delaila ready after so many injuries?

Odense has experience on their side and Groot, Wester and Hojlund can win by themselves if they are at their best. But Odense is playing unconvincing nowadays, BVB is more convincing and more like a team. However a debut away is always difficult for a newbie. Can't wait!

Amega played more then 30 minutes last wednesday and scored 5(1 penalty). She seems in good shape and even if she doesn't score herself she makes beautiful assists and helps the team play better

[HB9]

Amega still needs to find her form after her injury. And the two Germans on that position aren't really good enough for top games in the Bundesliga or the CL. I think Nusser should join them next season #DoubleDutch #BVBLimburg

Odense Håndbold vs BV Borussia 09 Dortmund: 30 : 29
CSKA vs Györi Audi ETO KC: 25 : 35
Brest Bretagne Handball vs SCM Ramnicu Valcea: 30 : 25
FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria vs Rostov-Don: 26 : 24
RK Krim Mercator vs Vipers Kristiansand: 25 : 30

SG BBM Bietigheim vs Team Esbjerg: 19 : 40
CSM Bucuresti vs Metz Handball: 25 : 33
HC Podravka Vegeta vs Buducnost: 30 : 18

[HB9]

https://ehfcl.eurohandball.com/women/2020-21/matches/

How are we supposed to interpret the schedule - only four teams know where they are going next week?