Sterbik aims for his fifth title at seventh VELUX EHF FINAL4 visit
Sterbik aims for his fifth title at seventh VELUX EHF FINAL4 visit
Only five players have won the EHF Champions League more than five times, and one man can join the “club” of six players with five trophies to their name this year: Veszprém goalkeeper Arpad Sterbik.
The 2017 MVP of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 will make his seventh appearance in Cologne, matching the record set by Dominik Klein. Sterbik only won one of his four Champions League trophies in Cologne, 2017 with Vardar. In 2019, he arrives with Telekom Veszprem, his fourth club after Ciudad Real/Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Vardar.
Funny enough, Sterbik won his first three Champions League titles (2006, 2008, 2009) at Ciudad Real together with the coaches of two 2019 VELUX EHF FINAL4 participants: His Veszprém coach David Davis and Talant Dujshebaev, coach of PSG Vive Kielce. Vardar coach Roberto Parrondo was part of Sterbik’s victorious squad in 2008 and 2009. Only Xavi Pascual, who steered Barcelona to both of their victories in Cologne (2011 and 2015) was not part of this team.
Another legendary goalkeeper, who would have loved to return to Cologne, ended his international club career at the quarter-final stage. Thierry Omeyer, who won the trophy in 2003 with Montpellier and 2007, 2010 and 2012 with Kiel, missed out on qualification for Cologne with PSG, who lost by one goal on aggregate against Kielce.
The player with the second largest collection of EHF Champions League trophies at Cologne on 1 and 2 June is Barca captain Victor Tomas, the only Catalan player still on the court who won trophies in 2005, 2011 and 2015.
In total, 31 former winners made it to Cologne, with 15 of them, having more than one trophy on their tally. The only one who can defend the title is Barcelona's line player Ludovic Fabregas, who was part of the victorious Montpellier team in 2018.
Ivan Cupic, the Croatian-born Vardar wing, is the only player to defend his title at Cologne , winning in 2017 with Vardar after raising the trophy with Kielce in 2016.
Andrej Xepkin is the overall record holder with seven EHF Champions League trophies with Barcelona (1996-2000, 2005) and Kiel (2007).
EHF Champions League winners in the squads of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 2019:
Barca Lassa:
EHF Champions League winners in the squad: 7
3 titles: Victor Tomas (Barcelona 2005, 2011, 2015)
2 titles: Aitor Arino (Barcelona 2011, 2015), Raul Entrerrios (Barcelona 2011, 2015), Aron Palmarsson (Kiel 2010, 2012), Gonzalo Perez des Vargas (Barcelona 2011, 2015), Cedric Sorhaindo (Barcelona 2011, 2015)
1 title: Ludovic Fabregas (Montpellier 2018)
Telekom Veszprém:
EHF Champions League winners in the squad: 5
4 titles: Arpad Sterbik (2006, 2008, 2009 Ciudad Real, 2017 Skopje)
3 titles: coach David Davis (2006, 2008, 2009 as player of Ciudad Real)
2 titles: Momir Ilic (2010, 2012 THW Kiel), Laszlo Nagy (2005, 2011 Barcelona)
1 title: Andreas Nilsson (2013 HSV Hamburg)
PGE Vive Kielce
EHF Champions League winners in the squad: 10
5 titles: coach Talant Dujshebaev (as a player: 1994 Santander, as a coach: 2006, 2008, 2009 Ciudad Real, 2016 Kielce)
4 titles: Uros Zorman (as a player: 2004 Celje, 2008, 2009 Ciudad Real, 2016 Kielce)
2 titles: Krzystof Lijewski (2013 Hamburg, 2016 Kielce)
1 title: Julen Aguinagalde, Bartolomej Bis, Mateusz Jachlewski, Michal Jurecki, Mariusz Jurkiewicz, (2016 Kielce), Alex Dujshebaev, Luka Cindric (2017 Vardar)
HC Vardar (MKD)
EHF Champions League winners in the squad: 9
2 titles: Ivan Cupic (Kielce 2016, Vardar 2017), coach Roberto Parrondo (as a player: 2008, 2009 Ciudad Real)
1 title: Vuko Borozan, Timur Dibirov, Rogerio Moares, Igor Karacic, Vlado Nedanovski, Daniil Shishkarev, Stojance Stoilov (Vardar 2017)
Multiple EHF Champions League winners:
7 titles in 2 clubs:
Andrei Xepkin (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05, Kiel 2006/07)
6 titles in 1 club:
David Barrufet (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05)
Carlos Antonio Ortega (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05)
6 titles in 2 clubs:
Tomas Svensson (Irun 1994/95, Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
6 titles in 3 clubs:
Siarhei Rutenka (Celje 2003/04, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Barcelona 2010/11), Barcelona 2014/15)
5 titles in 1 club:
Enric Masip (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Inaki Urdangarin (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Rafael Guijosa (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Xavier O'Callaghan (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000, Barcelona 2004/05)
5 titles in 2 clubs:
Mateo Garralda (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, San Antonio 2000/01)
5 titles in 3 clubs:
Jose Javier Hombrados (Santander 1993/94, San Antonio 2000/01, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
4 titles with three clubs:
Uros Zorman (Celje 2003/04, Ciudad Real 2007/09, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Kielce 2015/16)
4 titles in 2 clubs:
Arpad Sterbik (Ciudad Real 2005/06, 2007/08, 2008/09, Vardar 2016/17)
Didier Dinart (Montpellier 2002/03, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Fernando Barbeito (Barcelona 1995/96, Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1997/98, San Antonio 2000/01)
Olafur Stefansson (Magdeburg 2001/02, Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Thierry Omeyer (Montpellier 2002/03, Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
3 titles in 1 club:
Victor Tomas (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Alberto Entrerrios (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
David Davis (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Jonas Källman (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Petar Metlicic (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Rolando Urios (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Christian Zeitz (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Dominik Klein (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Henrik Lundström (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Kim Andersson (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Marcus Ahlm (Kiel 2006/07, Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Jose Manuel Sierra (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Josep Espar (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Patrik Cavar (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Roger Magrina (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
3 titles in 2 clubs:
Viran Morros (Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09, Barcelona 2014/15)
Tobias Reichmann (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12, Kielce 2015/16)
3 titles in 3 clubs:
Nikola Karabatic (Montpellier 2002/03, Kiel 2006/07, Barcelona 2014/15)
2 titles in 1 club:
Michael Gougou (Montpellier 2002/03, Montpellier 2017/18)
Ales Pajovic (Ciudad Real 2005/06, Ciudad Real 2007/08)
Roberto Garcia Parrondo (Ciudad Real 2007/08, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Alexandru Dedu (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99)
David Barbeito (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Demetrio Lozano (Barcelona 1998/99, Barcelona 1999/2000)
Iker Romero (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11)
Jesus Olalla (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Juan Perez (Barcelona 1996/97, Barcelona 1995/96)
Laszlo Nagy (Barcelona 2004/05, Barcelona 2010/11)
Quino Soler (Barcelona 1997/98, Barcelona 1998/99)
Andreas Palicka (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Aron Palmarsson (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Christian Sprenger (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Daniel Narcisse (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Filip Jicha (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Momir Ilic (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Tobias Reichmann (Kiel 2009/10, Kiel 2011/12)
Aitor Arino (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Raul Entrerrios (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Jesper Nöddesbo (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Gonzalo Perez de Vargas (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Danijel Saric (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Joan Saubich (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
Cedric Sorhaindo (Barcelona 2010/11, Barcelona 2014/15)
2 titles in 2 clubs:
Krzystof Lijewski (HSV Hamburg 2013, Kielce 2016)
Vid Kavticnik (THW Kiel 2006/07, Montpellier 2017/18)
Ivan Cupic (Kielce 2015/16, Vardar 2016/17)
Dejan Peric (Celje 2003/04, Barcelona 2004/05)
Jerome Fernandez (Barcelona 2004/05, Ciudad Real 2008/09)
Lars Krogh Jeppesen (Barcelona 2004/05, Kiel 2006/07)
Mikhail Jakimovich (Santander 1993/94, San Antonio 2000/01)
Nenad Perunicic (Irun 1994/95, Magdeburg 2001/02)
Oleg Kisselev (Irun 1994/95, San Antonio 2000/01)
Juan Munoz (Santander 1993/94, Barcelona 1996/97)
Mattias Andersson (Kiel 2006/07, Flensburg 2013/14)
