Reigning champions meet familiar foes and two newcomers

After raising the trophy for the third time in a row, the time has come for change at Vipers Kristiansand. The Norwegian champions are entering the new handball season with a new duo at the helm. The hot seat vacated by Ole Gustav Gjekstad was taken over by former assistant coach Tomás Hlavatý and Danish legend and goalkeeper coach Lene Rantala. With only a few reinforcements, Vipers aim to remain among the top teams in the EHF Champions League.

Alongside Vipers, group B includes two more EHF FINAL4 2023 participants, FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria and Team Esbjerg, who will be fighting for the chance to repeat the same success or go even further.

The EHF FINAL4 2023 runners-up, FTC, have not had many squad changes and have the same objective in mind. However, for the first time in 15 years they have a new coach to lead the team on that journey: Martin Albertsen. The enthusiastic Danish coach replaced Gábor Elek and will try to implement a new vision for the club’s 25th season in Europe's top flight.

Team Esbjerg regained their domestic title and, for the first time since 2020, are coming into the EHF Champions League as Danish champions. Led by the Champions League 2022/23 top scorer Henny Reistad and the experienced Nora Mørk, Esbjerg have high expectations from the top flight and with only one new player their fulcrum is a strong and well-connected team.

The trio will be up against French powerhouse Metz who are always contenders for the final tournament. Failing to qualify for their third EHF FINAL4, Metz will try to shake things up this season. Even though the French team saw the departure of Bruna De Paula, Camila Micijevic, Tamara Horaček and Valeriia Maslova, among others, they are relying on their strong reinforcements. The biggest signings include Anne Mette Hansen from Györi Audi ETO KC and Alina Grijseels from BV Borussia 09 Dortmund.

CS Rapid Bucuresti are going into their third EHF Champions League season with the same ambitions as in previous years. Even though they didn't manage to repeat the same success as in the 2021/22 season and take their domestic title, Rapid's well-structured team is always up for a challenge. After taking over the helm in March 2023, head coach Kim Rasmussen will have a better base for success having only one new player and a full preparation period with the team.

The club with the longest tradition in the Champions League, entering their 29th season, are also aiming high. Montenegrin expert Dragan Adzic has a clear vision for Krim Mercator Ljubjlana and wants his side to be competitive with all opponents in the group phase while dreaming of bringing the former two-time champions back to the top.

The Slovenian champions said goodbye to five players, including Natasa Ljepoja and Jovana Risovic, but Adzic has built a new team – a mixture of experience and youth powered by Slovenian and Montenegrin players.

EHF European League Women winners Ikast Håndbold are back in the Champions League after five years and they will try to shake things up in group B. Ikast, boosted by their top performances in the second-tier competition and being undefeated for 10 matches straight, want to progress further from the group phase. To achieve it they are counting on five new players, Markéta Jerábková and Irma Schjött among them, to give an additional impetus to a strong Danish side.

MKS Zaglebie Lubin are the only club in group B that have never played in the group phase of the EHF Champions League. Their only appearance was in 2011/12 when they failed to progress from the qualification tournament.

Having on-and-off success in European competitions in recent years, the three-time Polish champions are proud to be among the top teams and will give their best to leave a mark. With only three reinforcements, the team is relying on an almost all-Polish squad with two Slovak players and one representative each from Brazil and Serbia.

Photos © Uros Hocevar/kolektiff; Sabin Malisevschi; MKS Zaglebie Lubin