2017–18 EHF Champions League group stage explained

The 2017–18 EHF Champions League group stage began on 13 September 2017 and concluded on 4 March 2018. A total of 28 teams competed for 14 places in the knockout stage of the 2017–18 EHF Champions League.

Draw

The draw for the group stage was held on 30 June 2017.[1] [2]

Seedings

The seedings were announced on 27 June 2017.[3]

Pot 1! style="width:25%;"
Pot 2Pot 3Pot 4
Telekom Veszprém
Barcelona Lassa
PGE Vive Kielce
Vardar
Paris Saint-Germain
Rhein-Neckar Löwen
Zagreb
Aalborg Håndbold
Pot 5Pot 6Pot 7Pot 8
Meshkov Brest
Wisła Płock
Celje
MOL-Pick Szeged
IFK Kristianstad
Flensburg-Handewitt
HBC Nantes
THW Kiel
Pot 1! style="width:33.3%;"
Pot 2Pot 3
CB Ademar León
Metalurg Skopje
Skjern Håndbold
Motor Zaporizhzhia
RK Gorenje Velenje
Montpellier Handball
Pot 4Pot 5Pot 6
Kadetten Schaffhausen
Beşiktaş
Chekhovskiye Medvedi
Dinamo București
Elverum Håndball
Qualifier

Format

In each group, teams played against each other in a double round-robin format, with home and away matches. After completion of the group stage matches, the teams advancing to the knockout stage were determined in the following manner:

Tiebreakers

In the group stage, teams were ranked according to points (2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). After completion of the group stage, if two or more teams have scored the same number of points, the ranking was determined as follows:

  1. Highest number of points in matches between the teams directly involved;
  2. Superior goal difference in matches between the teams directly involved;
  3. Highest number of goals scored in matches between the teams directly involved (or in the away match in case of a two-team tie);
  4. Superior goal difference in all matches of the group;
  5. Highest number of plus goals in all matches of the group;

If the ranking of one of these teams is determined, the above criteria are consecutively followed until the ranking of all teams is determined. If no ranking can be determined, a decision shall be obtained by EHF through drawing of lots.

During the group stage, only criteria 4–5 apply to determine the provisional ranking of teams.

Groups

The matchdays were 13–17 September, 20–24 September, 27 September–1 October, 4–8 October, 11–15 October, 1–5 November, 8–12 November, 15–19 November, 22–26 November, 29 November–3 December 2017. For Groups A and B, additional matchdays included, 7–11 February, 14–18 February, 21–25 February and 28 February–4 March 2018.

Group A

--------------------------------------------

--------

Group B

----------------------------------------------------

Group C

------------------------------------

Group D

------------------------------------

Playoffs

The top two teams from Groups C and D contested a playoff to determine the two sides advancing to the knockout phase. The winners of each group faced the runners-up of the other group in a two-legged tie. The first leg was played on 24 February 2018 and the second leg on 4 March 2018.

|}

Matches

----

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ljubljana hosts draw for the 25th season of EHF Champions League. 13 June 2017. ehfcl.com.
  2. Web site: Vardar to start the title defence in a group with record champions. 30 June 2017. ehfcl.com.
  3. Web site: Seeding for the group phase draw released. ehfcl.com. 27 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170626193441/http://www.ehfcl.com/men/2016-17/article/29013/Seeding+for+the+group+phase+draw+released. 2017-06-26. dead.