Europe’s premier international club competition, the EHF Champions League, saw the announcement of both the men’s and women’s 2019/20 season All-star Teams over the past week. 

Thirteen nations are represented among the final selection, with Norway and Hungary the only two countries with players featured in both line-ups. In the Women’s Champions League, current title holders from Hungary, Györi Audi ETO KC, had the most players named, with three. In the Men’s Champions League, it was also a Hungarian side that counted the most nominations: Telekom Veszprém HC, with three. 

Both the current IHF World Players of the Year – Cristina Neagu, Romania and Mikkel Hansen, Denmark – were selected for the fifth time overall. Neagu had missed a place in last season’s All-star Team, and reclaims her left back crown after four consecutive nods in the seasons preceding 2018/19. Hansen was one of only two players to return to the men’s line-up. 

The EHF Champions League 2019/20 All-star Teams: 
Women:
Goalkeeper: Amandine Leynaud, France – Györi Audi ETO KC 
Left wing: Sanna Solberg, Norway – Team Esbjerg 
Left back: Cristina Neagu, Romania – CSM Bucuresti  
Centre back: Stine Oftedal, Norway – Györi Audi ETO KC 
Line player: Asma Elghaoui, Tunisia  – SCM Ramnicu Valcea 
Right back: Anna Vyakhireva, Russia – Rostov-Don 
Right wing: Jovanka Radicevic, Montenegro – Buducnost 

Best defender: Eduarda Amorim, Brazil – Györi Audi ETO KC 

Best young player: Noemi Hafra, Hungary – FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria 

Best coach: Emmanuel Mayonnade, France – Metz Handball 

Men:
Goalkeeper: Niklas Landin, Denmark – THW Kiel 
Left wing: Manuel Strlek, Croatia – Telekom Veszprém HC 
Left back: Sander Sagosen, Norway – Paris Saint-Germain Handball 
Centre back: Mikkel Hansen, Denmark – Paris Saint-Germain Handball 
Line player: Bence Banhidi, Hungary – MOL-Pick Szeged 
Right back: Alex Dujshebaev, Spain – PGE VIVE Kielce 
Right wing: Niclas Ekberg, Sweden – THW Kiel 

Best defender: Blaz Blagotinsek, Slovenia – Telekom Veszprém HC

Best young player: Aleix Gomez, Spain – Barça 

Best coach: David Davis, Spain – Telekom Veszprém HC 

For both competitions, the All-star Team selection came from a total of 50 nominations, with five in each position on the court along with five each for the best young player, best defender and best coach. The 50 nominations were made based on voting from coaches in the respective competitions, as well as the EHF network of journalists across Europe. 

Voting and the announcement occurred in unusual circumstances this season, due to both competitions being on hold as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The finals in both competitions are scheduled for later in 2020. 

Usually, the nominations, voting and announcement of the Champions League All-star Teams takes place between the quarter-finals and the EHF FINAL4 events, where the semi-finals and finals are played over one weekend and the titles are decided. However, competition organisers decided to conduct the vote close to the standard timeframe, in May, to reward players for their efforts over the season so far and offer the chance for fans to show their support. 

Almost half a million people cast their votes over the two weeks allotted for voting in both competitions.   

More information on the Champions League can be found on the official website.

PHOTO: EHF Champions League