The inaugural edition of the EHF European League Men has reached its knock-out phase, only three weeks after the group phase ended.

Sixteen teams, the top four from each of the four groups in the first phase of the competition, have kept their dream alive and progressed to the Last 16 phase, with eight crucial ties set to decide the quarter-finalists.

The four group winners will start with away matches, as Füchse Berlin, Rhein-Neckar Löwen, SC Magdeburg and ORLEN Wisla Plock will be eyeing to knock out their opponents to confirm their status as favourites in this phase of the competition.

While Plock face a strong opponent in Portuguese powerhouse Sporting CP, they are still favourites due to their vast experience. Füchse Berlin and Rhein-Neckar Löwen, who are facing Austrian side Fivers and Croatian side RK Nexe, are overwhelming favourites in their match-ups.

The other German team who won their group, SC Magdeburg, meet North Macedonian side Eurofarm Pelister, who were the best fourth-placed team in the group phase, having won 11 points. 

With three Egypt 2021 world champions in their squad, including the top goal scorer of the EHF European League group phase Emil Jakobsen (74 goals), Danish powerhouse GOG are also aiming for the quarter-finals. A tough clash against Russian side CSKA Moscow awaits, as this is looking to be one of the most exciting matches in the Last 16 phase.

Back at a high level after many years, French outfit USAM Nimes will look to earn their first quarter-finals berth in a European competition after 20 years, when they face Russian champions Chekhovskie Medvedi. Despite finishing second in the group phase, Nimes have earned less points – 12 in their ten matches – than Chekhovskie, the third-placed team in Group A (14 points).

Former EHF Champions League Men winners Montpellier HB have not played to their strengths in the group phase, conceding four losses and finishing third in Group C. However, they will still be favourites against Swiss side Kadetten Schaffhausen, boasting three of the French players, Valentin Porte, Melvyn Richardson and Hugo Descat, who earned their Tokyo 2020 spots after securing two wins in the Tokyo Handball Qualification 2020, hosted two weeks ago in Montpellier.

The tie between IFK Kristianstad and Abanca Ademar Leon has been postponed, due to positive COVID-19 cases in the Spanish team.

The Last 16 phase of the EHF European League Men will take place over the next two weeks, with the first leg set to be played on 23 March and the second leg set one week later, on 30 March.

The winners of the ties will progress to the quarter-finals, set to be played on 13 and 20 April.

EHF European League Men – Last 16 phase 

M01: Sporting CP (POR) vs ORLEN Wisla Plock (POL)
M02: Fivers (AUT) vs Füchse Berlin (GER)
M03: RK Eurofarm Pelister (MKD) vs SC Magdeburg (GER)
M04: RK Nexe (CRO) vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER)
M05: IFK Kristianstad (SWE) vs Abanca Ademar Leon (ESP)
M06: Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS) vs USAM Nimes Gard (FRA)
M07: GOG (DEN) vs CSKA Moscow (RUS)
M08: Montpellier HB (FRA) vs Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI)

EHF European League Men – quarter-finals phase:

Winner M07 vs Winner M01
Winner M08 vs Winner M02
Winner M05 vs Winner M03
Winner M06 vs Winner M04

Photo: Sörli Binder / Rhein-Neckar Löwen