The 2022/23 season of the EHF European League Men throws off today, with 24 teams competing for a place in the next round.

The reigning champions SL Benfica, who finished seventh at the 2022 IHF Men’s Super Globe, which just ended last Sunday, will also compete, aiming to improve their trophy cabinet by adding another win.

Their quest for another trophy will start under challenging circumstances for the Portuguese side, who will face tough opposition in their group against Frisch Auf Göppingen and Montpellier, teams who are used to winning European silverware.

Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and Hungary are the best-represented nations in the competition, with three teams each. At the same time, Denmark boast two sides, as North Macedonia, Switzerland, Iceland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Sweden and Croatia have a team each participating in the competition.

Five former champions – Frisch Auf Göppingen, Füchse Berlin, SG Flensburg-Handewitt and Fraikin Granollers – compete in the group phase, with Goppingen being tied with SC Magdeburg as the team with the highest number of trophies in the competition (four) won in 2011, 2012, 2016 and 2017.

Five reigning world champions are also represented in the competition, with Denmark internationals Lasse Andersson and Jacob Holm featuring for Berlin, while Kevin Møller, Mads Mensah Larsen and Emil Jakobsen are playing for SG Flensburg-Handewitt.

Ukrainian side HC Motor, who earned a place in the group phase with their games played in Germany, will also be featured in the competition. They play in the second German league as well, hosting their games in Düsseldorf.

The first four teams in each group will progress to the knockout round of the competition, while the teams placed fifth and sixth will be eliminated.

EHF European League 2022/23 group phase

Group A: SL Benfica (POR), Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI), TATRAN Presov (SVK), Frisch Auf Göppingen (GER), Montpellier HB (FRA), Fejer B.A.L-Veszprem (HUN)

Group B: PAUC Handball (FRA), Ystads IF (SWE), Valur (ISL), SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER), TM Benidorm (ESP), FTC (HUN)

Group C: Skjern Handbold (DEN), Fraikin BM. Granollers (ESP), Balatonfüredi KSE (HUN), Sporting CP (POR), RK Nexe (CRO), Alpla HC Hard (AUT)

Group D: Füchse Berlin (GER), HC Eurofarm Pelister (MKD), HC Motor (UKR), Bidasoa Irun (ESP),  Skanderborg-Aarhus (DEN), Aguas Santas Milaneza (POR)