Bulatovic and Varzaru fight for their fifth trophies
If Buducnost win their third trophy after 2012 and 2015, or CSM Bucuresti defend their title at the TIPPMIX EHF FINAL4 in Budapest on May 6 and 7, one player will make history.
Katarina Bulatovic (Buducnost) and Cristina Varzaru (Bucuresti) both have the chance to become the third most-successful player in the history of the Women’s EHF Champions League after six-time winners Bojana Popovic and Ausra Fridrikas. Bulatovic and Varzaru have each raised four trophies so far.
Bulatovic and Varzaru lead a field of 12 multiple Champions League winners fighting for the trophy in the Hungarian capital, compared with the 14 that did so in 2016.
In the Buducnost squad five out of eight former Champions League winners have raised the trophy more than once, while Bucuresti have two multiple champions in their squad – and a total of 13 one-time winners. Four of Györ’s six Champions League victors have claimed the title more than once, as has one of Vardar’s three past winners.
Aside from the players on court, Vardar coach Irina Dibirova (two trophies) and Buducnost sports director Popovic are multiple winners of the premier women’s club competition. If Vardar claim their first title, Dibirova can become the first female to win the EHF Champions League as a player and a coach.
EHF Champions League winners in the TIPPMIX EHF FINAL4 squads
Buducnost:
4 EHF Champions League trophies:
Katarina Bulatovic (Slagelse 2006/07, Buducnost 2011/12, Györ 2013/14, Buducnost 2014/15)
2 EHF Champions League trophies:
Milena Raicevic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Suzanna Lazovic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Dragana Cvijic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Radmila Petrovic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
1 EHF Champions League trophy:
Marta Batinovic, Biljana Novovic, Kinga Achruk, Cristina Neagu, Ema Ramusovic (all Buducnost 2014/15)
6 EHF Champions League trophies:
Sports director Bojana Popovic (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10, Buducnost 2011/12)
CSM Bucuresti:
4 EHF Champions League trophies:
Cristina Varzaru (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10, Bucuresti 2015/16)
2 EHF Champions League trophies:
Majda Mehmedovic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
1 EHF Champions League trophy:
Bianca Bazaliu, Aurelia Bradeanu, Iulia Curea, Jelena Grubisic, Isabelle Gullden, Alina Iordache, Line Jörgensen, Oana Manea, Carmen Martin, Maria Cristina Nan, Linnea Torstensson (all Bucuresti 2015/16)
Györi Audi ETO KC:
2 EHF Champions League trophies:
Dorina Korsos (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Adrienn Orban (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Eduarda Amorim (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Anita Görbicz (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
1 EHF Champions League trophy:
Nora Mörk (Larvik 2010/11)
Bernadett Bognar-Bodi (Györ 2013/14)
HC Vardar:
2 EHF Champions League trophies:
Anja Althaus (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Coach: Irina Dibirova (nee Poltoratskaya) (Slagelse 2004/05, Zvezda 2007/08)
1 EHF Champions League trophy:
Mayssa Pessoa (Bucuresti 2015/16)
Andrea Lekic, Jovanka Radicevic (both Györ 2012/13)
Multiple Women’s EHF Champions League winners:
Six titles with two clubs:
Ausra Fridrikas (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95, Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/00, Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05)
Six titles with three clubs:
Bojana Popovic (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10, Buducnost 2011/12)
Five titles:-
Four titles with one club:
Rima Sypkus (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95, Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/00)
Tanja Dshandshagava (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95, Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/00)
Four titles with two clubs:
Katrine Lunde-Haraldsen (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10, Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Cristina Varzaru (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10, Bucuresti 2015/16)
Four titles with three clubs:
Katarina Bulatovic (Slagelse 2006/07, Buducnost 2011/12, Györ 2013/14, Buducnost 2014/15)
Three titles with one club:
Chao Zhai (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Grit Jurack (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Lene Lund-Nielsen (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Rikke Skov (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Louise Bager-Norgaard (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Iris Morhammer (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95, Hypo 1999/00)
Stanca Bozovic (Hypo 1994/95, Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/00)
Mette Melgaard (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07)
Three titles with two clubs:
Anja Freser (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03, Slagelse 2003/04)
Luminita Hutupan (Dinu) (Krim 2000/01, Skopje 2001/02, Krim 2002/03)
Cecilie Leganger (Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07, Larvik 2010/11)
Maja Savic (Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07, Podgorica 2011/12)
Heidi Löke (Larvik 2010/11, Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Two titles with one club:
Agnieszka Matuszewska (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03)
Branka Mijatovic (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03)
Deja Doler (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03)
Natalia Derepasko (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03)
Tatjana Oder (Krim 2000/01, Krim 2002/03)
Anja Althaus (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Gitte Aaen (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Heidi Astrup (Viborg 2005/06, Viborg 2009/10)
Henriette Mikkelsen (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Janne Pedersen (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Kristine Lunde-Borgesen (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Monika Kovacsicz (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Nora Reiche (Viborg 2008/09, Viborg 2009/10)
Anne Loft (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2006/07)
Carmen Lungu (Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07)
Line Hougaard (Slagelse 2004/05, Slagelse 2006/07)
Rikke Schmidt (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05)
Stina Madsen (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05)
Valentina Radulovic (Slagelse 2003/04, Slagelse 2004/05)
Barbara Strass (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95)
Beatrice Wagner (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95)
Bozena Karkut (Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/00)
Edit Matei (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95)
Laura Fritz (Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/00)
Marianne Racz (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95)
Mia Hermansson-Hogdahl (Hypo 1993/94, Hypo 1994/95)
Renata Cieloch (Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/00)
Tanja Logvin (Hypo 1997/98, Hypo 1999/00)
Eduarda Amorim (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Anita Görbicz (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Orsolya Herr (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Agnes Hornyak (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Dora Hornyak (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Dorina Korsos (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Aniko Kovacsics (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Adrienn Orban (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Victoria Redei-Soos (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Szederke Sirian (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Ivett Szepesi (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Raphaelle Tervel (Györ 2012/13, Györ 2013/14)
Dragana Cvijic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Milena Raicevic (Knezevic) (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Suzanna Lazovic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Majda Mehmedovic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Zeljka Nikolic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Radmila Petrovic (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Marina Rajcic (Vukovic) (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Clara Woltering (Buducnost 2011/12, Buducnost 2014/15)
Two titles with two clubs:
Irina Dibirova (Poltoratskaya) (Slagelse 2004/05, Zvezda 2007/08)
Maja Mitrovic (Krim 2000/01, Slagelse 2003/04)
Maria Fisker (Viborg 2008/08, Bucuresti 2015/16)
TEXT:
Bjorn Pazen / cg