The 2011–12 EHF Women's Champions League was the nineteenth edition of the EHF Women's Champions League, the top continental handball event for club teams in Europe, organized and supervised by the European Handball Federation. Larvik HK entered the competition as title holders after beating SD Itxako in past season's final.[1]
Following the decision of the Executive Committee of the European Handball Federation in April 2011, the system of the EHF Women's Champions League qualifying tournaments have changed. Starting from this season, the second qualification tournaments will be played under a final four format, with the semifinals held on a Saturday while the final on the following day. The winners of each tournaments will qualify for the group stage. The method of the first qualification round did not change. In addition, unlike in previous years, clubs that are eliminated during the qualifying phase will directly go to the EHF Women's Cup Winners' Cup.[3]
Team allocation
A total of 32 teams participated in the 2011–12 EHF Champions League from 23 federations. Places were distributed according to the EHF league coefficient, which took into account the performances in European competitions from 2007–08 to 2009–10. Norway have been awarded an additional entry as the title holder country.
All draws will be held at the EHF headquarters in Vienna, Austria.[4]
Phase
Round
Draw date
First leg
Second leg
Qualifying
Qualification Tournament 1
27 June 2011
2–4 September 2011
Qualification Tournament 2
17–18 September 2011
Group stage
Matchday 1
28 June 2011
1–2 October 2011
Matchday 2
8–9 October 2011
Matchday 3
15–16 October 2011
Matchday 4
29–30 October 2011
Matchday 5
5–6 November 2011
Matchday 6
12–13 November 2011
Main round
Matchday 1
15 November 2011
4–5 February 2012
Matchday 2
11–12 February 2012
Matchday 3
18–19 February 2012
Matchday 4
25–26 February 2012
Matchday 5
3–4 March 2012
Matchday 6
10–11 March 2012
Knockout phase
Semifinals
—
31 March–1 April 2012
7–8 April 2012
Finals
10 April 2012
5–6 May 2012
12–13 May 2012
Qualifying rounds
The draw for both qualifying tournaments took place on 27 June 2011 in Vienna. The rights to organize and host the group matches were also decided in this draw.[5]
Qualification Tournaments 1
In the first stage of the qualifying process eight clubs were drawn into two groups of four. The sides played against each other once and the top two teams of each group advanced to the second qualifying phase, where they were classified automatically into the fourth pot.[6] The four losing teams entered the 2011–12 EHF Cup Winners' Cup second round.[4]
Sixteen clubs were set to participate in the second qualifying stage, divided into four groups of four. For the first time in the competition's history, a final four format was used to determine the group winners, that were qualified for the Group matches. According to the seeding list, teams in Pot 1 were drawn together with Pot 4 sides, while clubs from Pot 2 met Pot 3 teams in the semifinals of the tournaments.[6] However, as stated in the EHF regulations, clubs from the same federation enjoyed protection and could not be selected into the same group.[8] Teams that finished bottom of their respective groups went to the second round of the 2011–12 EHF Cup Winners' Cup, while second and third placed teams joined that competition in the third round.[4]
The draw of the group matches was held on June 28 at the Gartenhotel Altmannsdorf in Vienna.[5] A total of sixteen teams were concerned in the process, having divided into four pots of four. Similar to the qualifying phase, clubs from the same country could not be drawn into the same group, therefore, instead of direct draw, Pot 4 teams were allocated to the first possible position from Group A to Group D.[10][11]
The draw of the main round was held on November 15 at the Gartenhotel Altmannsdorf in Vienna. A total of eight teams advanced from the group stage to the main round and were located in two pots, with the group winners being in Pot 1 and the runners-up in Pot 2.[12] Teams from the same groups at the group stage were not able to be drawn together.[13]
