France will be represented by four clubs in the Champions League next season: PSG and Montpellier for the men and Metz and Brest for the women
Sacred champions of France 2021, PSG and Brest were automatically qualified for the next edition of the Champions League. It remained to be seen whether other French clubs would accompany them in the biggest continental competition. The answer is yes, since Montpellier and Metz appear in the list of qualified teams published this Tuesday by the European Handball Federation.
In addition to PSG, HC PPD Zagreb, Aalborg Håndbold, Barça, THW Kiel, SG Flensburg-Handewitt, MOL-Pick Szeged, Lomza Vive Kielce and FC Porto qualified automatically. Besides Montpellier, HC Meshkov Brest, Telekom Veszprém HC, Elverum Handball, CS Dinamo Bucuresti and HC Motor received an invitation. It will therefore be a return to the Champions League for the Hérault club, which had to be content with the European League in 2020-21, while Nantes played the biggest European competition. Will two French clubs participate in the Final Four in 2022 like this year? Answer in eleven months …
Friday draw
On the women’s side, Brest, HC Podravka Vegeta, Odense Handbold, FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria, Györi Audi ETO KC, BV Borussia 09 Dortmund, Buducnost BEMAX, Vipers Kristiansand, CSM Bucuresti and CSKA Moscow qualified as champions and Esbjerg, Metz, Rostov-Don, RK Krim Mercator, Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK and IK Sävehof received an invitation.
Great accustomed to the competition, the Moselle club will therefore taste it again next season, having been eliminated by Brest in the quarter-finals this year. The formula for next season does not change, with a group stage in two groups of eight teams then a final stage from the eighth, and matches played on Wednesdays and Thursdays from September 15th. The draw for the group stage will take place this Friday.
