2017–18 EHF Champions League

;Group Stage

Twenty-eight teams participated in the competition, divided in four groups. Groups A and B were played with eight teams each, in a round robin, home and away format. The top team in each group qualified directly for the quarter-finals, the bottom two in each group dropped out of the competition and the remaining 10 teams qualified for the first knock-out phase.

In groups C and D, six teams played in each group in a round robin format, playing both home and away. The top two teams in each group then met in a ‘semi-final’ play-off, with the two winners going through to the first knock-out phase. The remaining teams dropped out of the competition.

;Knock-out Phase 1 (Last 16)

12 teams played home and away in the first knock-out phase, with the 10 teams qualified from groups A and B and the two teams qualified from groups C and D.

;Knock-out Phase 2 (Quarterfinals)

The six winners of the matches in the first knock-out phase joined the winners of groups A and B to play home and away for the right to play in the VELUX EHF FINAL4.

;Final four

The culmination of the season, the VELUX EHF FINAL4, will continue in its existing format, with the four top teams from the competition competing for the title.

28 teams were directly qualified for the group stage.{{cite web|url=http://www.ehfcl.com/men/2016-17/article/29006/EXEC+confirms+the+2017%2F18+starting+grid|title=EXEC confirms the 2017/18 starting grid|date=24 June 2017|work=ehfcl.com}}

The qualification draw was held in Vienna, Austria and the group stage draw in Ljubljana, Slovenia.{{cite web|url=http://ehfcl.com/men/2016-17/article/28933/Record+high+demand+for+the+jubilee+season|title=Record high demand for the jubilee season|date=12 June 2017|work=ehfcl.com|access-date=2017-06-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616213539/http://ehfcl.com/men/2016-17/article/28933/Record+high+demand+for+the+jubilee+season|archive-date=2017-06-16|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ehfcl.com/2016-17/article/28944/Ljubljana+hosts+draw+for+the+25th+season+of+EHF+Champions+League|title=Ljubljana hosts draw for the 25th season of EHF Champions League|date=13 June 2017|work=ehfcl.com}}

The four teams played a semifinal and final to determine the last participant. Matches were played on 2 and 3 September 2017.{{cite news|url=http://ehfcl.com/men/2016-17/article/29013/Seeding+for+the+group+phase+draw+released|title=Seeding for the group phase draw released|publisher=ehfcl.com|date=26 June 2017|access-date=2017-06-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626193441/http://www.ehfcl.com/men/2016-17/article/29013/Seeding+for+the+group+phase+draw+released|archive-date=2017-06-26|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://ehfcl.com/men/2017-18/article/29020/Draw+grants+first+right+to+organise+a+group+to+Hard|title=Draw grants first right to organise a group to Hard|publisher=ehfcl.com|date=29 June 2017|access-date=2017-06-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702131658/http://www.ehfcl.com/men/2017-18/article/29020/Draw+grants+first+right+to+organise+a+group+to+Hard|archive-date=2017-07-02|url-status=dead}}

Tatran Prešov hosted the tournament.{{cite news|url=http://ehfcl.com/men/2017-18/article/29053/Tatran+Presov+set+to+welcome+qualification+hopefuls+to+Slovakia|title=Tatran Presov set to welcome qualification hopefuls to Slovakia|publisher=ehfcl.com|date=19 July 2017|access-date=2017-07-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170719121940/http://www.ehfcl.com/men/2017-18/article/29053/Tatran+Presov+set+to+welcome+qualification+hopefuls+to+Slovakia|archive-date=2017-07-19|url-status=dead}}

{{#invoke:RoundN|N4

|widescore=yes|bold_winner=high

|3rdplace=yes

| RD1=Semifinals

| RD2=Final

| Consol=Third place

|2 September|{{flagicon|POR}} Sporting CP|31|{{flagicon|FIN}} Riihimäki Cocks|27

|2 September|{{flagicon|SVK}} Tatran Prešov|25|{{flagicon|AUT}} Alpla HC Hard|26

|3 September|{{flagicon|POR}} Sporting CP (OT)|35|{{flagicon|AUT}} Alpla HC Hard|34

|3 September|{{flagicon|FIN}} Riihimäki Cocks|27|{{flagicon|SVK}} Tatran Prešov|30

}}

{{handballbox

|date=2 September 2017

|time=13:30

|team1=Sporting CP {{flagicon|POR}}

|score=31–27

|team2={{flagicon|FIN}} Riihimäki Cocks

|report=[http://www.ehfcl.com/en/men/matches/201811020101001 Report]

|goals1=Carol 8

|goals2=Rönnberg 9

|HT=18–14

|twomin1=3

|yellow1=3

|red1=

|twomin2=1

|yellow2=3

|red2=

|stadium=Tatran Handball Arena, Prešov

|attendance=420

|referee=Jurinović, Mrvica

|refnat=CRO

}}

----

{{handballbox

|date=2 September 2017

|time=16:00

|team1=Tatran Prešov {{flagicon|SVK}}

|score=25–26

|team2={{flagicon|AUT}} Alpla HC Hard

|report=[http://www.ehfcl.com/en/men/matches/201811020101002 Report]

|goals1=Butorac 7

|goals2=Schmid 7

|HT=12–13

|twomin1=1

|yellow1=3

|red1=

|twomin2=4

|yellow2=3

|red2=

|stadium=Tatran Handball Arena, Prešov

|attendance=1,500

|referee=Herczeg, Südi

|refnat=HUN

}}

{{handballbox

|date=3 September 2017

|time=13:30

|team1=Riihimäki Cocks {{flagicon|FIN}}

|score=27–30

|team2={{flagicon|SVK}} Tatran Prešov

|report=[http://www.ehfcl.com/en/men/matches/201811020101003 Report]

|goals1=Rönnberg 5

|goals2=Krok 6

|HT=10–15

|twomin1=2

|yellow1=2

|red1=1

|twomin2=3

|yellow2=3

|red2=

|stadium=Tatran Handball Arena, Prešov

|attendance=400

|referee=Herczeg, Südi

|refnat=HUN

}}

{{handballbox

|date=3 September 2017

|time=16:05

|team1=Sporting CP {{flagicon|POR}}

|score=35–34

|team2={{flagicon|AUT}} Alpla HC Hard

|report=[http://www.ehfcl.com/en/men/matches/201811020101004 Report]

|goals1=Carol 9

|goals2=Schmid 10

|HT=17–17

|FT=29–29

|OT1=6–5

|twomin1=6

|yellow1=3

|red1=

|twomin2=2

|yellow2=3

|red2=

|stadium=Tatran Handball Arena, Prešov

|attendance=500

|referee=Jurinović, Mrvica

|refnat=CRO

}}

{{Location map+|Europe|width=500|float=right|caption=Location of teams of the 2016–17 EHF Champions League group stage.
8px Red: Group A; 8px Blue: Group B; 8px Green: Group C; 8px Yellow: Group D.

|places=

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=54.325278|long=10.140556|label=Kiel|position=bottom|mark=Blue_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=49.488889|long=8.469167 |label=RN Löwen|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=54.781944|long=9.436667 |label=Flensburg|position=left|mark=Blue_pog.svg}}

{{location map~|Europe|lat=41.383333|long=2.183333 |label=Barcelona|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=42.598726|long=-5.567096 |label=León|position=left|mark=Green_pog.svg}}

{{location map~|Europe|lat=48.835278|long=2.256111 |label=PSG|position=left|mark=Blue_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=43.6119 |long=3.8772 |label=Montpellier|position=top|mark=Yellow_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=47.2181 |long=-1.5528 |label=Nantes|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=47.092778|long=17.913611|label=Veszprém|position=top|mark=Blue_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=46.255 |long=20.145 |label=Szeged}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=57.04882|long=9.921747 |label=Aalborg|mark=Blue_pog.svg|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=56.044689|long=8.50589 |label=Skjern|mark=Green_pog.svg|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=46.235833|long=15.2675 |label=Celje|position=top|mark=Blue_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=46.362274|long=15.110658 |label=Velenje|mark=Green_pog.svg|position=left}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=50.883333|long=20.616667|label=Kielce|position=left|mark=Blue_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=52.55 |long=19.7 |label=Płock|position=top}}

{{location map~|Europe|lat=42.07 |long=21.533333|label=Vardar|position=top}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=41.80 |long=21.533333|label=Metalurg|position=bottom|mark=Yellow_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=56.029444|long=14.156667|label=Kristianstad|position=right}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=52.133333|long=23.666667|label=Brest|mark=Blue_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=47.7 |long=8.633333 |label=Kadetten|position=left|mark=Green_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=44.4325|long=26.103889|label=Dinamo|mark=Green_pog.svg}}

{{location map~|Europe|lat=45.8167 |long=15.9833 |label=Zagreb|position=bottom}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=38.722252|long=-9.139337 |label=Sporting|position=right|mark=Yellow_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=55.15 |long=37.45 |label=Chekhov|mark=Yellow_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=47.833333|long=35.166667|label=Motor|position=left|mark=Yellow_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=60.9275 |long=11.715278|label=Elverum|mark=Green_pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Europe|lat=41.013611|long=28.955 |label=Beşiktaş|mark=Yellow_pog.svg}}

}}

{{Main article|2017–18 EHF Champions League group stage}}

The draw for the group stage was held on 30 June 2017 at 21:00 in the Ljubljana castle. The 28 teams were drawn into four groups, two containing eight teams (Groups A and B) and two containing six teams (Groups C and D). The only restriction is that teams from the same national association could not face each other in the same group. Since Germany qualified three teams, the lowest seeded side (Kiel) were drawn with one of the other two.{{cite web|url=http://www.ehfcl.com/men/2017-18/article/29026/Vardar+to+start+the+title+defence+in+a+group+with+record+championsague|title=Vardar to start the title defence in a group with record champions|date=30 June 2017|work=ehfcl.com}}

In each group, teams played against each other in a double round-robin format, with home and away matches.

After completion of the group stage matches, the teams advancing to the knockout stage were determined in the following manner:

• Groups A and B – the top team qualified directly for the quarterfinals, and the five teams ranked 2nd–6th advanced to the first knockout round.
• Groups C and D – the top two teams from both groups contest a playoff to determine the last two sides joining the 10 teams from Groups A and B in the first knockout round.

{{2017–18 EHF Champions League Group A|show_matches=yes}}

{{2017–18 EHF Champions League Group B|show_matches=yes}}

{{2017–18 EHF Champions League Group C|show_matches=yes}}

{{2017–18 EHF Champions League Group D|show_matches=yes}}

{{#lst:2017–18 EHF Champions League group stage|playoffs}}

{{main article|2017–18 EHF Champions League knockout stage}}

The first-placed team from the preliminary groups A and B advanced to the quarterfinals, while the 2–6th placed teams advanced to the round of 16 alongside the playoff winners.

{{#lst:2017–18 EHF Champions League knockout stage|Round of 16}}

{{#lst:2017–18 EHF Champions League knockout stage|Quarterfinals}}

{{#lst:2017–18 EHF Champions League knockout stage|Bracket}}

{{#lst:2017–18 EHF Champions League knockout stage|Final}}

{{updated|27 May 2018}}

The all-star team was announced on 25 May 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurohandball.com/en/news/en/seven-new-names-blow-fresh-wind-in-velux-ehf-champions-league-201718-all-star-team/ |title=Seven new names blow fresh wind in VELUX EHF Champions League 2017/18 All-star Team|date=25 May 2018|work=eurohandball.com |access-date=18 March 2025}}

• Goalkeeper: {{flagathlete|Arpad Sterbik|ESP}}
• Right wing: {{flagathlete|David Balaguer|ESP}}
• Right back: {{flagathlete|Dika Mem|FRA}}
• Centre back: {{flagathlete|Nikola Karabatić|FRA}}
• Left back: {{flagathlete|Sander Sagosen|NOR}}
• Left wing: {{flagathlete|Uwe Gensheimer|GER}}
• Pivot: {{flagathlete|Bjarte Myrhol|NOR}}

;Other awards

• MVP of the Final four: {{flagathlete|Diego Simonet|ARG}}{{cite web|url=https://www.eurohandball.com/en/news/en/diego-simonet-a-proud-argentinian-with-two-trophies/|title=Diego Simonet – a proud Argentinian with two trophies|date=27 May 2018|work=eurohandball.com |access-date=18 March 2025}}
• Best Defender: {{flagathlete|Luka Karabatic|FRA}}
• Best Young player: {{flagathlete|Romain Lagarde|FRA}}
• Coach: {{flagathlete|Patrice Canayer|FRA}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.ehfcl.com/en/men Official website]

{{EHF Champions League seasons}}

{{2017–18 European club competitions}}

{{2017–18 in European handball (EHF)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:EHF Champions League}}

2017

Category:2017 in handball

Category:2018 in handball

Category:2017 in European sport

Category:2018 in European sport