The European Handball Federation met via videoconference on Friday to confirm that due to the current Covid-19 crisis in Europe, the VELUX EHF Champions League 19/20 round of 16 and quarter-finals have been cancelled and the Final Four will now be played on 28 and 29 December at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne.
With sporting results the reference point, the four teams who will make up the Final Four are Barça, THW Kiel, Paris Saint-Germain and Telekom Veszprém, the clubs who finished first and second in their groups in the previous stage of the competition.
Given that it will be impossible for the Final Four to be played before the start of next season, the EHF has chosen 28 and 29 December as the dates for the fixture in the same venue as the last 10 editions of the competition, the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany. The Final Four will depend on the development of the Covid-19 pandemic in Europe and the decisions of the relevant health authorities.
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After an excellent Champions League group stage, Barça guaranteed themselves a place in the quarter-finals by finishing top for the fourth time in five years under the current format. After defeat against Szeged, the blaugranes went on a record breaking run of 13 straight wins in the competition.
Barça will now face German side Kiel, French team PSG and the Hungarians of Veszprém for the Champions League title, health situation permitting, in December.
