The ABN AMRO EHL FINAL8 draw produced seven brand new showdowns while the only sides to have met before – Rot-Weiss Köln and Royal Léopold – did so over 10 years ago, making it a very fresh-faced line-up next Easter.
On the women’s side indeed, it is a completely new set of pairings with Wagener Stadium host club AH&BC Amsterdam facing EHL newcomers East Grinstead.
The winners of that showdown will face either Belgian champions Gantoise or Dutch runners-up SCHC.
In the other half of the draw, Mannheimer HC are up against two-time finalists Club de Campo de Madrid. Lying in wait for the victors are either Spanish champions Junior FC or Ireland’s Loreto.
Amsterdam’s Michelle Fillet was present for the draw and she reckons the line-up lends itself well to a big spectator experience.
“I think we could see some really full stands. There are a lot of good games in there. I am really excited,” she said.
In the men’s competition, top seeded Pinoké are up against Real Club de Polo in the first sector. The winners of that one will go on to face either Club de Campo de Madrid or Old Georgians, the latter bidding to reach the FINAL4 for the first time.
The second half of the draw features Gantoise up against SV Kampong for the first time while the fourth pairing has Rot-Weiss Köln facing Royal Léopold. Those two sides met in 2013’s KO16 with the former edging a 3-2 thriller.
“Lots of interesting match-ups, no clubs from the same country playing each other which I really like,” Pinoké’s Sébastien Dockier said. “I am really happy with this draw.”
With the draw now in place, the fixture schedule and tickets will be released in the coming days.
ABN AMRO EHL FINAL8, Wagener Stadium, March 28 to April 1, 2024
EHL Women FINAL8
AH&BC Amsterdam v East Grinstead
Gantoise v SCHC
Mannheimer HC v Club de Campo de Madrid
Junior FC v Loreto
EHL Men FINAL8
Pinoké v Real Club de Polo
Club de Campo de Madrid v Old Georgians
Gantoise v SV Kampong
Rot-Weiss Köln v Royal Léopold
