The first-leg Women’s EHF Champions League quarter-final matches were played over the weekend, with Buducnost, 2016 champions CSM Bucuresti, Metz Handball and HC Vardar claiming victories – but not yet places in the competition’s final stage.

The two-leg format in the knock-out round means the semi-finalists qualify only with an aggregate win, and as France’s Metz Handball beat Hungarian powerhouse Györi Audi ETO KC just 32:31 and HC Vardar won away at FC Midtjylland 28:26, everything remains open ahead of their second encounters.

Buducnost and Bucuresti are in far more comfortable positions, as CSM beat FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria 30:25 and therefore travel to Budapest for the return leg next Saturday with a five-goal cushion. 2012 and 2015 champions Buducnost have an even larger advantage after their first-leg encounter, having recorded a 31:17 victory that puts injury-struck Larvik in a very dangerous place despite playing at home in the second leg.

“We have a huge advantage ahead of the second game, but nothing is not over yet, because we have to be serious in Norway,” Buducnost left back and 2016 World Handball Player of the Year Cristina Neagu said on the official Champions League website.

“We respect ourselves first, then the opponent, and it has brought a great performance and victory with a 14-goal difference.”

All the second-leg quarter-finals will be played next Saturday, April 15, and will see the four semi-finalists secure their place at the TIPPMIX EHF FINAL4, held in early May.