Uwe Schwenker: Better to Avoid German Team

THW Kiel will face Portland San Antonio in the semi-final of the Champions League. Uwe Schwenker, manager of Kiel talked to Eurohandball.com about the draw.

Uwe Schwenker: It was not important who we play against as all four teams that reached the semi-finals are strong team. The important is that we play the second leg at home.

Eurohandball.com: Are you satisfied that you don’t have to play against another Bundasliga team?

Uwe Schwenker: It is better for us and better for the German supporters as well. Portland is a very attractive team for the fans. It is great to see stars like Balic, Hvidt, Lozano or Vugrinec.

Eurohandball.com: The attacking play of Kiel was impressive in the quarterfinal against Veszprém. Can you improve in defense against the Spanish team?

Uwe Schwenker: Defending was a problem for us, but the main problem is that we have injuries. Jeppesen will not be available for the rest of the season, while Szilágyi has just recovered. He played already in the previous CL round, but he is still not able to perform at his usual level. These injuries are also a great disadvantage for the backcourt players, Lövgren and Karabatic, who have to stay on court for most of the game.