NØDDESBO: UNASSUMING APPROACH TO NEW CL CHALLENGE 

One of the things FC Barcelona’s new pivot Jesper Nøddesbo is looking forward to the most after having joined the Spanish club from Danish KIF Kolding, is playing in the Champions League. Barcelona has received a wild-card for the competition and is going to meet Portuguese champions ABC Braga in two qualification matches at the beginning of September. If the famous team overcomes that hurdle, they will join Group A, where they are seeded fourth – with French champions US Ivry seeded first, Russian Dynamo Astrakhan second and Czech champions Banik Karvina in third place.

“Of course I hope that we can win our qualification tie against Braga, and even though we were only seeded in Pot 4, I think we have a very good chance of going on from the group, if we get that far”, Jesper Nøddesbo told Eurohandball.com.

Great expectations

“I think that Ivry as well as Astrakhan and Banik Karvina are teams that we should have a good chance of beating, and that is probably also what everyone expects. People will always have high expectation of us, simply because we are Barcelona and that obviously puts some pressure on us. Therefore, we should be quite humble towards the challenges that are ahead of us. I am used to that from my time with Kolding, where this quality has a high priority, and it is my impression, that our new coach has the same philosophy”, added the Danish international. “At least, our group seems to be a lot easier than for instance the group with Celje, Veszprem and Gummersbach! I definitely hope and expect that we can go on to the second group stage” said Nøddesbo ._

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A DREAM CAME TRUE FOR NØDDESBO

Almost six months after having announced that he was going to leave Danish top club KIF Kolding, Danish international Jesper Nøddesbo could finally announce FC Barcelona as his new club earlier this week after strong rumours had been linking him with the traditional Spanish club for many months. Eurohandball.com has talked to the 26 year old pivot about his change of club and his expectations for the future.

Eurohandball.com: What made you choose Barcelona among the many offers you had?

Jesper Nøddesbo: It is correct that I was privileged to have quite a lot of offers, but when “Barca” showed interest in me, the decision was not hard to make. Barcelona is a team, I have been hearing and reading about almost all my life, and playing for that club has been kind of a dream for me ever since I was a kid.

Eurohandball.com: January 8^th this year you announced that you were going to leave Kolding after the past season. What has it been like for you to have to keep the name of your new club as a secret for so long?

Jesper Nøddesbo: Of course, it has been hard not to be able to say anything, and just to say “no comments” each time someone asked, where I was going to play, or if I was going to Barcelona. Therefore it was nice to finally be able to announce the contract officially.

Eurohandball.com: You have signed a three year contract with Barcelona. What do you expect from your career there?

Jesper Nøddesbo: It is hard to say. We are two completely new pivots, Ruben Garabaya and I, and there are several other new players, who have to be integrated in the team. However, they are all great and experienced players, so that process may not take that long. Personally, I am going to do my absolutely best to contribute to the team’s success right from the start.

Eurohandball.com: Among the new players is another Dane, goalkeeper Kasper Hvidt, whom you know from the Danish national team. What does it mean to you to have another Dane in the team?

Jesper Nøddesbo: It obviously means a lot to me, as Kasper has been in Spain for so many years now that he is practically like a Spanish citizen! He can definitely help me in the beginning – with the language and with a lot of other things. It is really nice to have him to lean on!

Eurohandball.com: Your new club was close to not reaching the Champions League this year. In fact, only a wild-card saved their participation. Is it a relief to you that you are going to play in the Champions League after all?

Jesper Nøddesbo: Yes, absolutely. I am used to playing in the Champions League with Kolding, and I sure hope to get a bit further in the competition with Barcelona, than I ever did with Kolding. (During Nøddesbo's three years in Kolding the team never made it any further the eighth-finals, ed.)