EHF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE INTRODUCES: Daniela Piedade (Hypo Nö) – PART 1/4

After two stars of the Men’s EHF Champions League, our interview series goes on with a lady at last. In the upcoming weeks we will introduce you a Brazilian handballer from Vienna, Daniela De Oliveira Piedade. The line player of Hypo Niederösterreich arrived in Europe five years ago and she has become team captain and key figure of the Austrian club that won Champions League (and Champions’ Cup) eight times.

Brazil is rather far from Europe and only very few players from the South American continent get to play for European top clubs. In the first part of our series, we get to know more about Piedade’s first experience with this sport, about handball in Brazil and also about the difference between playing in Brazil and in Europe.

Eurohandball.com: How did you start playing handball? What is the Brazilian handball culture like at all?

Daniela Piedade: Well, handball is the second most popular sport on a school level in Brazil. I also started in my school in 1993. It was a subject that we learnt there. Before that I competed in track and field. I was always the fastest runner in school, so at first I was selected for that sport. From ’93 on I played only handball. I was even awarded a handball scholarship.

Eurohandball.com: What is the Brazilian league like?

Daniela Piedade: Brazilian players are not professionals, but the league is good. We have many divisions for men and women. In the women’s first division there are 8-10 teams and it is stronger than the Austrian league, for example.

Eurohandball.com: How did you get to Europe? Who spotted you?

Daniela Piedade: In 2001, Hypo came for a tournament to Rio de Janeiro. I played for Jundiai, a Sao Paolo-based club. In fact, our match against Hypo was cancelled, so I couldn’t play against them and they flew back. However, Gerald Berger, the manager of Hypo stayed to look for talents and he has seen me.

Eurohandball.com: So you arrived to the Austrian Hypo, which is in the elite of European handball. What was the change like for you?

Daniela Piedade: It was a catastrophe. I felt like an U14 player among all those stars. I trained with them, but technically and physically I was weaker. I joined the second squad of Hypo for six months and though Hypo wanted to give me a longer contract right away, I wanted to try the first six months. I have never been so long away from my family, from my country. At the end, I signed for two years and now I start my sixth season with the club.

Eurohandball.com: Looking back today, was it the right decision? Do you enjoy playing for Hypo?

Daniela Piedade: I feel fine here and I could learn the language by now. Of course, I feel homesick sometimes, but not as much as I used to. I play with great handballers and I have a chance to visit and see many countries. In Brazil it would not have been possible.

In the next part of our series, we will ask Daniela about the period she played for Hypo, about the successful Austrian club and also about the Champions League Group phase up and running.

The Vlado Sola (CO Zagreb) interview series
The László Nagy (FC Barcelona) interview series