Hvidt: A very equal group

With the highest saving efficiency at the Euro 2008, Danish goalkeeper Kasper Hvidt was nominated for the All Star team in Norway. Hvidt played a great role in Denmark winning the title.

The 31-year old Kasper Hvidt is back at the Spanish top team, FC Barcelona, and here he took a great start after returning from Norway too. Therefore, he is also one of the key players for Barcelona attempting to win Group 4 of the Champions League. The opponents will be three national champions: Slovenian Celje Pivovarna Lasko, Hungarian Pick Szeged and Danish GOG Svendborg TGI.

On Sunday Kasper Hvidt and his team will play the opener in Denmark against GOG. Hvidt is especially looking forward to that game.

Eurohandball.com: What do you think about the chances in the group?

Kasper Hvidt: It consists of four really good teams, I think. You might think that Szeged and GOG have no such great names as the two other teams. In Denmark, people tend not to think a lot of Szeged, while people in the rest of Europe may consider GOG to be the weakest. However, I expect this to be a very equal group, but I believe that we have the strongest team and we will be able to qualify for the semi-finals.

Eurohandball.com: How important is the Champions League for FC Barcelona compared to the Spanish championship?

Kasper Hvidt: They are equally important. Of course, a Spanish championship is great – just as winning the Champions League. …Especially now that the tournament has been extended and now it includes the four best teams of Germany and Spain. This means that the Champions League has an enormous importance in European handball and that makes it at least as important for us as the Spanish league.

Eurohandball.com: Do you think it will be a special experience to play against GOG in front of a hall sold out for a month?

Kasper Hvidt: Yes, absolutely. I have been playing abroad for eleven years now and so far I never played against a Danish team in any official competition. Of course it is going to be fun, special, and new!

Eurohandball.com: I guess you will not underestimate GOG after they made two draws against Portland?

Kasper Hvidt: Definitely not! GOG have shown what they are capable of and we are well aware of the importance of that match. If you start well with an away win in a group like this, you are in an extremely good position.