Linnell: We are better than this

The 46-36 defeat away to FC Barcelona Borges Saturday was Danish champions KIF Kolding´s first defeat, since they lost the first leg of the Danish championship finals 34-32 against FCK Håndbold on May 22nd.

Eurohandball.com talked to Kolding´s Swedish head coach, Ingemar Linnell, about the defeat and it´s consequences.

Eurohandball.com: What is your mood like after the defeat in the Palau Blaugrana?

Ingemar Linnell, Obviously, we are not happy with it. We didn't travel to Barcelona to lose by 10 goals and I don't think there were 10 goals between the teams. We were quite equal in playing handball, but maybe the physical aspects mattered.

Eurohandball.com: The difference grew in the last minutes only. Did you run out of physical resources due to the fact that you were missing René Toft Hansen and Anders Oechsler, mainly in the defence?

Ingemar Linnell: We cannot blame this entirely on two missing players – it was also a matter of making the right decisions at the right times, in the attack as well as in the defence!

Eurohandball.com: What does this result mean to the perspectives in your group?

Ingemar Linnell: Obviously, we have now lost against the second best team in the group, but strange as it may sound at this moment, I think we have a real chance of defeating Barcelona, when we meet them at home!

Eurohandball.com: Would it be fair to say that you are arrived to the most difficult part of the tournament?

Ingemar Linnell: Yes, I definitely think so. I consider Kiel and Barcelona in our Group, and Ciudad Real and Hamburg in Group C to be the four strongest teams in Europe right now!

Eurohandball.com: What, if anything, can you take with you from the match in Barcelona?

Ingemar Linnell: I think we can take the intensity and the necessity to stay focused all the time with us, not only to the coming matches in the Champions League, but also to our coming matches in the Danish league and the Danish Cup.