“Great to be at home”

Three Polish players are in the squad of Rhein Neckar Löwen which plays at Polish champion Vive Targi Kielce in the ehftv.com Match of the Week on Sunday. One of them is goalkeeper Slawomir Szmal, current World Handball Player of the year. The 32 year old world-class goalkeeper will have to deal with a very special circumstance – as he’s already signed a contract to play for Kielce from 2011 onwards.

In an interview with ehfCL.com Szmal talks about his feelings before the match and the great start of Löwen in the VELUX EHF Men’s Champions League, with three victories in three matches.

ehfCL.com: What are your feelings before playing in Poland?

Szmal: It’ll be great to be in my home country, even if it’s only for two days. I’m especially looking forward to the Polish food. It will be emotional as it will be a very tough match for us. Kielce is under pressure after three defeats. I saw all of those games and after two weak matches they really improved in Kiel. All the Polish media are now focusing on this team. They expect a victory against us. At some point they have to start winning. So, nothing will be easy for Löwen in Kielce.

ehfCL.com: Is your team the favourite?

Szmal: It’s hard to say, but I estimate us as the favourites. To play at home in front of a great audience is an advantage for Kielce, but we want – under any circumstance – to take those two points back to Mannheim.

ehfCL.com: Three matches in the VELUX EHF Men’s Champions League, three victories – did you expect your team to be so strong in this “hammer group”?

Szmal: We didn’t expect to be number one of this group after three rounds, but we knew that if we played well consistently we’d have a chance to beat all opponents. Now we have the consistency that we lacked in previous years. We know how strong we can be and nowadays we play to those strengths.

ehfCL.com: So Löwen are reaching out to be number one after the Group Phase?

Szmal: Yes, of course. I really want to be part of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne – but we have so many really tough matches ahead. We have to focus on one match at a time. It’s a long way to Cologne – and the next stop is Kielce where we can cement our good position.

ehfCL.com: You’ve already signed a contract with Kielce starting in 2011. Does this fact have any impact on your match on Sunday?

Szmal: No, as at the moment, I’m a Lion, and so this fact doesn’t influence me. I’ll concentrate on my performance for my current team, as I want to win for them in Kielce.

ehfCL.com: Will some friends of yours attend the game?

Szmal: Yes, I hope I have the time to meet my friends from my home town of Opolski. I ordered 26 tickets for them, but many more will come, I’ve heard. Unfortunately, we’ll have very little time in Poland. Arrival, training session, preparation, match, departure - that’s all! However, I hope for a nice reception for our Polish players from the Kielce audience.

The VELUX EHF Men's Champions League Group A game KS Vive Targi Kielce (POL) VS. Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) on Sunday 17 October 2010 at 15:00 hrs (local time) is our „Match of the Week" and will be broadcasted live on our free of charge web stream on ehfTV.com, including English commentary by Tom O'Brannagain.