VELUX EHF Champions League quarter-final draw - reactions

The matches are:

DEN AG Kobenhavn vs. ESP FC Barcelona Intersport
ESP Reale Ademar Leon vs. GER Füchse Berlin
CRO Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb vs. GER THW Kiel
SLO RK Cimos Koper vs. ESP BM Atletico Madrid

Ties will be two-legged and will take place on the 18-22 April and 25-29 April. 

Soren Colding, AG København:
“It is a dream come true for us to play against the (VELUX EHF Champions League) defending champions (FC Barcelona Intersport).

“You know, when you play for AG København you have to win every game and we want to qualify for the VELUX EHF FINAL4 so I am sorry to say that we are not going to see the defending champions there this year!”

Xavier O'Callaghan, Handball Manager, FC Barcelona Intersport:
“AG København are a good team and are having a very good season. It is not so easy playing your first season in the VELUX EHF Champions League and they have done it so well, so, for sure, they are a very top team and we will see what happens.

“Now it is a tradition for us that we always get the toughest opponents in the VELUX EHF Champions League AG København, for me, are the toughest team to get in this quarter-final draw, but this is sport and you have to play against all the other teams.

“Last season we were playing all the toughest opponents and we managed to get through to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 and win so we will try and do that again but we know it is going to be complicated, our aim is to try and do it, give our best and we will then see what happens.”

José C. Ludena Montenegro, Manager, Reale Ademar Leon:
“We were very lucky to qualify through to the quarter-finals as we were in a hard group. We arrived from a complicated position.

“We are, at this moment, at the very top level in European handball and for us it is one dream that is going very well.”

Stefan Güter, Office Manager, Füchse Berlin:
“To play in the quarter-finals of the VELUX EHF Champions League is the biggest success in the history of our club. All the best teams in Europe, or even the world, play in the quarter-finals.

“We know that all teams are very strong, so therefore we had no chance to get an easy opponent. Real Ademar Leon are a very strong team and qualified from a very strong group with Kiel, Montpellier and København with some very good results. In the Last 16 they beat Veszprem in two very close and spectacular matches.

“I expect two very close games and hope, that we can see another ‘Berlin Wonder’!”

Sabine Holdorf-Schust, General Manager, THW Kiel:
“I think it is a good draw which will provide good matches. We have played against each other four or five years ago and we saw some good matches then.

“Both teams have good players and they all want to reach the VELUX EHF FINAL4 so every team gives more than 100% and in the end I think you need a little bit of luck (to qualify).”

Ante Ančić, Head Manager, HC Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb:
“You need a lot of luck to win against Kiel, not only luck but experience and a good team, I hope we can fight against Kiel, they are probably the ‘worst’ opponents to get out of all the teams in the quarter-finals.

“When we came to Vienna for the draw today I said “anyone but Kiel”, so now we have them! I know that this will be a very good match, especially in Zagreb first and then in Kiel we will see. I think that we have our chance, not a big chance, but a small chance, and we will try and reach the VELUX EHF FINAL4.”

Aleš Koršič, General Manager, RK Cimos Koper:
“We did not expect to get so far (in the VELUX EHF Champions League), but I guess we played well in the first round and against Kielce we played very good in the first match and we took our chance in Koper.

“I am very glad and proud to be amongst the best top eight teams in Europe and I am proud to play against BM Atletico Madrid who will be tough opponents, like Kielce were.”

Luis Miguel López, General Manager, BM Atletico Madrid:
“Koper is the big surprise in the Last 16 because they beat Kielce. They play in the Slovenian ‘school of Handball’ style with different and very good players like (Milorad) Krivokapic.

“Now in the quarter-final there are eight best teams. All people at Atletico Madrid will say we are favourites to go through to the VELUX EHF FINAL4, but, as we always say we must play to get there and the team that are playing against Madrid are the very best.”

For more information about the VELUX EHF Champions League Quarter-Finals click HERE

To see a video of the draw, please click HERE.