Green: ”We have represented Denmark well”

As the last Scandinavian team, Bjerringbro-Silkeborg are out of the VELUX EHF Champions League. However, the 58:50 defeat on aggregate to FC Barcelona Intersport in the round of Last 16 was nothing more, than the only Danish team in the tournament this season had expected. The 26:24 defeat in Palau Blaugrana in the second leg was even considered more than acceptable.

For last year´s runners-up in the Danish championship, advancing from the group phase was an success in itself, but still the player would have liked a bit more, as goalkeeper Jannick Green reveals in this interview.

The 24-year-old Danish national team keeper has been one of BSV´s key players throughout their campaign in the European top flight and also in the national league, where the club finished second in the main round again this year.

ehfCL.com: What is your impression on yours and your team-mates performance in the VELUX EHF Champions League this season?

Jannick Green: I think it has been satisfactory. You could always discuss if we should have got a third place in our group instead of the fourth place we got. We might have been able to get a couple of points more there, and I also think we could have done a little better against Barcelona but in general I think we did okay.

ehfCL.com: So you think you have represented Danish handball well?

Jannick Green: Yes, getting on from the group was our major object, but as I said, we might have been able to do better at some points. For instance it was a disappointment that we were unable to close our home match against Skopje.

We should not have lost that one. It was also disappointing that we were run over in our away matches against Skopje and Velenje – and then, as I said, I think we could have done better against Barcelona.

We fell out of the game for too large periods in the first match, and that meant that our defeat in that match became so big (26:32) that the second match was reduced to a game which should just be over and done with. Winning by seven in Barcelona was never realistic.

ehfCL.com: What have you learned from this campaign in the premier continental club competition?

Jannick Green: We have learned how much physical strength means at this level, and I also think that we have improved in that area. Our opponents have not been able to blow us off the court from the start anymore. Furthermore, I think our fast breaks have been functioning better, but we still have to be better to avoid those periods of typically five minutes, where we fall out of the game, as you cannot afford that in those matches.

ehfCL.com: I suppose this adventure has worked up an appetite in you for another one next season?

Jannick Green: Yes, of course, and we are going to do all we can to qualify again. Next season we may raise our ambitions and maybe go for a third place in our group. However, that depends a lot on the draw. We will have to avoid a group like the one we got into last year, where we did not get a single point.

ehfCL.com: Denmark have two places in the group phase again next season. Kolding have taken one of them already by winning the league. Can you take the other one, do you think?

Jannick Green: Yes, I do. Now we focus completely on the upcoming play-offs for the Danish championship. We simply have to reach the final again, that is our great objective now. We want to be back in the Champions League where the fun and excitement is.