THW Kiel are ready for the double-triple

Alfred Gislason

"This year we could repeat last year's success and make it a double-treble so to speak. We have a very deep roster and were able to make use of it probably better than most of the other teams. We also did a lot of preparation in summer prior to the season. On the other hand we have to play the second semi-final which, for a possible final, would mean three hours less of regeneration.

As a team from Bundesliga we are used to have a lot of close matches during the regular championship unlike maybe Barcelona who win many games rather easily against league opponents from the lower half of the Spanish league table.

There is no such thing as "winner's genes". It all comes down to hard work and attitude.

It is nice to hear that everybody call us “favourite” but here are four top teams!

The players, who leave us, are extremely motivated to win the next cup with us!”

Marcus Ahlm

"I had no favourite opponent among the three other teams. At the end you cannot influence it and therefore it makes no sense to speculate about it.

This is my last appearance for THW Kiel, but I still do not feel it. After having had important matches in the Bundesliga and the national cup you are still caught up into the regular routine towards the end of another handball year that you do not really have the time to reflect on the end of a career."

Filip Jicha

“The match tomorrow won’t be Jicha against Duvnjak. It has to be all players in the squad as it has been during the season. But yes, if I were a coach at the moment and would need a player on that position, I would get Duvnjak.

It’s an international match with the event around and not a German duel. And it will be exciting even for the fans. Last year it was very close in the match against Füchse Berlin and we had to fight for every goal. But yes we want to be in the final.

It makes me sad to see all the preparations for my team mates leaving. I spent six years with them; some of them were close friends or even my
neighbours so it touches me as a friend not as a player.

It’s a great honour to be part of the all-star team. I was very happy when I received the mail and it’s a big honour to play in the Champions League
at all. But in the end it doesn’t matter for the match.”

Thierry Omeyer

“The atmosphere in this arena is indescribable.

We will give our best in order to win the VELUX EHF FINAL 4 again.

We have to play handball on a very high level.”

Daniel Narcisse

"It's incredible to be here again. I feel blessed having the opportunity to win this title one more time. But we don't think about it right now, we have to beat Hamburg first. We know each other quite well and even if we beat them during the championship, we don't have any psychological advantage as we are playing in Cologne.

We are highly motivated to get the title as there will be a big transition in the team after this season."

Dominik Klein

“We are proud to be here as the first defending champion - so we could end this myth.

There are just 60 minutes where we have to give all we have.”

Marco Vujin

It is my first time to be in Cologne and I really have a huge anticipation. Five years we tried with MKB Veszprem to reach the VELUX EHF FINAL4 and we failed highly close for five times. Now I am here with Kiel and I really hope to win this trophy. The event is a really big thing for me. I just became German champion and German cup winner for the first time, now we have the chance to win the biggest of all trophies. We hope for a major support as thousands of THW fans will be in the LANXESS arena. Hamburg have two world class players on every position, so the semi-final is anything but easy though we had beaten them twice in the German league. Besides, this tournament proofs the strength of the Ex-Yugoslavian handball school: 14 players coming from Ex-Yugo are here, and we really have a good relationship, no matter if we come from Serbia, Croatia or Slovenia.

Klaus Elwardt (manager THW Kiel)

We do not have the pressure to win this trophy, but we are eager to win it. Last season we won the triple, so it is already a great thing to be here again, as we ended the curse that the defending champions did not make it to Cologne before. One said after the previous season that our players are tired of winning and full of titles was wrong, they are hungry for more. Little things will decide all four matches in Cologne. And their playing system brings highest tension; everything will be decided in 60 minutes, no chance to turn everything around in a re-match. You can play fantastic for 60 minutes but concede the decisive goal with the final whistle to be eliminated. HSV and THW are well prepared for the semi-final, both teams know well, and both matches in this season were highly close. The tension is rising; the players and even our experienced coach get nervous.