"The biggest handball event of all"

On Friday they took part at the Charity Golf Event and from today (1 June) they are partly spectators and partly Swedish national team coaches; Staffan Olsson and Ola Lindgren have been world champions, European champions and three-time Olympic silver medallists in their playing career, and for the past three years they have been responsible for the Swedish men’s national team, who they also led to the Olympic silver medal at London 2012.

Both have visited the VELUX EHF FINAL4 several times whilst Olsson played for THW Kiel for seven years, including the EHF Champions League final in 2000 against FC Barcelona, which the “Zebras” lost.

ehfCL.com: What is your designated job in Cologne?

Olsson: I am here for the third time and this time it is a mixture of being spectator and being Swedish national team coach, as three of four participating team have Swedish national team players in their squads. So I will study them in regard of our upcoming EHF EURO 2014 qualification matches.

Lindgren: This is it. A lot of Swedish players are in Cologne, and if I would not be there national team coach I would use the opportunity to meet all those well-known faces from the world of handball, as Cologne is the Mecca of handball this weekend.

ehfCL.com: What is your bet for the VELUX EHF FINAL4?

Olsson: It looks like Kiel and Barcelona should make it to the final, but to be honest, it is really tough to give a bet on the semi-finals, as also Hamburg and Kielce have chances to proceed.

Lindgren: The chances that a Swedish player will be in the champion’s team are 75 percent, but also Kielce can go all the way. Like Staffan I recognise Kiel and Barcelona as the favourites, but as Hamburg know Kiel very well they do not have that big respect for them as others would have. And Kielce do not have anything to lose here. But finally Kiel vs. Barcelona would be the dream final everybody hopes for.

ehfCL.com: Would you have liked to be part of a VELUX EHF FINAL4 when you were a player?

Olsson: Of course, as it is the best event in the whole world of handball. It is a huge tournament, which is growing year by year with new features every year. We will see great games integrated in brilliant side events.

Lindgren: This is the only chance in the whole year to see four handball matches on absolute top level in two days.

ehfCL.com: Had you been surprised to see Kielce in Cologne?

Olsson: No, they have great players on every position and they definitely belong to the six to eight top teams in Europe which deserve to be part of the VELUX EHF FINAL4, like Veszprem for example. So we have four top competitors in Cologne, all four can go all the way.

ehfCL.com: But your heart is still beating for your former club THW Kiel?

Olsson: Yes, even though I did not play with any of the THW players, who are in the current squad. But seven years in Kiel are something very special for me. THW and the Ostseehalle are still part of my handball-heart.