Pungartnik hoping for more surprises

RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko is one of the most traditional clubs in the VELUX EHF Champions League. The current runners-up from Slovenia will enter the competition for the 19th time in the 21st Champions League season.

Over the last few years Celje have had to change their team, but the transition was highly successful.

In the 2012/13 season the team of coach Vladan Matic first defeated THW Kiel in the Group Phase and then even managed to win away to eventual VELUX EHF FINAL4 winner HSV Hamburg in the Last 16.

Now Celje want to cause even more surprises this season, says manager Roman Pungartnik.

He was part of the 2004 EHF EURO silver medallists from Slovenia and played for several German clubs including Hamburg and Kiel. Pungartnik has been part of the Celje management for the last two years and his objectives for the next season are high, as he mentions in this interview with ehfCL.com.

ehfCL.com: The Group Phase of the next VELUX EHF Champions League season will bring a huge number of well-known faces to your fortress, the Dvorana Zlatorog. Are you happy with the draw?

Roman Pungartnik: This is absolutely correct, we really liked the draw. We fought so many brilliant and tense battles with our neighbouring clubs MKB Veszprem and especially RK Zagreb that we are really looking forward to facing them both in the Group Phase.

Additionally, we are eager to play against Rhein Neckar Löwen – and we like that they are back in this competition.

ehfCL.com: Do you see a chance to continue with the surprising results like your victory against Kiel in the last season?

Roman Pungartnik: Of course, we hope for it. But if you want to beat Veszprém or Löwen you need to have a perfect day, everything must fit 100 per cent like it was against Kiel.

But we are sure that we can provide our fantastic fans with some great matches at home and I also know that they will accompany us to Veszprém and Zagreb. In all those matches everyone can expect a brilliant and very special atmosphere in the arenas.

ehfCL.com: What are the main objectives for RK Celje next season?

Roman Pungartnik: Again we want to reach the Last 16 of the Champions League. Therefore we must beat St. Petersburg and the qualifier in our group.

I expect tough and close matches with Zagreb for the third place in this group. At domestic level we want to become Slovenian champions again. We are record champions but in the last two years Gorenje Velenje were ahead of us – so we hope to turn the tables this season.

ehfCL.com: What makes you so optimistic?

Roman Pungartnik: Mainly the composition of the squad. While Velenje lost some key players, we only lost Borut Mačkovšek to Germany, so we nearly play with the same team as last season.

All of our young players gained one more year of experience, but in the end you also need to be lucky to reach your goals. First of all we hope that we can start the season without any major injuries.

ehfCL.com: Is your squad already completed?

Roman Pungartnik: Almost yes, but we are still keeping our ears and eyes open. If there is a chance to get a top newcomer and it suits our budget, then of course we will try to make another transfer, but we are already no weaker than last season.

Photo credit: Slavko Kolar / RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko