FC Midtjylland count on home crowd for main round success

Despite having already booked their ticket to the main round of the Women’s EHF Champions League, FC Midtjylland were no short of support from a passionate home crowd when Polish side MKS Lublin were sent home empty-handed following the Danish team’s 37:26 win in the Ikast-Brande Arena on Sunday

It is precisely this vibrant atmosphere what FC Midtjylland need in order to do well in the main round for which the groups will be drawn at the EHF Office on Tuesday.

"Our home court means everything to us. When our arena is full, it’s almost like having an extra player on the team" says FC Midtjylland head coach, Helle Thomsen.

Midtjylland’s way to the main round has been quite convincing, since the Danish national champions only lost one game, when Buducnost dealt them a rare defeat (22:15 in Round 4) in Montenegro.

However, FC Midtjylland won the rest of their games and secured the top spot in Group B.

The Danish team is excited to play in the EHF Champions League Main Round, but they know they will be challenged many a times when Tuesday’s draw will unveil their next opponents in the prestigious competition.

"It will be extremely hard no matter what. We have had a tough schedule up till now so at the moment we will just enjoy our current success.

Once we reach Tuesday, we can begin the preparations for the main round," says Thomsen.

FC Midtjylland still haven´t looked ahead to their upcoming Champions League clash as they focus on one game at a time.

"We always have to keep focusing on the next game. All eight teams in the main round are strong teams, but obviously Györi Audi ETO KC (the defending champions, ed.) have some great players and they are also one of the favourites for the Champions League title," says FC Midtjylland player, Laerke Möller, who is currently recovering from a knee surgery that is likely to sideline her until March or April.

The only time have FC Midtjylland have reached the EHF Champions League semi-final was in the 2002/03 season, when they lost to Krim Ljubljana, but judging from Sunday’s impressive performance and the heavy support from their fans, they could end up being one of the four remaining teams in the Women’s EHF Champions League.

"If we want to advance in the tournament we have to keep on fighting and show team spirit. I’m sure that Helle (Thomsen, head coach) has a plan in mind," says left back Stine Jörgensen.

On Tuesday, FC Midtjylland will find out whom they will face in the main round.

Then the fans can begin to warm up so that they are ready to deliver the atmosphere that the players from FC Midtjylland need in order to capture a great result.

This article was written as part of an EHF Young Reporter workshop in Aarhus ahead of the Men's EHF EURO 2014 in Denmark in January. For the first time the EHF will have a team of young reporters working at a EHF EURO event working alongside the EHF Media Team.