Knudsen and Toft Hansen: Danish dynamite on the line

Denmark is one of the leading handball nations in the world, so it is no surprise that some of Denmark’s finest line players have found their way to Europe’s top clubs.

SG Flensburg- Handewitt has been the home of 35-year-old Michael Knudsen since 2005. HSV Hamburg decided during the summer to sign 26-year-old Henrik Toft Hansen as a long term solution for the departure of Igor Vori.

Both players spoke to ehfCL.com ahead of Thursday’s VELUX EHF Champions League clash, the third successive meeting between the sides.

ehfCL.com: There were very contrasting results in the first two meetings between the sides. First Flensburg won 31:29 in the Bundesliga, then on Saturday HSV had their revenge in the VELUX EHF Champions League with a 32:27 win. How do you explain these different results?

Michael Knudsen: In the first game everything worked the way we imagined it. As always against HSV there were many small battles that we performed very well in. On Saturday, we have tried a lot of different line-ups, which was very important for the future development.

Henrik Toft Hansen: On Saturday, we were much better in defence than before. In the final minutes there were a few problems, but before this period we were much better.

ehfCL.com: What impact do these results have on Thursday’s game, when both teams meet again in Flensburg?

Henrik Toft Hansen: It is always very different when you have to play three games against the same opponent within eleven days. If we win now in Flensburg, we have a big chance to win the group. We never want to lose - and certainly not in Flensburg.

Michael Knudsen: That will be a very hard fight again. We saw in the Bundesliga match that we have a good chance if we are consistent in defence and give them very little room to attack. A victory would now be very important to secure second place in Group D.

ehfCL.com: Have you ever played together in the national team?

Michael Knudsen: I can’t remember. Henrik Toft Hansen was always there when I couldn’t play in the national team because of injuries.

Henrik Toft Hansen: I must correct this (laughs). We played together once, but not in a major tournament.

ehfCL.com: Henrik, is Michael Knudsen like an icon for the younger Danish line players?

Henrik Toft Hansen: Yes, for me he was always an icon when I was young. I have seen many games with him, the national team and on television with Flensburg.

ehfCL.com: What do you think about the potential of Henrik Toft Hansen, Michael?

Michael Knudsen: He has a good disposition as line player. He can still learn a lot in defence and he is in the right place for this in the powerful Bundesliga.

ehfCL.com: In January, the EHF EURO will be celebrated in Denmark. Is there already a sense of excitement in your country?

Michael Knudsen: The steadily increasing. It is the first major men's tournament in Denmark since the World Championship 1978. With all of the fans buying tickets, there is even more pressure to succeed. We are defending champions and the Danes will expect the cup.

Henrik Toft Hansen: Every time I am home in Denmark, there is coverage on Danish TV. When the World Championship took place in Sweden in 2011, it was an absolute handball-crazy month; I expect the same to happen in Denmark.