A perfect day to say farewell

No one took more silverware at the MVM EHF FINAL4 than her: As team captain of Buducnost Clara Woltering received the winners’ trophy of the EHF Champions League, her individual gold medal, and the trophy for Most Valuable Player of the event.

The trophies are perfect gifts for the last international club matches of the German-born goalkeeper, who will leave the Montenegrin side after four seasons to return to Germany.

“Clara is not only a perfect sportswoman, but a brilliant human being. Thank you, Clara, for the time we had with you,” was the farewell speech from Buducnost coach Dragan Adzic after his team won the MVM EHF FINAL4 trophy, beating Larvik 26:22 in the final.

Like in the successful semi-final against Vardar (27:17), Woltering saved 14 shots and was the outstanding star of her team on Sunday. 

The 32-year-old goalkeeper transferred from German club Bayer Leverkusen to Buducnost in 2011, winning her first EHF Champions League title in her first season with the Montenegrin side. 

On Sunday, after a clear record of 15 wins and one draw in 2014/15, Woltering’s dream of finishing the season unbeaten and becoming Champions League champion came true. 

It was the last international match for Woltering. She will return to Germany for next season to continue playing professional handball – but also to begin to take over her parents’ farm, which has 250 bulls and more than 40,000 chicken, as she is a degreed agricultural engineer.

ehfCL.com: Was this FINAL4 event the highlight of your career?

Clara Woltering: This was the greatest weekend of my life, incredible. There’s nothing more to reach or to say.

ehfCL.com: You seemed to be highly surprised when you were awarded MVP of the event.

Clara Woltering: More than surprised! We were waiting for the medal ceremony and cheering when I was asked to take the floor. I did not know what was going on, then I was called. 

I only thought: Me? Me? What is going on? I only had in mind that I will receive the Champions League trophy as the team captain of Buducnost, and somehow I also received the smaller MVP trophy. Incredible!

ehfCL.com: Will all those trophies and medals you received in Budapest get a special place at home?

Clara Woltering: My parents’ farm is big enough for all those trophies!

ehfCL.com: When you were celebrating the trophy on the podium with your teammates, did you at any second think of changing your decision and extending your contract with Buducnost?

Clara Woltering: No – this trophy was the perfect way to say thank you and farewell to my teammates and my club. There’s nothing more to reach. 

Buducnost will definitely qualify for many more FINAL4 events in the future as the team sticks together. But for me, this sensational part of my life and my career has come to an end. I won’t think about changing my decision.

ehfCL.com: How will the party continue?

Clara Woltering: Right after the final we fly to Podgorica. First we will rock the plane, then our city. 

ehfCL.com: If you compare the EHF Champions League titles you won in 2012 and 2015, which one was better?

Clara Woltering: Maybe it sounds crazy right in this moment of success, but the title in 2012 was more intense, as it was in Podgorica, with our fans, in our arena.

ehfCL.com: While you were winning the Champions League trophy on Sunday your former teammate in Leverkusen and the German national team, Sabine Englert, won the title in the Cup Winners’ Cup with her Danish club FC Midtjylland…

Clara Woltering: …and on Saturday we were in contact, just to back the other one with confidence. We agreed to celebrate two different trophies in two different countries. And we made it – what a brilliant day!