Unhappy 2017/18 finalists make for quality post-game quotes

The VELUX EHF Champions League was back in full swing this weekend, and it brought a lot of happy faces with it – but some sad ones too, while you could even notice some anger in the words of a few players and coaches. Last season’s finalists, HBC Nantes and Montpellier HB, lost on their home courts, and the players were naturally not happy about it.

From the heat of the mixed zone and the cold of the press conference room, we gathered the five best quotes of the weekend.

5. Talant Dujshebaev, PGE Vive Kielce

Arpad Sterbik put on a show in the Match of the Week, giving Veszprém the opportunity to take their first two points of the season (29:27). After witnessing such an impressive performance, Kielce coach Talant Dujshebaev had nothing but great words of praise for the keeper:

“I am very proud of my team because we did everything to win this match. Today Arpad Sterbik was the best keeper of the world as always. He made the biggest difference of this game.”

4. Vladimir Maximov, Chekhovskie Medvedi

The start of the competition was tough for Chekhovskie Medvedi. Defeated by 11 goals by Bjerringbro-Silkeborg, the team led by coach Vladimir Maximov did not have a chance. The coach was clearly impressed by the quality of the opposition:

“I know your players very well because they are very famous, from big clubs and the Danish national team. I think you will have many victories in our group. I told my players what to do, but in the game, you are even better than in video.”

3. Juan Carlos Pastor, MOL-Pick Szeged

After they reached the quarter-finals of the competition last season, MOL-Pick Szeged look set to go through hard times if they do not play better than they did on Sunday night in Zagreb. Sure, they came away with a narrow win (24:23), but coach Juan Carlos Pastor rang the alarm bell in the press conference:

“Hard match for us to start the EHF Champions League. Good thing is of course that we, in the end, managed to reach two points, because we opened the match poorly against a highly-motivated host out here today. It is, however, clear we’ll have to play better in matches to come because Zagreb really weren’t far from surprising us today.”

2. Vincent Gerard, Montpellier HB

You can win the Champions League in one season then start with a surprise in the new. That’s what happened to Montpellier, and goalkeeper Vincent Gerard was not exactly delighted by the scenario, which saw the defending champions defeated by HC Vardar.

“They literally stepped on us and their win was deserved. We really need to find the reasons why we lacked intensity so much or we won't get much further. Tonight, I saw a lost defence and an attack without many solutions. It seems like we had forgotten how much intensity we had to put into a Champions League game.”

1. Thierry Anti, HBC Nantes

Last season’s finalists, Nantes, suffered a loss at home against Flensburg. The result in itself would not have been that bad, but coach Thierry Anti was not too happy with his players’ performances:

“I mean, at some point, we take a fast-break goal after one of our players misses a seven metre throw. How do you concede such a goal? Apart from if you’re waving to grandad or grandma in the stands, or your girlfriend or the new green seats in the arena, that is.”