14.04.2008, 01:06
Dujshebaev: Kiel are the favourites

Talant Dujshebaev, coach of Ciudad Real, talks to Eurohandball.com after the semi-final in Hamburg.

Dujshebaev: Kiel are the favourites

It was a rollercoaster for him on Friday evening, but in the end Talant Dujshebaev was really happy with his team reaching the Champions League finals despite losing 26:32 in Hamburg. The result from the first match was enough to go through, accordingly a happy Dujshebaev talked to Eurohandball.com about his emotions and the chances in the final.

Eurohandball.com: It was very close. Just one HSV goal more and you would have been out of the competition. What’s your summary of the match?

Dujshebaev: I’m very proud of my great team that we are in the final again.

Eurohandball.com: When you went into the locker room after the match, you also shouted at Olafur Stefansson. What did you say to him?

Dujshebaev: He’s one of the most experienced players of our team, so I can’t understand what he did in the last ten seconds of the match. He missed his chance against Hamburg goalkeeper Johannes Bitter, then he fouled and received a red card. It means that he can’t help us in the first leg of the final. I was telling this to him and you have to understand that I don’t like such behaviour and I have to criticise this.

I don’t know if our injured player, Petar Metlicic, would be able to play in the final as I have to change the team because of this action of Olafur. He endangers our team with this.

Eurohandball.com: Why did your team have so many problems with HSV after winning the first match so clearly?

Dujshebaev:HSV were much better than in Ciudad Real. Their defence was stronger and we allowed them to score more easy goals. Also, our backcourt players did not play in their best form. We knew before that it would be a tough and close match because HSV were one of the best teams in the Champions League.

Eurohandball.com: Now your team will meet THW Kiel in the final. Isn’t it strange that these two outstanding teams never met in any European competition before?

Dujshebaev: Yes, certainly. We only met once in a bronze match of the Champions Trophy, but that was not a “real” match. We didn’t play against Hamburg before, and now we will have our first matches against Kiel. We have to be very concentrated accordingly.

Eurohandball.com: Which team are the favourites of the finals?

Dujshebaev: Kiel are the title holders of the Champions League, so they must be. I’m happy that the two teams will play the final as Kiel are the best team of the world for me. It will be very, very hard for our team to win against THW.

TEXT: Björn Pazen