14.10.2008, 02:05
Lazarov: Zagreb will reach the quarterfinals

The CO Zagreb star talks about the CL group phase, the team and about his own future.

Lazarov: Zagreb will reach the quarterfinals

Eurohandball talks to Kiril Lazarov, who was CL Top Scorer in 2006 and in 2008. The 28-year old FYR Macedonian is happy to play for Zagreb Croatia osiguranje and he expects great results this season.

Eurohandball: In first round your team played a draw against Lőwen. You played an excellent game again scoring the highest number of goals…

Kiril Lazarov: I expected this to happen. We were not completely focused. There has been great pressure on us from the beginning of the season. Many say that Zagreb has a handball “dream team”, we are the best and we will win CL this season… The draw we made at home was the result of all this. It’s good that something like this happened in the beginning of the season.

Eurohandball: How did you feel after scoring 11 goals taking only one point?

Kiril Lazarov: I was the first to run into the locker room after the match. It was an incredibly bitter feeling. Also Balic, Skof and Duvnjak were great, but we still did not get the two points. It is very strange but true.

Eurohandball: The next game of Zagreb will be in Szeged. Your team need to win to keep up with Lőwen.

Kiril Lazarov: I know exactly how well you must play to win in Szeged. The team that can win in Szeged will play the semi-finals for sure.

Eurohandball: How do you get along with Ivano Balic?

Kiril Lazarov: Everybody keeps asking me this question and I always smile. We all know who Ivano Balic is. It is easy to play with the best. It would be hard to play with somebody who is not good.

Eurohandball: What do you really expect from this CL season?

Kiril Lazarov: If we get away without injuries with a little bit of luck we will go through the first group phase and we will reach the quarterfinals. I say so, because we will improve with every match. I’m convinced that we will be equal in fight against the best teams of Europe.

Eurohandball: Favourites for winning the CL?

Kiril Lazarov: Kiel, Ciudad Real, Barcelona and Hamburg.

Eurohandball: How do you feel like in Zagreb? Are you thinking about your future? Is it possible that one day we will find you in Spain or in Germany?

Kiril Lazarov: Now I feel good in Zagreb and the team is also great, which is very important. We hope to achieve good results this season. My future depends on results, so you never know… I wish to play in the Bundesliga one day and my childhood dream was to play for Barcelona. We will see, but for now I’m happy here.

TEXT: Ivan Ambros