09.03.2011, 11:19
Martín: "My mature team"

Itxako's coach Ambros Martín is happy and proud to see his team improve the game play.

Martín: "My mature team"

Itxako Reyna de Navarra’s victory against Oltchim Vâlcea in Romania was a historic moment for the club from Estella.

The Spanish team is only a stone’s throw away from qualifying among the four best teams of the EHF Women’s Champions League, but still coach Ambros Martín is not euphoric.

In order to reach that new objective they need to gain two points in their last two matches – at home against Krim and against Budućnost in Montenegro.

But coach Martín keeps calm and gives out the motto: “Step by step”

ehfCL.com: Your team is leading Group 1 and all you need to qualify is a victory. Can your fans start dreaming about it?

Ambros Martín: We strictly only think about the next game and refuse to look at the group table. All we focus on is to give our best in the next match, there is nothing more. Step by step. By acting like that we landed in the position that we are in now, and we are not thinking about changing it.

ehfCL.com: How do you see Itxako’s chances to collect two points in two matches?

Ambros Martín: Indeed we are in a fine position, but still all of the teams in the group could make it. So nothing is really decided yet. We will have to win a game, and it is our plan to try that on Saturday against Krim. This phase of the season now is very important for us, both in the Spanish league as in the EHF Women’s Champions League. Everything we achieved so far was very good, but we must maintain that level to achieve more success.

ehfCL.com: How do you look back on your team’s performance in Romania?

Ambros Martín: We prepared very specifically for that game but is always complicated to take these ideas to the court. But we managed to do that, our team played a fantastic game against very good opponents, in a very difficult away game.

ehfCL.com: How is the atmosphere in the team, are the players euphoric?

Ambros Martín: We did celebrate the victory, of course. Everybody was very happy because we had a very complicated triumph in an interesting way. So we had a good time together because we beat a great team, but it is not time to celebrate more. Now we have to think of nothing but the next game because we have nothing yet.

ehfCL.com: What is the status of your injured players Nerea Peña and Raphaëlle Tervel?

Ambros Martín: Raph has not recovered yet. She still has problems with her twisted ankle and can not run. We try to prepare her comeback for the end of next week. Nerea already played in Romania and she is ready for playing.

ehfCL.com: In the decisive moments of the game your team seems to be performing on highest level. What is the reason for that?

Ambros Martín: We are acting as a mature team. This team has learned from their mistakes in the past. Last season we could not win in Romania in a similar match, but now we are able to do that. The team is able to learn positive lessons from defeats. This mature ability proves very useful in these kinds of games.

The match between the Spanish leaders in Main Round Group 1 and the current bottom placed team from Ljubljana will be broadcast as a free-of-charge live web stream on ehfTV.com.

EHF Women’s Champions League, Main Round, Round 5
Saturday 12 March 2011, 19:00 hrs (local time)
Itxako Reyno De Navarra (ESP) vs. RK Krim Mercator (SLO)

ehfTV.com is the official Internet TV platform of the European Handball Federation and offers free live streaming as well as a video on demand service.

TEXT: Fernando Urra Goñi