Nycke Groot: "Nothing is impossible!"
Gifted Nycke Groot is one of the two Dutch internationals in the squad of FC Midtjylland. The 23-year-old middle back moved in the summer from Holstebro to Ikast to play for the Danish champions.
With the recent injury to first choice playmaker Lærke Møller, Groot will have more responsibility in the Main Round opening game on Friday against title holder Larvik. The centre-back talked to ehfCL.com about Møller´s injury, her side´s chances in the Main Round group, and Denmark´s success at the Men´s EHF EURO in Serbia.
ehfCL.com: The EHF Champions League is about to re-start on Friday. How do you feel about the current shape of your team? Are there any injury problems?
Nycke Groot: In some matches we have played very well and in some matches not so good, so we still haven't found a very stable situation. But we have proved in the first half of the EHF Champions League that we can beat a better team.
Unfortunately our playmaker Lærke Møller was injured in a match about 10 days ago, so she won't be participating against Larvik.
ehfCL.com: With Győr having possibly the strongest squad and the duo of last year´s finalists Larvik and Itxako, your group seems to be the toughest one. What chances do you have of competing against such quality teams and what are your club´s aims for the Main Round?
Nycke Groot: Yes, it´s a very strong group. But the thing I like about handball is that nothing is impossible and if all the puzzle pieces fall into place, you can beat any team. Still, we know it’s going to be tough. We just need to push ourselves 100% in every match and then we'll see how far it will lead us.
ehfCL.com: Your first match will be at home tomorrow against Larvik, which features several players who won the World Championship in Brazil. Are you ready to go on court against the title holders? What are their strengths and possible weaknesses?
Nycke Groot: Of course we are ready to play against them. Honestly Larvik don't have many weaknesses. They have great players at every position and a very good fast break and second phase.
If we manage to stop that, they might have some problems with scoring goals from a distance. They also change some players in their defence, so we need to pressure them, so they don't manage to make the change.
ehfCL.com: Talking about yourself, how was your transfer from TVIS to FCM, are you settled well in Ikast and feel comfortable to play in the strongest competition, the EHF Champions League?
Nycke Groot: I'm still very happy that I made this move within Denmark. We had a great season last year with TTH, but I knew I needed a new challenge to push myself to the next step and to be a better and more complete player.
It's so great to play in the EHF Champions League and I’ll enjoy every second of it. It's a great experience to play against the best players of the world and I hope one day I'll be on their level.
ehfCL.com: Denmark´s men team has recently won the EHF EURO in Serbia. Do you think this will give a big boost for handball in the country?
Nycke Groot: It's a great achievement by the men and it will of course give handball in general a boost, but I don't know if it will affect us women so much. They showed that with a little bit of luck and a lot of willpower you can go very far.
TEXT: Márk Hegedüs
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