02.05.2012, 08:00
Former team-mates to meet in final

Budućnost’s Dragana Cvijić and Győri Audi ETO's Andrea Lekić talk about their preparations for the EHF Women’s Champions League Final.

Former team-mates to meet in final

Dragana Cvijić and Andrea Lekić are good friends and also perform together for the Serbian National Team. Last season, both played for Krim Ljubljana, but at the season's end they moved to different clubs in an attempt to realise their dream: winning the EHF Women´s Champions League.

Which of the two players will be wearing a smile after the return tie? In this interview, Cvijić and Lekić talk to ehfCL.com about their friendship, the moves to Podgorica and Győr, and each side's chances in the great final.

ehfCL.com: Have you dreamt about playing in the final all season, especially in the first season at your new club?

Dragana Cvijić: Of course. From the very beginning we were preparing ourselves to get to the final. I'm very glad that we managed to do so, and now it’s the last and most important target of our season.

Andrea Lekić: Sincerely yes. I chose this club because we share the same ambition. My dream is to win the title and from this point of view I can say that it’s a fantastic first year, and it can still be much better!

ehfCL.com: What was the toughest part in achieving this success so far?

Dragana Cvijić: We’ve enjoyed so much all of this. I think that neither myself nor my teammates had one difficult moment this season. This has been my most beautiful season since I started playing handball.

Andrea Lekić: It was surely the semi-final. I’ve never felt such pressure. It’s the thing that shows what you are made of. It was a fantastic day and we showed that we can handle the pressure.

ehfCL.com: How would you rate your opponent, what are their strengths and possible weaknesses?

Dragana Cvijić: It’s a quality opponent. They have no weaknesses, which is why they’re on top. We must prepare very well for them, because we expect two tight matches.

Andrea Lekić: Budućnost is the team that showed the best performance in the EHF Women`s Champions League so far in the season. The strong defence is their main key to success. Every team has weaknesses, though. Now is the time to discover theirs!

ehfCL.com: How is your side shaping up before first leg?

Dragana Cvijić: Our form is good at the moment, and we are where we want to be. You could see this from the games we played.

Andrea Lekić: We have given good performances in the Hungarian Cup matches and we are feeling very confident.

ehfCL.com: Is it an advantage to start the final away/at home?

Dragana Cvijić: There is little advantage in that. I think both teams have shown that it doesn’t matter where the first game is played, because in front of us we have just the one goal.

Andrea Lekić: I cannot say whether this is an advantage or not. In my opinion, we shouldn’t pay any attention to this because if you want to win you especially have to show your strength on the guest court.

ehfCL.com: Your club has never won this trophy, and you are playing in your first final. Do you feel pressure because of that?

Dragana Cvijić: There is no pressure, so we won’t be burdened with it. We will tackle these games like any other. We have great support from people at the club and our fans. We believe in what we do and there is no pressure after reaching the final.

Andrea Lekić: We feel happiness because we are part of the final. I heard that someone said, "you don't play the final, you win it." There’s some pressure before the match but we just wait for the first whistle and at that moment you forget that type of pressure.

ehfCL.com: You will meet your former team mate Lekić / Cvijic in the final. Have you talked to each other lately?

Dragana Cvijić: We are both happy to be playing in the final. At this point the most important thing for us is to be healthy and to enjoy the game. I'm glad I will have my friend on the other side of the court, with the same desires as me.

Andrea Lekić: We both went from Krim to different clubs and we will meet in the final. Yes, we’ve talked to each other and of course it’s a funny sort of conversation because of the situation.

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TEXT: Márk Hegedüs / Saša Jončić