Countdown part 18: MKB Veszprém KC
After being eliminated five consecutive times by Spanish sides, now the Hungarian champions are counting on Spanish reinforcements.
The language is Spanish at Lake Balaton: After finding a successor for coach Lajos Mocsai in Spain, four players from the Liga Asobal followed former Barcelona legend Antonio Carlos Ortega: László Nagy, Marco Oneto, Cristian Ugalde (all Barcelona) and Chema Rodriguez (Atlético Madrid) joined the Hungarian record champion. The ambitions in Veszprém are high, even though their top scorer Marco Vujin transferred to Kiel.
After being eliminated five straight times by Spanish teams in the last five years - either in the Last 16 or in the quarter-finals - they are hoping to make it to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 and hopes are boosted by the spectacular transfer of Nagy (pictured right in his former uniform), who was bought out of his contract in Barcelona. Another interesting transfer was the signature of Iranian Iman Jamali, one of the biggest Asian talents.
It is the clear goal of Veszprém to achieve better results in this year's VELUX EHF Champions League than the results over the previous two years and they also are hoping to win all possible titles on domestic ground.
For club manager Csaba Hajnal the international results need to be improved: “We were not satisfied with the past two seasons. In the VELUX EHF Champions League we would like to make it at least to the quarter-finals.”
Their most experienced player Carlos Pérez shares this opinion: “On a club level the most important competition is the Champions League. We would like to go as far as possible.” But at the start of the season Veszprém will have to cope with some injury problems including their playmaker Gábor Császár, who broke his foot at the Olympics.
Three questions to coach Carlos Antonio Ortega:
ehfCL.com: What are your expectations for the upcoming season of the VELUX EHF Champions?
Carlos Antonio Ortega: "We are playing in a very strong group. We’ll play against the best teams in the world. It’ll be great for our fans in Veszprém. In my opinion this season’s VELUX EHF Champions League is the highest level of handball this competition has ever seen."
ehfCL.com: What does the participation in the VELUX EHF Champions League mean to you and your club?
Carlos Antonio Ortega: "Our team can play in front of a full house, with several thousand spectators. We are expecting very exciting matches."
ehfCL.com: What teams are your personal favourites to reach the VELUX EHF FINAL4?
Carlos Antonio Ortega: "Our favourites are THW Kiel and FC Barcelona. The winner of VELUX EHF FINAL4 will be either one of those teams."
MKB Veszprém KC (HUN)
Qualification for the 2012/2013 VELUX EHF Champions League season: Hungarian Champion
Coach: Carlos Antonio Ortega Perez (head coach) and Javier Sabate Caviedes (assistant coach), since 1 July 2012, former coach: Lajos Mocsai (2007-2012), now only Hungarian national team coach
Newcomers: László Nagy (FC Barcelona), Iman Jamali Moorchegani (Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan Sport Club/Iran), José Maria Rodriguez Vaquero (BM Atlético Madrid), Marco Antonio Oneto Zuniga, Cristian Ugalde Garcia (FC Barcelona)
Left the club: David Koražija (destination unknown), Marko Vujin (THW Kiel), Szilveszter Liszkai (Bacau/Romania), Tomáš Urban (Tatabánya-Carbonex KC)
VELUX EHF Champions League records:
Participations (including 2012/2013 season): 18
Final (1): 2001/2002
Semi-final (2): 2002/2003, 2005/2006
Quarter-final (8): 1997/1998, 1998/1999, 1999/2000, 2003/2004, 2004/2005, 2006/2007, 2008/2009, 2009/2010
Last 16 (2): 1993/1994, 2010/2011, 2011/2012
Group Phase (3): 1994/1995, 1995/1996, 2007/2008
Other EC records:
Cup Winners Cup:
Winner: 2007/2008
Final: 1996/1997
Hungarian champion: 1984/85, 1985/86, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12
Hungarian Cup winner: 1983/84, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/2010, 2010/11, 2011/12
Further information
Find more information about MKB Veszprém KC HERE
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TEXT: Björn Pazen / bc
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