 Draw statements from the clubs - part 2
Comments from all 16 club representatives following the draw of the last 16 for the VELUX EHF Champions League.
The draw was conducted in Vienna on 26 February at 12.30 hrs (local time).
The second four pairings are as follows:
Chekhovskie Medvedi against THW Kiel
Alexander Safonov (Chekhovskie Medvedi):
“If we want to win the Champions League, then we have to beat the defending champions. Kiel are a team that have superstars in all positions. I just hope that our coach and the players find the right arguments against these stars.”
Sabine Holdorf-Schust (THW Kiel):
“All opponents in the last 16 are difficult. And Medvedi is a strong that is very similar to the Russian national team, but I still hope that we will win this encounter.”
“Both matches will be very important, but it will be vital to also win in Moscow. However, backed by our spectators in the hall at home we might have it a bit easier.”
HC Dinamo Minsk against HC Metalurg
Maxim Koshkalda (Dinamo Minsk)
“It’s not the stars that make our team, but it’s all the players, the coaches, and the entire staff. And we have great players that want to go even further.”
“All teams that we could have potentially met are great. There is not one team that is better than the others or one that is worse. We would have liked to play all three of them but, unfortunately, the draw only allows us to play against one of them.”
Zoran Cvetanowski (HC Metalurg)
“It will again be handball holiday in Skopje. We have great respect for Minsk. They are team we know well as played against them in our summer tournament.”
“We are again expecting tough matches and I think both teams have a 50 per cent chance. It will be a very difficult match for us.”
BM Atletico Madrid against Füchse Berlin
Luis Miguel Lopez (BM Athletico Madrid)
“Of course, we would like to play in the FINAL4 again, but first of all we have to beat Füchse. We know each other very well as we have played against each other several times.
“We beat Füchse last season in the group phase and I think we can repeat this. Generally, I think there is a 50 per cent chance for each team. We had some problems but I hope that all players will be fit on match day.”
Stefan Güter (Füchse Berlin):
“Madrid are the favourites. We played against them twice last season and they beat us on both occasions, but perhaps we have a chance this time, so I hope that we can beat them.
“There are no easy opponents left, all other 15 teams are very attractive to play against.”
Gorenje Velenje against SG Flensburg-Handewitt
Tomaz Jursic (Gorenje Velenje)
“We all know what it is that makes German teams strong in Europe, so we are not satisfied with the draw. But that’s the way it it.
“So we will put up a good fight in front of a packed hall.”
Dierk Schmäschke (SG Flensburg-Handewitt)
“We know that Gorenje Velenje is a very hard team to play and we have great respect for them. They are not easy to play, so it won’t be easy to win. But we want to go to the quarter-finals.”
TEXT: EHF / ts
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