29.05.2014, 09:24
The contestants have arrived

FEATURE: The VELUX EHF FINAL4 participants have settled into the official team hotel two nights out of the semi-finals

The contestants have arrived

FC Barcelona, MKB-MVM Veszprém, THW Kiel, SG Flensburg-Handewitt: This is the first ranking of the 2014 VELUX EHF FINAL4. Not on the court though, but in terms of arriving at the team hotel in Cologne.

Since Thursday night, 19:15 hrs local time all players, coaches and officials of the four participants have reached the final destination of this VELUX EHF Champions League season.

Clear winners in this "competition" of who arrives the first were EHF Champions League record winners FC Barcelona, who checked into the hotel already on Wednesday night after a two-hour flight from Barcelona to Düsseldorf.

"Everything is perfect. We already had our first training session and enjoyed a free afternoon on Thursday," said team captain Victor Tomas and added: "It is great to be back at Cologne and at this hotel."

Regarding Barcelona's chances Tomas remained humble: "I only dreamt a little bit of receiving the trophy on Sunday, but I am superstitious. So no real thoughts about it."

The first of "Thursday's arrivals" were MKB-MVM Veszprém. "Our bus trip from Veszprém to Vienna took longer than the flight to Cologne," said club director Csaba Hajnal. "We are expecting a thrilling weekend, entering new ground at our debut here," added right back Tamás Mocsai.

Goalkeeper Nándor Fazekas, who had been injured, gave the 'green light' for his appearance on court in Cologne: "I'm fit, not 100 per cent, but I'm there when I am needed. It feels great to be here."

Top star László Nagy, who played eleven years for FC Barcelona until 2012, was surrounded by Spanish media and TV when he entered the hotel lobby. The same happended to former Barca player and now Veszprém coach, Carlos Ortega.

The arrival of the last two participants, Kiel and Flensburg, nearly ended in a 'dead race' for the two northern German neighbours, as both teams flew with the same plane from Hamburg - but then they entered different busses to make it to the team hotel.

Flensburg arrived some minutes earlier - as they enjoyed the major advantage that they only had hand luggage with them because a team delegations had transferred the major luggage already by car.

Kiel had to carry much more from the bus to the hotel, and THW press officer Christian Robohm had the honour and burden to carry the zebra mascot costume to the hotel.

"No accidents or incidents during the flight," said SG goalkeeper Mattias Andersson. Both sides were separated in the plane, Kiel sitting in front, Flensburg in the back.

With one exception: Flensburg manager Dierk Schmäschke got his seat among Kiel delegation, sitting in the middle of Rasmus Lauge and Christian Sprenger.

"But I survived," said Schmäschke.

Check the pictures of the teams' arrivals and their hotel here

TEXT: Björn Pazen / ts