17.04.2015, 11:30
Two world class goalkeepers collide

FACE TO FACE: Thierry Omeyer is surprised how fast Roland Mikler improved while the Hungarian goalkeeper thinks his French counterpart is a lethal weapon

Two world class goalkeepers collide

It is beyond doubt that Thierry Omeyer and Roland Mikler are among the finest goalkeepers in handball at the moment and as the second leg of their VELUX EHF Champions League Quarter-final duel approaches, the PSG and Veszprem shot stoppers share what they think of each other.

A great match in Paris

It was a close shave for Paris Saint-Germain Handball, but Luc Abalo’s last second equaliser meant they will travel to Veszprém with their dreams alive and kicking. Both goalkeepers had a good game in Paris with Mikler unstoppable in the first 40 minutes while Omeyer spared his wonders until crunch time.

“Mikler was a decisive factor in the first leg against us, he really did a great job. But actually, he's been performing at the same level all season. To me he's in the top five goalkeepers of the Champions League. He's still got room to progress, but he knows how to be good in the moments that count,” Omeyer told ehfCL.com.

However, the Hungarian goalkeeper was not 100% satisfied with his performance. “I would have really needed one or two more saves in the last couple of minutes but the final minutes belonged to the French and most notably Titi, who made some crucial saves to keep his team in the tie.”

Memories from the EHF Cup final

The two locked horns a year ago in Berlin, where Mikler’s Szeged won the EHF Cup final against Omeyer’s Montpellier.

“I remember playing against him and Szeged last season in the EHF Cup final, and he had been a key factor in their success,” said Omeyer recalling his former team’s 29:28 defeat.

Mikler did not want to hide the fact that he was embarrassed when he saw the great Thierry Omeyer warming up at the other end of the court before the final.

“I was just a junior goalkeeper when Titi already fought for world’s biggest trophies – and won all of them. He is a legend of handball and the fact that we could beat them in the final was a huge achievement for us and meant a lot for me personally.

Rise to the top

Omeyer claims he was surprised to see how fast Mikler is improving and hails the mentality of his Hungarian counterpart. "Roland had the potential to become what he's becoming right now, but I couldn't see it happening so quickly. For him to arrive in Veszprem, a FINAL4 contender, and to become the number one and to be so consistent in his performances throughout the season shows how strong he is mentally.”

“There is not much I can say about Omeyer that you don’t already know if you follow handball. His reputation, his records, his enormous amount of silverware from both club and international competitions speak volumes of his brilliance,” said Mikler in response, who believes Omeyer is one of the reasons why Veszprém cannot afford to sit back after their draw in Paris.

Yet another crucial clash

Omeyer believes the first leg draw is something they can build on but also cleans the slate before their visit to Veszprém.

"The draw in the first leg is not bad for us in the way that we won't have to think about anything come Sunday. We win and we make it to Cologne, we lose and we don't. No calculation, no tricks, we'll have to put our feet to the floor from minute number one. But we know that the Veszprem Arena is one of the toughest places to play in Europe.”

The Hungarian goalkeeper sees PSG as a wounded beast. “With so many world class talents at their disposal PSG are far from done. Above all there is Thierry Omeyer, who can singlehandedly decide any handball game, if he feels the vibe. I have always considered him as one of the best when it comes to game-winning saves.”

“But I believe we can finish the job in front of our great fans, who can make the legs of even the world’s best players shake,” concluded Mikler.

TEXT: Bence Martha, Kevin Domas / cor