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02.06.2017, 04:55 FEATURE: More than 100 journalists raise their questions at the Media Call prior to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 |
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Favourites? Underdogs? Not in Cologne!Sweat was in the air already one day before the semi-finals of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 started. Friday was a hot and sunny day in Cologne, the hosting city, and thus a huge part of the media call prior to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 took place in the sun, in the courtyard and on the terrace of the team hotel Radisson BLU. More than 100 journalists from all over Europe including 30 TV stations had come to the media call to get the newest information on the hopes and dreams of the four participants. For each 30 minutes players of all four clubs gave their statements to the journalists. A huge number of Macedonian media had accompanied Vardar on their maiden voyage to Cologne – and the hopes of journalists and players are huge that Vardar can extend the number of surprise packages at the VELUX EHF FINAL4: “We are definitely not the favourites, but in the previous years, the favourites did not win the trophy. So we like this role,” said Vardar left back Joan Canellas.
Who is favourite, who is underdog? Those were the most often raised question to all players and coaches – and the answers were quite similar: “Only just because we are PSG, we are not the favourites,” said French World Champion Daniel Narcisse. His teammate Uwe Gensheimer (current top scorer of the competition with 106 goals and awarded best left wing) remains humble too: “All four teams deserve to be here. All four can make it to the podium. We have our chance and hopefully we are ready to grab it.” As Gensheimer is the only German player at the FINAL4, the German media interest on him was huge – so the number of journalists around him was nearly as big as for Nikola Karabatic, who like Gensheimer had to move from inside the hotel to outside to have enough space.
The only player, who definitely named his final prediction clearly, Veszprem’s goalkeeper Mirko Alilovic: “Paris and Barcelona are the favourites.” Before the start of the Media Day, EHF President Michael Wiederer and EHF Vice President Predrag Boskovic praised the FINAL4: “This is a top event, and it also proves the accessibility of top handball players to media and fans,” Wiederer said. “The FINAL4 is the best, Europe can offer in indoor sport,” Boskovic added. When the media call was over, most of the teams had their final training sessions – and then made it to the LANXESS arena, where all players and teams were presented at the Opening Party on Friday evening. TEXT: Björn Pazen / br |
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