04.12.2018, 12:40
Veronica Kristiansen dreaming of a treble

CL STARS AT THE EURO: Winning the European championship with Norway, then the Women’s EHF Champions League and the Hungarian championship with Györi Audi ETO KC would just make Veronica Kristiansen’s season perfect.

Veronica Kristiansen dreaming of a treble

Courtesy of their 31:17 win over the Czech Republic the defending EHF EURO champions from Norway secured a berth in the main round and despite their opening defeat to Germany they are back on the track to claim the eighth continental title.

The team of Thorir Hergeirsson is traditionally bolstered by plethora of players from the Women’s EHF Champions League clubs and one of them is Veronica Kristiansen from Györi Audi ETO KC.

At the EHF EURO 2018 in France the left back has so far scored seven goals and raked up six assists.

Read more about the EHF EURO 2018 on the tournament's hompage www.ehf-euro.com

No new experience being abroad

Playing abroad is not a new experience to Veronica Kristiansen who spent three years with Danish FC Midtjylland before joining Györi Audi ETO this summer.

However, there is some kind of a difference between playing in a Scandinavian neighbouring country and playing and living in a different culture like Hungary with the demands that come with playing for Györ.

That is also an experience, the 28-year-old Norwegian international has made.

“It is hard to say if my change of club has influenced on my play in the national team, though.

“I would actually say yes and no. I have played quite a lot on the right back in Györ, and I think I have benefited from that in the national team, where I also play that position every now and then

“I do not feel it has affected my play in the national team in any other way,” says Veronica Kristiansen.

Due to their many titles over the past decades, Norway are usually considered the strongest women’s national team in the world, while Györ are often considered to be the strongest club team in the world.

This makes Veronica Kristiansen feel that she is exactly where she belongs now.

“That is really cool.

“I simply could not dream of anything better than playing in the best team in the world, when it comes to club level as well as to national team level,” she finds.

Different, but fantastic

“Of course, I have had to adjust to the different culture and mentality and to the high ambitions in Györ, and all that has been very different from what I was used to, but still, it feels fantastic.

“Györ is a great club, where everything is done very professionally, and the girls there are just great and have received me very well.

“Of course, the fact that we are no less than five Norwegians in the club has also helped me get acclimated.

“Furthermore, our great autumn, where we won all our matches in the Champions League has also contributed to making my first half season there fantastic,” explains Veronica Kristiansen who feels fine with the requirements that come with playing in a club, where winning the Champions League is the ambition virtually every year.

“Those requirements are the same that I meet when playing for Norway.

“When you play for Norway, you are expected to win every time you play, and when you play for Györ, you are also expected to win every match.

“I feel really fine about that.

“I actually do not think that anyone puts any more pressure on us players than we players put on ourselves.

“Therefore, I think those working conditions are fine, and I feel I have tackled that situation fine myself,” she says.

The dream of treble

At the senior level, she has been European champion twice and World champion once, but one title she had not won yet, is the Champions League.

She has plenty of Champions League experience already from all her three years with Midtjylland, but with the Danish team, she has never even been close to the title.

The chances should be there this season, after she has joined Györ, and she is not afraid to dream big.

She willingly admits that winning a treble consisting of the European championship with Norway as well as the Champions League and the Hungarian championship with Györ this season is a dream to her.

“Yes, that would just make my season perfect!

“That would be absolutely perfect for me, and I actually believe that it will happen – or at least I have a justified hope that it will happen!” says Veronica Kristiansen.

Follow how Veronica Kristiansen and her team of Norway are doing against Romania in the Group D live on ehfTV.com on Wednesday 5 December at 21:00 hrs local time

TEXT: Peter Bruun / br