19.10.2020, 03:00
Saugstrup a symbol of Aalborg’s strong mentality

FEATURE: Aalborg’s star line player discusses their perfect start and the biggest challenge to date in the upcoming Match of the Week

In Wednesday’s Match of the Week, Aalborg Håndbold’s perfect start to the EHF Champions League will be put to the test against the brilliant yet inconsistent THW Kiel.

The Danish champions were considered the surprise package last season but are producing the goods yet again this season, led in attack by rising star Magnus Saugstrup.

“I guess it feels a little bit different this year. We did a really good job last year but this year I am not surprised we are doing well again,” says Saugstrup.

“We proved that we have a say in this competition and I am expecting the same again this season.”

Aalborg on a roll

Consistency from Danish men’s clubs in Europe has been hard to come by in recent years. A tough league with many contenders is something Aalborg have dealt with well but the other danger that comes with success is the attention it brings from other clubs.

Among the eight players leaving over the summer, four went to German Bundesliga clubs. However, the six new signings have settled in well and made Aalborg’s bright start to the season all the more impressive.

“They are some really great guys. They fit the group well. We had some friendly games where things did not go so well but when it counted, they stepped up and we are on a roll right now,” explains Saugstrup, who himself looks set to enjoy his best season yet. Having scored 23 goals in four matches, he is the competition’s second top scorer and is a focal point in Aalborg’s attack.

“I feel I played well last year as well, but maybe our style of game is a little different and I am being noticed more.”

“We can win these games”

Having come through their opening tests with aplomb, the Danish club must now face heavyweights Kiel, Veszprém and Barça twice each over the next six rounds.

“It always helps to have some points in the bag and it is not easy to win away from home, but now we have the biggest games in our group coming up.

“These teams are a little better but we have a chance. If we play at our best I do not see why we cannot win,” says the 24-year-old, who shares a taste of the confidence displayed by Aalborg’s talisman Henrik Møllgaard, who said following the win against Nantes that he cannot see Aalborg losing a game in this group.

“I actually believe that we have a chance in every game. Of course, some games are harder but what Henrik says boosts us. Instead of this mentality of just trying to do our best, we are saying out loud that we can win these games and I think that helps,” adds Saugstrup.

“We want to be at the EHF FINAL4. Danish club handball has not been as good as the days when AG Copenhagen were around and we want to be the next. If we get to the knockout stages, I do not see why we would not have a chance against any of the teams.”

Smart approach needed for MOTW

The Match of the Week on Wednesday at 18:45 CEST sees THW Kiel coming to town, on the back of an incredibly impressive derby win over Flensburg in the German league, and Saugstrup has no doubts about which factors will be decisive:

“We need to control the fast breaks of the game. We need to play smart. Kiel have a great team. Their defence and keepers are world class. If we do not unlock that, we will have a tough match, but we need to start with ourselves and our defence, then play the way we want – not the way they want.”

Danish internationals Niklas and Magnus Landin will be big attractions for the match but will pale in comparison to Sander Sagosen, who played for Aalborg between 2014 and 2017 and was inducted to the club’s hall of fame for the impact he had.

“We were actually roommates in the first Champions League games he played with us. He developed so much at Aalborg and his mentality was so good. He was always training, all the time, and his development speaks for itself.

“Every time he goes onto the court, he decides the match when he plays well – that says it all. He is a world-class player and we need to see how much we can control him,” concludes Saugstrup.

TEXT: EHF / Chris O'Reilly