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BERLIN - Comments from Germany goalkeeper David Späth (GER), goalkeeper coach Mattias Andersson (SWE), France head coach Guillaume Gille (FRA), left wing Hugo Descat (FRA) and left back Elohim Prandi (FRA), and North Macedonia head coach Kiril Lazarov (MKD) and centre back Filip Kuzmanovski (MKD) at media calls on Friday and Saturday.
GERMANY
David Späth (GER) - goalkeeper
On the opening game at the MERKUR SPIEL-ARENA:
“At some point, I looked up and it looked incredible. It was a super start of the tournament for us, especially with the win, but we have to keep in mind there is a lot of work ahead. I’m also happy that I was able to play for a couple of minutes, it’s always good to be in the rhythm early, even though given Andy’s [Wolff] performance, it felt normal that he stayed on the court as long as possible.”
On the collaboration with Andreas Wolff:
“We have been working together for a moment, so we know each other. Andy is a world-class goalkeeper but also a very nice guy. We have a very good relationship, both on and off the court, together with Mattias [Andersson, goalkeeper coach] as well. I feel like I’m making progress every week and I’m really looking forward to the next weeks.”
On the forthcoming game against North Macedonia:
“They are a very good team but we have to prepare that game as seriously as we did the first one. We know that a win would send us to the main round, but we want to win every game.”
On the importance of video analysis for a goalkeeper:
“It takes me quite some time, and it brings me some comfort to take a look at the players before the game. This is no guarantee that I will make saves, but it brings information. Playing the European League with the Rhein-Neckar Löwen gives me the opportunity to know more players from foreign teams.”
Mattias Andersson (SWE) - goalkeeper coach
On the opening game:
“It was an incredible experience to play in front of so many people. We had an amazing defence and that helped our goalkeepers have a nice evening. We can say we had a perfect evening, it was important but in the meantime, that was only the first game of the tournament, we know there is still a lot of work ahead.”
On his work around the game against Switzerland:
“First we had the preparation before, which started right after the last game against Portugal in the preparation. We only focused on Switzerland, not the others. After the game, we watched the ball again, trying to see what was good and what we must get better.
“My work is not only about goalkeepers but also about defence, how both parties can work better together. It’s all about the details, and all this work must be done in a short-amount of time, which imply the whole staff has to be very efficient.”
On choosing starts and who does not start the game:
“This is something that we discuss with Alfred Gislason, the head coach, and we also talk during the game a lot. We try to find what is best for the team, when we can change goalkeeper so we can give the team a new impulse.
“The feeling of the goalkeeper is also important. The guy on the field can make us change our mind, when he tells us he doesn’t feel too into his game or the opposite.”
FRANCE
Guillaume Gille (FRA) - head coach
On the opening game:
“We had a good game, for sure we missed some things, especially on fastbreaks, but overall, we are satisfied. At the end of the day, we still won by ten, so that’s fine. I want to see the positive things, sure we missed some easy shots, but in the meantime, we were able to create those opportunities for ourselves.”
On finding the rhythm when you play every three days:
“It’s hard, but we tried to find our way around it by having a tough training tonight, with a lot of rhythm. We know that, from Sunday on, we will play every two days, which is something that we are used to in big competitions. We have the luxury to rest and to work before playing against Switzerland on Sunday, so we have to make it a positive thing.”
About Switzerland, France’s next opponent:
“I think they were beaten, especially physically by Germany in their first game. I did not recognise them, to be honest. The German defence stole their confidence, it felt like their hands were shaking. We have to keep their confidence level as low as possible, especially with our defence.”
About having the opportunity to qualify for the main round already:
“It’s great, but we want to win every game, so that means beating Germany as well. We want to make it to the main round, but also with the maximum of points. One game at a time, we will focus on Switzerland first and then think about the final match of the group against Germany.”
Hugo Descat (FRA) - left wing
On the upcoming game against Switzerland:
“It’s an important one, as important as the one against North Macedonia from two days ago. We have to show a better face than we did in the first game, but Switzerland are in the same position. They remain dangerous, and they know that this is their last chance to qualify.”
On Nikola Portner, his former teammate in Montpellier:
“We played one season together, he is a very good goalkeeper. He proves every week in the Bundesliga, but also the Champions League, that he belongs to the best goalkeepers in the world. We know he can almost beat a team by himself, so we have to be extra focused against him.”
On not missing one shot in the first game:
“You know what? Both left wingers have not missed a shot so far, and that’s great! I think the team worked well and we had some easy shots to convert. Dylan and I are very different players in the same position. But we are both as efficient and it’s great for the team.”
Elohim Prandi (FRA) - left back
On sharing his playing time with Nikola Karabatic:
“As long as we win, I am happy. I am used to sharing the position with him, that’s what we do daily with Paris Saint-Germain. How would I be to complain about my playing time when I play next to such a legend, right? If he plays 50 minutes and I play ten, if our team wins, I’m happy.”
On playing in a much smaller arena than the one in Dusseldorf:
“It’s true that when you shoot from long-range, playing in an arena such as the one we played in on Wednesday, it takes some time to adapt. Here in Berlin, the arena is much more like what we are used to, we don’t need time to adapt. I’m sure we will shoot much better, to be honest.”
NORTH MACEDONIA
Kiril Lazarov (MKD) – head coach
On what he can take from the game against France:
“We played really good for 40 minutes against what is probably the best team in the world. Then we made too many mistakes, 20 technical fouls, and that is too much against such a team. We can be satisfied with what we did, but not too much. Like I always say, we changed generation, I have mainly young players and I’m sure they will take from that experience.”
On having three complete days of rest between the first and the second game:
“It’s good for us, it’s always hard for players to play every two days, especially since we had a travel day on Thursday. It just gave us some more time to rest and to prepare the game against Germany. We had normal training, we did not change much to our routine and we used the Thursday as a complete day of rest.”
On the forthcoming game against Germany:
“From what I saw on Wednesday, Germany are as good a team as France. Maybe not individually, but collectively, they proved to be really strong. They had an amazing defence, an amazing goalkeeper and we know it’s going to be really hard to beat them. To win, we will have to play our best handball, not only for 40 minutes like we did against France, but for 60 minutes.”
On the role the three Machineseeker EHF Champions League players have in a young team:
“We have only three, but they have some role in their team and that it important. They are used to high-intensity game, they know how worth each ball is and I want them to take everyone with them and help their teammates raise their level.
“I’m sure many clubs will take interest in our talented players in the future, because there is a lot of quality there. Hopefully, the level of the team and its experience will raise year after year.”
Filip Kuzmanovski (MKD) – centre back
On the first game of the competition against France at the MERKUR SPIEL-ARENA:
“It was amazing to play in such an arena but we are a little bit disappointed by our performance. France is a strong opponent but I feel like we made too many mistakes. We took too much goals, we did not come back in defence quick enough so they made a lot of fast breaks. There is still a lot of work for us t be able to compete with this kind of team.”
On having three complete days of rest between the first and the second game:
“It’s great to be able to rest, to be able to take a break from handball and to train instead of just going from training to game and from game to training. We prepared the game against Germany very seriously, because we saw they will be a very difficult opponent. The more prepared we are, the best it is.”
On the benefits for him of having played in the Bundesliga for five seasons:
“It does not make much difference, even though I have played against all of the German players during my time there. It might be a small advantage but at the end of the day, it’s more the fact that I saw able to experience something else that is good to me.
“It’s always good for a player to experience different ways of playing and of training. I definitely I became a better player thanks to these seasons.”
On the pressure of having to win against Germany to qualify for the main round:
“We said from the beginning we were playing in a death group, and that’s how it is. It is no pressure, we have nothing to lose on Sunday. We win our two matches, we go through, we don’t we’re going home.
“Everybody thinks we will lose, we are definitely the underdogs, but the plan is going to remain the same as in the first game. Be in the game as long as possible, try to make Germany doubt as much as possible and try to create the surprise.”
TEXT: EHF / Kevin Domas
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