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MANNHEIM - Comments from Croatia head coach Goran Perkovac (CRO) and right wing Mario Sostaric (CRO), Spain right backs Alex Dujshebaev (ESP) and Jorge Maqueda (ESP), Austria head coach Ales Pajovic (SLO) and Romania right back Demis Grigoras (ROU) and Daniel Stanciuc (ROU) at media calls on Saturday.
CROATIA
Goran Perkovac (CRO) – head coach
On the 39:29 win against Spain:
“We all saw the game and it was an incredible feeling the day after a huge win against Spain. It was a perfect game for us and there was not one thing bad. We will let the good atmosphere lead us in the upcoming matches also.”
On the euphoria in Croatia:
“I didn't sleep and I already started preparing for Austria. We can beat them with our strong and aggressive defence, we just need to stay focused. We didn't let the euphoria of the huge win against Spain take us over.”
On the next opponents, Austria:
“We should not underestimate Austria, they are a strong opponent and already before the start of the EHF EURO, I told my players we need to give 100 per cent in every game, no matter the previous result. For now, I am satisfied with our aggressive 6-0 defence but we still have some different things up in the sleeve. We are prepared to make a run for it.”
Mario Sostaric (CRO) – right wing
On his feelings after a great start to the Men's EHF EURO 2024:
“We did everything as we agreed in defence, we never loosened up and winning by ten goals against Spain is a great thing, however, we should stay on the ground with both feet. This is only the start of the European championship and there is still plenty to play. First Austria where we want to show our great game again.”
On Austria, led by Slovenian coach Ales Pajovic:
“Austria is a great quality team. I know a lot of their players. Their play is based mostly on the left side with Sebastian Frimmel, Mykola Bylik and Lukas Hutacek, they have a good line player, Tobias Wagner, and we will try to close that side for them. Their disadvantage is they don’t have a wide roster and we will try to impose our rhythm.”
On his first EHF EURO with Croatia:
“I am happy everyone accepted me in the team, and the fans of course. I am happy I have opened my first EHF EURO with Croatia in a great manner, but the team comes first and I just enjoy being here with them.”
SPAIN
Alex Dujshebaev (ESP) - right back
On the defeat against Croatia:
“Croatia was much better than us, we never experienced a game like that. It was an unbelievable day where nothing went like we wanted. It is hard to come up after your opponent has such a great day. For the most important thing is to get up and win against Romania.”
On what was missing against Croatia:
“We are used to being good in defence and having a great number of goalkeepers save with intercepting opponents attack but against Croatia that was not the case.”
On Romania's Spanish head coach Xavier Pascual:
“He knows us very well. We have to take the game against Romania very seriously. They have been fighting great against Austria. At the European championship, there is no easy match.”
On the Spanish game:
“There is a saying Spain is like a diesel engine, like we need some time to get our things going. We will see. The first game is always hard, especially when you lose an important match. We need to win in the last two matches here in Mannheim and qualify for the main round.”
Jorge Maqueda (ESP) - right back
On the new focus for Spain:
“We need to leave the game against Croatia behind us and only take the good things with us. We need to continue, we have two more games and the main round as our goal.”
On Miguel Sánchez-Migallón’s hand injury and Viran Morros joining the team:
“Viran can help us a lot, he has a great experience and he will come with good power. It will be difficult to substitute Miguel, he is very important for us in defence but I know Viran will do his best to help us.”
On the next opponents, Romania:
“It will be a difficult game. Pasci [Xavier Pascual] is a great coach and he knows all of our strengths and weaknesses. We know he will do everything in his power to make a difference. We need to show the team play and show our game, what we missed in the game against Croatia.”
AUSTRIA
Ales Pajovic (SLO) – head coach
On beating Romania:
“My guys did everything that we agreed on and I am satisfied. Maybe they were nervous at the start and we did some mistakes in the first half but we completely changed it in the second half.”
On the game between Croatia and Spain:
“It was great to watch the game between Croatia and Spain, to see the packed arena. It felt like we are in Croatia. We know what awaits us and how tough it is going to be to play in such an atmosphere.”
On the upcoming game against Croatia:
“Croatia showed they have some of the best players in the world. We will have a lot of problems with the Croatian 6-0 defence, we saw that even Spain could not find a solution for it. Our backcourt players need to have a great game and score easily from the nine-metre line and try to open some thing for our line player.”
ROMANIA
Demis Grigoras (ROU) – right back
On the loss against Austria:
“It was a very tough match, but I think we managed to keep close for the majority of it. However, they had a superior experience, they scored some easy goals and, eventually, they sealed a big win. For us, it was tough, but we need to regroup and try to do our best in this match against Spain, our next encounter.”
On the match against Spain:
“It will always be a difficult match. It does not matter that they lost against Croatia, one match does not resemble the other. But it will be very difficult.
“Of course, we have a Spanish coach, he knows the style of our opponents well, yet their players have more experience than us. Of course, they won European championships, they won the [EHF] Champions League, they are very experienced.”
On their experience at the EHF EURO 2024:
“Absolutely amazing. Everything is so well organised, you really feel like you are a true handball player on the court. It was a sold-out arena in Mannheim and it was absolutely amazing to play in front of such a crowd. This is the pinnacle of handball and we need to be more and more present in this type of competitions, because we are coming back after 28 years.”
Daniel Stanciuc (ROU) – centre back
On the loss against Austria:
“Very tough, but we must go further now and think about the future. It was the debut, we managed to stay close until the 35th minute, but then, everything changed, they scored some easy goals and created a big gap. It was a good game for us, but, unfortunately, not enough and we will face two tough sides, Spain and Croatia in the future.”
On their experience at the EHF EURO 2024:
“It is amazing to be here and we want to enjoy every single moment of it and hopefully we get some good results. Playing in front of the full stands was an amazing feeling, especially as there was many Romanian fans in the stands too.”
TEXT: EHF / Danijela Vekić
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