26.05.2024, 08:00
Flash quotes: EHF Finals Men final day, 26 May

FLASH QUOTES: Comments from players and coaches after the final and the third-place match at the EHF Finals Men 2024

HAMBURG – Comments after the EHF Finals Men 2024 final from SG Flensburg-Handewitt head coach Nicolej Krickau (DEN), line player Johannes Golla (GER), line player Lukas Jørgensen (DEN), and left wing Emil Jakobsen (DEN); Füchse Berlin head coach Jaron Siewert (GER), team captain Paul Drux (GER), centre back Nils Lichtlein (GER), and line player Mijajlo Marsenic (SRB); after the third-place match from Rhein-Neckar Löwen head coach Sebastian Hinze (GER), centre back Juri Knorr (GER), and line player Jannick Kohlbacher (GER), Dinamo Bucuresti head coach Xavi Pascual (ESP) and right wing Andrii Akimenko (UKR); and from EHF President Michael Wiederer on the EHF Finals Men 2024 in general.

Final: SG FLENSBURG-HANDEWITT   VS  FÜCHSE BERLIN 36:31

Nicolej Krickau (DEN) – head coach, SG Flensburg-Handewitt

On the final:

"It was a great final. The victory means so much for the club. Before the weekend, we said, we are so hungry as a club, so big applause to everyone involved in this weekend. We had the quality of players, no doubt about this, and we had so many resources for two games. It was great what the staff and the team have done, I am proud of my team. When you start with a new team the first title is the most difficult one, and I am sure this was only the first one, not the last. But we are humble and still hungry. You need individual performances like of Lukas and Johannes in the defence, they were simply amazing. Besides, the efficiency of our wings was impressive, and we found the right way in game-changing moments like the red card for Jim."

Johannes Golla (GER) – team captain, SG Flensburg-Handewitt

On winning the EHF Finals Men 2024:

"We were really focused this weekend and also in preparation for this tournament, we used every training to be well-prepared, and finally it turned out pretty good for us. We showed two deserved wins this weekend."

On the long time between the club's last two European titles (10 years):

"We had waited so long for a final, today we grabbed our chance and profited from the preparation, we got the right system and the right emotions. Every player gave us so much energy and quality. This trophy is a big thing for us, so I am proud and happy."

Lukas Jørgensen (DEN) – line player, SG Flensburg-Handewitt

On winning the trophy:

"A dream came true for us. It was simply fantastic, a fantastic match in a fantastic atmosphere, caused by our fans. It was exactly what we had dreamt of. It was fantastic for the team, for the club, for everybody. The final was really joy."

On defending against Mathias Gidsel:

"You can never stop him for 60 minutes, but I tried everything to stop him, I am sure that this was a key, but it was a teamwork to get Mathias tired, not only my job. So many of our players showed a great level."

On the keys to success:

"We were efficient in attack and we defended well, it was our aim to make it as hard as possible for Berlin to score. And we managed it quite good. In position attack, they needed so much energy to score, this was the difference, as we could score many easy goals."

On his emotions:

"To be in a final in this atmosphere is simply brilliant – against a world-class team, and you win. I am sure that we will have a big party in Flensburg."

Emil Jakobsen (DEN) – left wing, SG Flensburg-Handewitt, and MVP EHF Finals Men 2024

On the victory:

"This match was almost perfect, we were like warriors in defence, for example Lukas and Johannes – what they did this weekend, was amazing. One key was the preparation: We had trained and talked so much, what we are going to do, and we managed to bring this plan on the court for two days. I am a so proud of this team."

On what happened in the last 16 minutes:

"We played an extraordinary defence throughout the whole match and we were close defending Mathias Gidsel, and got more and more tied in the end. And we constantly could count on our power, we were that tired."

On being named MVP:

"Of course, it is nice to get this MVP award, but the gold medal for the European League champion is much more important. Without my team and the passes I get, I could not score those 18 goals in two days. To win this trophy after such a long wait is much more important than any individual award."

Jaron Siewert (GER) – head coach, Füchse Berlin

On losing the final against SG Flensburg-Handewitt:

"Flensburg took a well-deserved win. We started good had everything under control, had some good saves, were strong in counter-attacks, but then the momentum changed a bit. Still, it was a close game until the end of the first half, then the red card against Marsenic broke our rhythm. Max Darj and Mijajlo Marsenic were strong in defence, so we had to change. But we had the chance to get ahead again at 23:23, but missed this chance, and after this, Flensburg were experienced enough to keep the lead. Lasse Møller was their X-factor today, we missed some shots, caused some technical mistakes, therefore it was a well-deserved for Flensburg."

Paul Drux (GER) – team captain, Füchse Berlin

On the final:

"Flensburg played a great weekend and deserved to win the final. We played a good season and also a good tournament. In five to 10 minutes, when we missed too many shots and caused too many mistakes, Flensburg grabbed their chance to go ahead."

Nils Lichtlein (GER) – centre back, Füchse Berlin

On losing the final:

"When a key defender like Mijajlo is missing almost 30 minutes, it is hard to defend on top level. But on the other side, we had many chances to decide the match and to win. We started quite well and did not take advantage enough from the saves of our goalkeeper in the first 20 minutes. Then it was really hard to play against this tough and aggressive Flensburg defence. Especially it was tough for players like Mathias and Lasse, who played almost 60 minutes."

On the last 15 minutes:

"It is hard to say. We had more problems in scoring. Flensburg were more lucky than we were, they scored some easy and lucky goals, we had to fight hard for every shot."

Mijajlo Marsenic (SRB) – line player, Füchse Berlin

On losing the final:

"Flensburg were the better team today, they played better in defence than we did. They deserved to win, we are sad, but also proud of what we have achieved in this season."

Michael Wiederer – president, European Handball Federation

On Hamburg as first-time host venue of the EHF Finals Men:

"You can't expect more from a premiere. There was a great atmosphere in the arena, there were top games, even if the results in the semi-finals were clear, the sporting quality was good, so we are very satisfied. It was the first time in a new arena without a local organiser, which my colleagues organised very well because the image that was given here is very positive."

On the spectators in the Barclays Arena:

"As far as the audience response is concerned, I look back at the EHF FINAL4 in Cologne: We also started from 0 to 100 in a large hall, and in the first year it was an incredible fight to get the spectators into the arena. Today it is completely different, the tournament has been accepted. Not only fans of the participating teams, but it is a very international event."

On the potential future of the EHF Finals Men in Hamburg:

"We assume that we will also be in Hamburg next year for the EHF Finals; discussions with all partners are already underway. We are moving forward cautiously. Our goal is to stay for the long term. We learned in Cologne and Budapest that the quality of events increases when they are developed with permanent partners. In Hamburg, the cooperation, also with the city of Hamburg, is now being intensified. We are learning with the project, but for the first time, it is more than good."

3/4 placement match: DINAMO BUCURESTI  vs  RHEIN-NECKAR LÖWEN 31:32

Sebastian Hinze (GER) – head coach, Rhein-Neckar Löwen

On winning the match for third place:

"I am really happy with this victory. We showed a very good game in attack in the first half and until the last five, six minutes. Then, we were under stress, missed some easy shots, but we were happy to take the win. I am proud that my team finished the international season with this win. It was a good final for us, though of course we would have liked to play the final."

Juri Knorr (GER) – centre back, Rhein-Neckar Löwen

On finishing third:

"It was a happy end of course to finish the season like this. We are happy to win, it was a huge achievement for us after this season."

Jannik Kohlbacher (GER) – line player, Rhein-Neckar Löwen

On beating Dinamo Bucuresti for the third place:

"We deserved to win today. We stood in our own way in some situations and helped Bucharest to come back into the match, mainly in the last 10 minutes, when we missed the chance for an earlier decision. We played quite dominant until minute 50, then it were our mistakes which made the result get closer. But I am happy that we finished this competition victorious. In total, we won 14 of 18 matches in the European League this season. Unfortunately, we did not make it to the final after this tough defeat against Berlin, but now we are happy to finish with the third rank."

Xavi Pascual (ESP) – head coach, Dinamo Bucuresti

On his team's performance:

"I am proud of my team. So many things happened in this game, it was incredible. Every time when we were down, our team came back, in the first half, in the second half in the end. We had some injuries, we needed to change some players, we fought, we wanted to win, Löwen had the better rhythm."

Andrii Akimenko (UKR) – right wing, Dinamo Bucuresti

On losing the third-place match:

"We are so sad, we were so close to win against a big team such as Rhein-Neckar Löwen. We fought until the end, we came back several times, but we did not manage to turn this match around. We wanted to win, both teams could have won, Löwen were a bit better than us in the end. If we could level the result in the last minutes, it would have been very hard to win for them, but we did not do so. In general, we can be happy on what we have showed today."

On the Romanian fans in the Barclays Arena:

"It was a great experience to play here, our fans are amazing, I appreciate they are coming to all our matches. They support us constantly, whether we are up or down. I am happy to count on them."

photo © 2024 kolektiff images

TEXT: European Handball Federation