26.01.2026, 09:00
Men's EHF EURO 2026 flash quotes: 26 January

Comments from players and coaches at media calls in main round group II at the Men's EHF EURO 2026

MALMÖ – Comments from players and coaches at media calls in Men's EHF EURO 2026 main round group II on Monday.

HUNGARY

José Rodríguez (ESP) — Hungary head coach

On Hungary’s position after main round 2:

“Now, we are in a not good position. We draw one match and we lost another. We almost don't have a chance for make nothing, like semi-final or almost to this fifth or sixth place. But we need to continue fighting, try to win in the matches and try to do our best.”

On Sweden:

“Sweden is amazing. They are playing at home. They have an amazing team with an amazing coach. They really are a strong, a really strong team. Almost two players in every position that can play in every national team. It's amazing.

“But we need to try to do our work, try to fight like crazy, make our 100 per cent, and after we will see if we have chance to win them or we lose, because, of course, almost doing everything perfect, Sweden can still win you because they are better.”

On specifics of Sweden’s play:

“We know that if they can run and they defence good to us and they have saves and can run, they are incredible. They have really amazing fast break. Also, in attack, they move the ball so fast. They have really amazing dynamic. They play so good. We need to try to don't make too much mistakes and try to that they don’t make his best game, to try to win the match.”

On Hungary’s strengths against Sweden:

“I think we also always say the same. We always play the tournaments thinking match by match and we continue like this. Now with Sweden, they go to make good preparation for the match. We go to try to stay in our best and knowing that it's so difficult to win (against) Sweden and more after the defeat that they have yesterday against Iceland.”

Miklós Rosta (HUN) — line player

On how the team are feeling the day after the loss to Slovenia:

“It was a hard game yesterday, especially after the first half. I thought we played better than them. We could surprise them with seven-against-six. In the second half, we didn't perform as we did in the first half and that was the key why we lost the game. We were really disappointed because of that. But today, it's a new day — our focus and challenge is on Sweden tomorrow. So, we will prepare for that game 100 per cent and try to win.”

On the group overall:

“We still have a chance. We have to win both games and we are hoping that the results in the other games will help us a little bit. And if not, we will have to accept, but we want to do our best in the next two games and let's hope.”

On Sweden:

“I think I can expect the most tough game for us in the tournament because they lost against Iceland, so for sure, they will go with an extra motivation against us. But we will go as well. So, I hope we can play a good game, and we can play really good handball as a team, and then we will see the results.”

Zoran Ilić (HUN) — right back

On Hungary’s position midway through the main round:

“It's hard now to say something. We played two games, one against Switzerland and one against Slovenia. Against Switzerland, we play good just in the second half and we play a draw. The second game, against Slovenia, we start in the first half good, but in the second half, we have this period of five–10 minutes that we missed a lot of shots and we lose a lot of balls that Slovenia scored the easy goals.

“After, until the end, we just run for the results, and when we just come back for one goal, we make some mistakes that we get some two minutes or we just lose the ball and we just run for the game to win. But until the end, we fight and we show character. We need to just keep going in this level and to play one good game against Sweden. Yesterday, Sweden lose, and I think that it will be very hard game tomorrow and after, without rest day, we play against Croatia.”

On the psychological challenge of not winning the first two main round games:

“It's hard because when we lose against Iceland in the group, we try to play two good games against Switzerland and Slovenia.

“Now it's hard, the situation for us. If we win these two games, it also need other teams to win or to lose that it will be some good position for us to go into next round. It will be hard, but I think we will try to fight and to give everything for these two games, and we will see in the end that it was enough or no.”

On Sweden:

“It’s a good team. In every position, he has two players who is playing in top level. But I think we have also, but we have just a younger team. But we will try to stop Sweden and to make some tactic, what we do before in the games — just to don't make easy mistakes. We will see until the end, because if we show character in defence and after score some easy goals, I think it will be a good game.”

SWITZERLAND

Andy Schmid (SUI) — head coach

On the match versus Croatia in the big-picture growth of the team:

“The amazing thing is that we didn't play a good game and that we are still over 60 minutes in touch with an unbelievable experienced Croatian handball team. That shows that we are on an extremely good way.

“It’s kind of expected a game like that — that one game is coming for us like that, that we are not on the highest-level energy, physical things and also the mind game. We were not on the on the top level. Even we got again a good start. We were leading 4:0.

“I hoped that it gives us power, it gives us energy, but I could see in every player that this is also a process that we have to learn that you keep your mind up over a long period.

 “Now we are together almost four weeks. Some guys are missing their kids, some guys are missing their girlfriend — stuff like that. But this is the first time we make this experience, that we are such a long time together, and that it needs in every game that you have to step up and that you have to fight against also when you're tired.

“Something like that, when you're maybe not on the highest level with your psychological thing. That's why it was again a learning and, in the end, if you lose against Croatia with four goals and you almost don't have one player on the highest level, then it shows also that we have unbelievable potential.”

On whether there is less pressure on the team now:

“I don't think so. The pressure we put on ourselves, it's the highest.

“With this team, not every time that we are going for the victory. Yes, we go for the victory, but we go for the maximum in our performance and that is really important for me. I tell my guys all the time, when we are playing on the maximum, then you have a chance against every team, and now again they're coming — Iceland, Sweden.

“In Sweden, only the goalkeepers have so much experience like our whole team. And that, on this stage, means a lot, because if you don't experience these games, if you don't experience these atmospheres, stuff like that, then you don't have advantages.

“In general, honestly, if somebody told me on Christmas eve that we are standing here and playing the main round and have a draw against Hungary, play a bad game against Croatia and have only a loss with four goals, and now we are heading to two teams who wants to go to the semi-final, I would say, OK then, I don't need any Christmas presents anymore. This I would sign directly.”

On Iceland:

“Tough opponent again. A lot of man-man guys, these duel players. They have experience, with Gísli (Kristjánsson), Ómar Ingi Magnússon, (Janus Daði) Smárason, the left back. They have many reasons to go for the semi-final, to go for the medals.

“Yesterday, we forgot our running shoes. Tomorrow, we need them because we need to run in the attack and we need to run really, really, really fast back. That will be the key — that we don't lose this running on play.”

Manuel Zehnder (SUI) — left back

On how he sees the match versus Croatia the morning after:

“Andy said yesterday after the game, the only positive thing about this, that we are not happy after the game, that shows the development we took as Switzerland — that we are not happy after a four-point loss against the second place in the World Championship.

“I think we had a big chance to win yesterday. We started really, really good. Stand really good in defence, then made too many mistakes in attack. So, in general, of course not happy because we had a big chance but that’s handball.”

On their trend of starting matches strong:

“Normally we played for 40 minutes really good. Yesterday was only the first 10 minutes. But I think we always have a really good game plan, and in the beginning we always stick to it. If we stick to our game plan, we create really good chances and we can succeed against every team.

“But if we start changing that plan after 40 minutes, after 10 minutes, whatever, then it's getting hard for us because we are only good as a team. Not as individuals. Of course, we have good players, but we want to succeed as a team, and if we don't play as a team, then it's going to be hard.”

On the increased rotation versus Croatia:

“Andy tried something in the end, because the first two starting line-ups didn't work after 40 minutes. So, he tried something new, and then the new guys with Mehdi Ben Romdhane in the middle and (Michael) Kusio on the right back, they played really, really good. They brought us back to two goals, so I think they did an amazing job.”

On Iceland:

“I think that's the first game in the tournament now where we can say they're definitely the favourites. They have an amazing team, amazing players, so this will definitely be a tough match. But as I said, our development is going in this direction that we want to win every game, so I don't think we're afraid of them, but of course, it's going to be a hard match of us.”

On his Magdeburg teammates in the Iceland squad:

“Gísli (Kristjánsson) probably has the best one-on-one in the world. Then you have Ómar (Ingi Magnússon) — he can do probably everything with the ball. So, I don’t know what I should tell my defender colleagues how to defend it, because I don't know either.

“They are great players, but as I said, we just have to defend it as a whole team, have to stick together, have to defend hard, have to fight against these strong one-on-ones of them. I think we can have a chance.”

Luca Sigrist (SUI) — centre back

On playing his first main round game after missing the first due to illness:

“It was an amazing feeling. A great arena. It was a tight game and just the whole experience in the main round is really fantastic.”

On the positives of the match versus Croatia:

“We played several great games, but yesterday wasn't one of the best games. I think that's really positive — that we didn't had the best action there and still it was a close game. It should be possible for us to win against every opponent and that was also yesterday the case, but we didn't got our normal game on the playing field.”

On the group as a whole:

“In the group, everything was open and the goal from the team was just to give everything in every game and nothing has changed in that. So, we will looking forward to the next two games and give everything in them to win them.”

On Iceland:

“Iceland is a great enemy. They play really good and I hope we can also bring a good game to the to the arena — that we can make a close game and try to win also this game.”

On having two games in a row next:

“We are a young team. I think that helps us a lot. And then we will see which team can regenerate the best in this short time.”

On Sweden, their last main round opponents:

“Sweden is also a great team with so many big players. We will see. It's the same goal as against every team, but also it makes fun playing against so big nations. We are just happy that we can compete with them.”

ICELAND

Snorri Steinn Guðjónsson (ISL) – Iceland head coach

On the win against Sweden:

“I hope it is a boost. And of course you have a better feeling now than after a loss. But we have more games, one tomorrow so you don't have that much time to stay in yesterday's win. So we just have to start focus on Switzerland. We already did it, had some videos and now going to practice. This is how tournaments are. You can't go too high and or too low. So we're just trying to stay focused. Take one game at a time.”

On Switzerland:

“It will be a tough match. When they hit their strengths, they are really good. They have a lot of weapons and a lot of things that we have to take care of, and so I'm just impressed.”

On their tactics against Switzerland:

“We need both our attack and defence. We also need just the emotion that we showed yesterday against Sweden, and the fighting spirit we need to get back. I think that is always the key when Iceland plays.”

On the main round:

“As I expected, it's a tough group. The equal teams are here and nothing surprises me. We are just trying to not look at the table or something like that. We just have to focus on ourselves. We have it in our hands. That's a good feeling. But as I said before, we are starting with the game tomorrow first, and we must win that.”

Viggó Kristjánsson (ISL) – right back

On the win against Sweden:

“After the defeat against Croatia, we were a bit down. It was exactly like the loss against them last year in the World Championship. So we had our backs up against the wall yesterday against Sweden. We are really happy that we managed to win. It wasn't a very good performance from all of us. But despite, we still have two games and need to prepare for them. Nothing is over.

“Definitely, winning was a boost. It was a lot of fun. And fans also made the game even more fun”

On the game against Switzerland:

“They have a good team. A lot of their players are playing in the Bundesliga, so we know them quite well, but they play a different kind of handball. Sometimes they play seven-against-six, sometimes they play with four players in the back court without a pivot. It will be a difficult game. And we've already started preparing for it this morning.”

On Iceland’s main strength:

“Our defence, because they have a lot of varieties in their attack, they have with Felix Aellen, with Lenny Rubin and more players. They have strong players. So I think our defence and goalkeeping will be the key.”

Bjarki Már Elisson (ISL) – left wing

On the feeling after beating Sweden:

“We felt quite bad after the game against Croatia. We thought, you know, handball is one thing, but we thought we let ourselves down a little bit with fighting spirit. So that's what we want to do correct. Even if they (Sweden) were going to beat us that it would not be because of we were not fighting enough. But everything clicked yesterday and we did what we wanted to do. We executed it really well.”

On the following games and Switzerland:

“Very dangerous opponent who played a really good tournament so far. We need to be as good as yesterday to win at least, so we're just focusing on them. It's a lot of games, a lot of teams, you don't want to go into the math. It will just get us confused I think.

“So we'll just start with the game tomorrow and then we'll take it from there. We have it in our own hands, so that's always the best feeling, when you don't have to rely on other games.”

On Switzerland's team:

“They're very well-coached from Andy Schmid. I think they have quality players, technically good players and goalkeepers. Just all around good team. So we need to need to prepare well, which we started this morning and we're all really focused on just getting those results tomorrow.”

SWEDEN

Michael Apelgren (SWE) – Sweden head coach

On the defeat against Iceland:

“They did an amazing game. I think they had a lot of players who performed good. If we look at ourselves, it was a not a good performance. We could not really follow what we have agreed, especially in defence. We were not aggressive enough. We were not helping each other enough, and Iceland were always in the position in the game where they could play comfortably.

“This is how this tournament is. We are not the first team to having a bad day. And you don't need to have a very, very bad day to lose in the EURO because all teams are good.”

On the impact of the defeat:

“One of the things why Iceland won yesterday, they were more desperate than us. We were coming in a little bit comfortable. And being comfortable is always a very dangerous feeling in top sports and especially in the European championship in handball, where every team is so close to each other's level. So this is the thing we need to learn, and we need to take this as motivation and just look forward.”

On Hungary:

“It's a team with very strong physique, very strong defence. I see how good they were defending against Iceland, which now we saw yesterday how difficult it is to stop Iceland. And they were holding Iceland down on really low numbers. So there they are really good. They will also have some really smart tactical things with Chema (Rodríguez) there as a coach. So we have a very big respect for the opponent.”

On playing against Hungary:

“It's a special feeling for me personally because I work in Hungary, and I know some of the players. I also had my players in other matches as well. So, in a way, every match was interesting, it is when you work with some of the players every day. But of course now to play against Hungary, where I now live is a special feeling.”

Daniel Petersson (SWE) – right wing

On the defeat against Iceland:

“It was a really tough game. We knew that Iceland had also played really good before the game, and it was a tough opponent. And unfortunately, they were better than us. We didn't stop their attacks and we struggled a little bit in our attack. Now we have one defeat, but two more games to go and we have to refocus and prepare us for the next game.”

On the main round and Hungary:

“Every game in the European championship is hard with very strong teams. Against Hungary it will be a really physical game. They have a strong defence and we have to find solutions to break through. And then of course, we have to prepare the best possible way to win that game.”

On Hungary:

“They have a solid defence. They are big and physical and they have a goalkeeper that's doing a really good job. And now everything in our attack that we are playing back to what we have done through the tournament. Just play our game.”

Lukas Sandell (SWE) – right back

On the defeat against Iceland:

“It's never good to lose, but of course we can take it in a good way, like a wake up call. Now we can just look forward for two games against Hungary and Switzerland. That is really important. That we can make one revenge for ourselves. So hopefully this can be something good for us also.”

On what they need to improve:

“We had problems in both attack and in defence (against Iceland). So we have to find some solutions in defence. We were not that aggressive that we should be and in attack there was too many one-against-one, and we lost too many of those. And we had problem to get the ball to the to the next guy at the side. So I think we need to be better to pass the ball in attack.”

On the main round:

“This is the European championship and of course it's hard. But also it's really fun everyone around handball. We have a lot of good, tight and hard games. So it's a good thing we have four teams on same points, for handball at least.”

On the game against Hungary:

”We have to be more aggressive in defence. They have some really good shooters, but also Gergő Fazekas in the middle that is really creative. We have to see how we can stop him and take care of him.

“It will be really hard in the beginning, and we know that. We must play good in defence and counterattack. If we can get these easy goals, maybe we don't need to stay six-against-six all the time with them, because that's where they are strong. They are so physical in defence and they kill every time.”

SLOVENIA

Uroš Zorman (SLO) — Slovenia head coach

On their current position in the main round:

“For us, it’s great. Nobody expect that we would be in a situation like we are now, so for us it’s perfect, but we are still with two legs on the floor. We know our quality. We also know what we can do. Before, nobody believed on us but now they put something on us. They see us. So on that situation, it's nice to be coach of like one team.

“We had a lot of problems before the tournament and now we are here and we are playing like we are playing, so good.”

On how they overcame Hungary’s seven-against-six and each performance of Slovenia being so different:

“We talk that we enter in the game with little bit less energy, like we are already tired. That we cannot do. But in the half-time we spoke, of course normally.

“We talked and I said that we are missing this energy and then we talk, talk, talk and then we enter in second half full energy, so this was different.

“Against Sweden was opposite. We start good and then with second half, we enter with less energy and this decided the match from my opinion, my view of this game. So, yesterday was different and this is good. Of course, in the end we won. All second half, we had under control and this is also a new level or new character of the team — that we, all the game, all the second half, have the control on the result. And this is also for one coach good news.”

On Croatia:

“We can talk about Croatia one week if you want. If you saw all their history of handball, it's one incredible national sport of this country. So also, if you look at our history and their history, we always have some fight, always from the beginning, when we start to play.

“Again, they change the players. They change the team. They have great players and they, always, in each tournament, they are in some situation to fight for semi-final. We are here and we will fight tomorrow like we know. We will do the best and in the end, we will see what this will bring to us. I hope to the best, but we will see.”

Staš Jovičič (SLO) — left wing

On the atmosphere following the first main round win:

“Everyone is happy with first, three wins in the preliminary round, and then after the defeat against Sweden, it was nice to win against Hungary, which was a very hard game. They play against us, seven-on-six, which we didn't expect.

“But in the second half, we talked in the locker room how to fix that, how to solve this attack, and we did this very good in the second half. I think the goalkeepers did their job in the second half, also, so we score a lot of easy goals and we took the lead and we won well-deserved.”

On the group overall:

“A very exciting group, I would say. Everything is open. Everything can happen. Everyone can beat each other — like Croatia beat Iceland, Iceland beat Sweden. It's amazing. Amazing for handball. We are so close to each other.

“We need to win against Croatia if we want to come to the semi-finals and also against Iceland. If we don't win these two games, we cannot dream about semi-finals and about finals. So, the next two days will be very hard for us.”

On Croatia:

“We have a very long history with Croatians. We are neighbours. There are our south neighbours. We played against them last January in Zagreb in the full arena. They won and they went and won the second place in the World Championship, but tomorrow we have our own plans. We need to win against them and secure two points.

“They play the whole tournament their well-known defence — 5-1 with the big guy in the one position, up position. And they play very frenetically, supporting each other. When somebody attacks, they are three on one guy, so, that’s how they beat Iceland, I think.

“But we need to play our own game — fast counterattacks. Also good defence. I think they are a little bit slow. They have big players than we have. They are a little bit slower than us, and I think that this is our chance to make the difference and to win the game.”

CROATIA

Valter Matošević (CRO) – goalkeeper coach

On playing against Slovenia:

“The game against Slovenia is like a final for us. they are a very strong team. We are hoping that we will continue our winning streak and that our game will progress.”

On Slovenia:

“They are playing great handball. They had some problems with injuries and cancellations, but team here at the European championship is good. They are playing fast, aggressive handball with good defence. However, we are also playing great, especially in the attack, while we can improve our defence.”

On the goalkeepers’ performance:

“Even though the stats are not showing, defence is good and our goalkeepers always deliver when they are needed, when the result was close. They were saving key shots. They are ready and I believe they will be even better in the next games.”

Tin Lučin (CRO) – centre back

On the main round:

“Two more games are left in the main round. We need to do our best job and give our maximum to win. We also have to wait for Iceland or Sweden to lose, the road to the semi-finals is still wide open.”

On Slovenia:

“They had a lot of injured players, but they have wide rotation and quality players and they are still good team. They showed it so far at the tournament. It will be tough. We will have to be on level in order to beat them.”

On Slovenia's key strengths:

“Domen Makuc and Blaž Janc are biggest threats in the attack, they are world-class players. But other player are also great. We have to do a good analysis.”

Veron Načinović (CRO) – line player

On Slovenia:

“Last year (at the World Championship) we had a bad start against Slovenia but won in the end. They are a strong team and maybe a bit different style of play compared to the last years. They play faster with Blaž Janc as a leader on the right back. Still, we also have something to offer against them, we have good solutions for their attack and defence.”

On Slovenia's performance:

“They opened the tournament a bit topsy-turvy against Montenegro, with a tight win. Against Switzerland they came back from minus seven to win, and they deserve to be here.”

On his performance:

“I'm always in favour of competition getting tougher. Zlatko Raužan played brilliantly. We're all good friends, and the better he is, the more it motivates me to be better. That's how it's always been throughout my career. It's a pleasure to share the team with him, Josip Šimić and Leon Šušnja.”

Ivano Pavlović (CRO) – centre back

On Slovenia:

“They are playing fast handball with Blaž Janc in incredible form. We could se in the group phase they were scoring around 35 goals and it says enough about their attack and play. It will be tough, it will be intense rhythm. We need to prepare, especially mentally.”

Photo © kolektiff images

TEXT: European Handball Federation