MOTW: Brest and Odense set for "another spectacular match"

Last week’s 37:35 defeat against Ikast Håndbold reduced the advantage of leaders Brest (16 points) over runners-up Odense (15) in the group B standings to a single point. In other words: the winners of the MOTW on Saturday (24 January at 18:00 CET, live on EHFTV) will be heading into the last three rounds of the group phase in pole position.

When the teams met in Denmark for the reverse fixture in round 4 early October, Clarisse Mairot netted six times to help Brest take a thumping 40:31 win over Odense, who had Thale Rushfeldt Deila with seven goals as their leading scorer.

Clarisse Mairot arrived at Brest from ESBF Besançon in 2024. Her 88 goals made her the club's EHF Champions League top scorer in her first season with the 2021 top-flight runners-up. Mairot's tally after 10 rounds of the 2025/26 campaign stands at 46 — second only to right back Anna Vyakhireva.

Mairot made her national team debut in October 2024 and won bronze with France at the recent IHF World Championship, where she was the tournament’s most efficient shooter from nine metres at 66.6 per cent — even outscoring MVP Henny Reistad, who finished on 65.5 per cent.

Thale Rushfeldt Deila is in her third season with Odense, which is her first club outside Norway. She was the team’s leading scorer with 88 goals last year, when Odense reached their maiden final, and again this campaign, with 51 goals so far.

Rushfeldt Deila has been part of the Norway national team since 2022. She was their second-best scorer at the EHF EURO 2024, with 33 goals, and completed her set of gold medals from major tournaments last December, adding the world title to the Olympic and EHF EURO titles she had won with Norway in 2024.

eurohandball.com: Both Brest and Odense have played an EHF Champions League final in the past. Do you think your team can do that again this season, and what is needed to achieve that?

Clarisse Mairot: Yes, Brest have already played in a Champions League final, and we have the ambition to return to the [EHF] FINAL4 this season. To achieve that, we will need to remain very solid defensively, put our opponents under pressure, and continue to run and score from fast breaks.

Thale Rushfeldt Deila: Yes, I think that’s possible, but it is of course not an easy thing to do. We as a team need to continue to work together to have a strong defence, and make it hard for the other teams to score. We want to play fast and run to get fast-break goals. Having a good defence and fast break is a good start.

Last October, Odense vs Brest in Denmark ended with 71 goals in total. Do you expect a similar goal fest in France on Saturday, and why (not)?

Clarisse Mairot: Yes, I’m expecting a match with a lot of goals, quite similar to the first one. The tempo is high between these two teams and the style of play is very attack-oriented, so we can expect another spectacular match.

Thale Rushfeldt Deila: Both teams want to play with speed, and Brest are good in attack, so it might be a game with a lot of goals, but we want to put up a tough defence and try to make it hard for them.

What do you see as the strongest asset of your opponents in the MOTW? What are they particularly good at?

Clarisse Mairot: Odense are a very strong offensive team. They are powerful in duels, able to break through defences, with solid pivots and backcourt players who are dangerous from long range.

Thale Rushfeldt Deila: Brest have a lot of players with speed and good duel players, which makes them a good attacking team.

Clarisse, how would you describe Thale in three words? And Thale, how would you describe Clarisse in three words?

Clarisse Mairot: Thale Rushfeldt Deila is an intelligent, powerful, and fast player, very effective on the wings and in one-on-one situations.

Thale Rushfeldt Deila: Quick, smart and a good duel player.

If you could take one player from any other EHF Champions League team and add her to your own team, who would you choose, and why?

Clarisse Mairot: I am very happy with my current team, but if I had to choose one additional player, I would pick Henny Reistad. She is an extremely well-rounded player, capable of being decisive both in attack and in defence.

Thale Rushfeldt Deila: That’s a hard question, and I think we have a strong team, but if I have to pick one, then maybe Henny [Reistad].

Which team do you see as the favourites to win the Raiffeisen Bank EHF FINAL4 this season, and why?

Clarisse Mairot: I don’t yet know exactly which team will win the [EHF] FINAL4.

Thale Rushfeldt Deila: I guess Györ will be favourites since they won last year, but there are a lot of strong teams, and we are going to do everything in our power to be one of the teams, get to the [EHF] FINAL4 and fight for the win."

photos © Lau Nielsen (main, second in-text); Olivier Stephan (first and third in-text)