GROUP II
Poland vs Spain 27:28
Bratislava, 25 January – Quotes from Spain coach Jordi Ribera (ESP), right back Jorge Maqueda (ESP), goalkeeper Rodrigo Corrales (ESP), and line player Adrian Figueras (ESP), and Poland coach Patryk Rombel (POL) and right wing Michal Daszek (POL) after Spain beat Poland 28:27 in main round group II in Bratislava.
Jordi Ribera (ESP) – coach
On the victory:
“Poland showed a great match, which was very complicated for us. They know us very well from several test matches, so they know how to play against us. We started well but could not maintain this advantage.
“Poland did not let us play as we do usually want to play. We needed to have patience in defence, but when we were ahead two, three goals, it got better. We did not want to get in complicated situations in the last minute – but we were. The two super-saves of Rodrigo Corrales made us win.”
On reaching the semi-finals:
“We are happy and satisfied with the semi-finals. I am happy for Spanish handball. We had started the tournament very well in the preliminary round, but then had two Covid cases and some injuries in the main round. In general, I am very satisfied with our performance so far – but still we have to improve for the final weekend.”
Jorge Maqueda (ESP) – right back
On their performance in this match and for the rest of the competition:
“I guess we put ourselves under too big pressure during the match, as we did not play like we had wanted to. Finally, we have to be extremely happy on making it to another semi-final. But for sure, we have to play better at Budapest than we did today.”
Rodrigo Corrales (ESP) – goalkeeper
On the match:
“We had big problems against the strong Polish team, which fought until the end – and they know how to play against us. We were under stress and too nervous. But now we have reached our goal and we are part of the final weekend.”
On his two crucial saves in the final minute:
“It is hard to remember. I was just talking to Gonzalo Perez de Vargas, and in the next second I am facing two shots. I am just happy, how all this worked out for us and that we took the semi-final spot.”
Adrian Figueras (ESP) – line player
On the match and the semi-final:
“It was a very difficult match for us, Poland played very well, caused many complications to us. We are really happy that we could win, as sometimes you do the things better sometimes not. So I am happy to reach the semi-final under those special circumstances. Now we need to keep on working and prepare for the final weekend.”
Patryk Rombel (POL) – coach:
On the match:
“Again we were faced by Covid, as the two important players [Mateusz] Kornecki and [Szymon] Sicko were out. I am proud of my team, how we coped with all those situations. We had our heads up for 60 minutes, so it is a pity that we did not win a point.
“We had our chances, we played a great defence except against their line player, at the end we had two clear chances and did not score. To lose just by one goal against Spain is a good result normally, I hope we are able to change it in future. I hope Spain can keep their level in the semi-finals.”
Michal Daszek (POL) – right wing
On their future:
“Spain have been one of the best teams in the last years, and it means hard work to keep this high level. We can learn from them, by matches like this one today we get a lot of experience. I hope in future, we are able to win against Spain. We never gave up after those matches against Norway and Sweden, we stood up and fought until the end with this effort I hope for more success in future.”
Germany vs Russia 30:29
Bratislava, 25 January – Quotes from Germany coach Alfred Gislason (ISL), right back David Schmidt (GER), left back Julian Köster (GER) and right wing Lukas Zerbe (GER), and Russia coach Velimir Petkovic (GER), left back Sergei Mark Kosorotov (RUS) and left back Dmitry Zhitnikov (RUS), after Germany beat Russia 30:29 in main round group II in Bratislava.
Alfred Gislason (ISL) – coach, Germany
On the match:
“Petko’s [Velimir Petkovic] team played a very good tournament. It was a good tournament for them, for us it was important to leave the EURO with a positive result and two points. I am very happy how my team played and they gave everything. Both teams could have won. I am proud of my team, how they played their last matches.”
David Schmidt (GER) – right back
On the match:
“I am glad that we won after all the circumstances around our team. It was important to finish with a victory. In the first half we played very well on both sides, in the second half we had problems in defence, but we kept on fighting.”
Julian Köster (GER) – left back
On the match and his first major tournament:
“Firstly, I am happy that we won, then I am happy that I got the chance to play my first EHF EURO. It was an intense last match and it was really fun to finish this very special tournament victorious. I think, I made a huge step ahead in my development.”
Lukas Zerbe (GER) – right wing
On ending with victory:
“After three defeats we managed to gift ourselves with a farewell present. We deserved to win, though it was lucky in the end. The most important thing was that we came back after being down, we fought well, we never gave up. Under those very special circumstances we have finished this tournament with a win.”
On the tournament:
“For me personally, it was a great experience to be part of this team, and I am sure I will always remember those two weeks in Bratislava. Of course, the preliminary round was better, but we need those matches against top sides to develop.”
Velimir Petkovic (GER) – coach, Russia
On the match and the EHF EURO:
“Congratulation to Alfred [Gislason] for a deserved win, they had the chance to score the winning goal in the last second, they made it and it was deserved. I am very proud of my team, they did a really good job and we are on a really good path for the future with our young team. We really played well against great handball nations here.”
Sergei Mark Kosorotov (RUS) – left back
On the match:
“It was a very long tournament for us. Overall, it was successful, all games were difficult, but we showed character and we performed on our highest level in all matches. Today, unfortunately we lost, but we fought until the end.”
Dmitry Zhitnikov (RUS) – left back
On the match and the development of his team:
“We are very sad, as for the third time, we had the chance to win and finally we lost. We were tired in the end, as almost only eight, nine of us played tonight. Overall, we can be very satisfied with the way we played. We have made several steps ahead with our young team, but we still have some steps ahead. But we are on the right track.”
Sweden vs Norway 24:23
Bratislava, 25 January – Quotes from Norway coach Christian Berge (NOR), line player Tomas Solstad (NOR), and Sweden coach Glenn Solberg (NOR), left wing Hampus Wanne (SWE), right wing Niclas Ekberg (SWE) and centre back Jim Gottfridsson (SWE) after Sweden beat Norway 24:23 in the final match of main round group II in Bratislava.
Glenn Solberg (NOR) – coach
On the victory:
“We are very happy with the game. We did not start good, but then we had a strong and stable defence. We kept on fighting and were better in attack in the second half. We are very happy for the win.”
On whether he always believed that his team would win:
“I always believed always in my team, there was no time that I did not believe that we could not win. With such a good defence you always have the opportunity to win games, so I always believed in our players.”
Niclas Ekberg (SWE) – right wing
On the victory:
“It was a really intense game. Norway played well, but we were lucky in the end of the game with some balls and passes. Our last five minutes tell everything about our team spirit, we never stopped fighting for each other and always believed in ourselves.
“We never gave up, I was so inspired by our team. We had some do-or-die-matches like this before, but that one was special, it was against Norway and it was for a ticket to a semi-final.
“In the last five minutes we were fighting like animals for each other, we never stopped fighting, then you win a match like this one. Our goalkeeper Peter [Johannesson] was outstanding and saved 50 per cent of the shots. So now we just enjoy the moments in Budapest.”
Hampus Wanne (SWE) – left wing
On the match:
“This was such a huge match. We sat in the dressing room in half-time, and just told us, what we need to change. And then we came out, and were a completely different team, with a completely different attitude. We played aggressive in defence and were stable in attack.”
On the key players of this success:
“Everybody saw that Jim Gottfridsson is our true leader, he is the mastermind. And after I had missed two penalties, Valter Chrintz was as cold as ice with the final penalty. You saw this young guy has a great future ahead. But in the end, the key was our team spirit. We never gave up, we always believed in us, we fought for each other.”
On the expectations for the final weekend in Budapest:
“I am totally looking forward to playing in this huge arena, hopefully fully packed with fans. In 2021 [at the World Championship] we made it to the final. We do not know if we make it again, but we will do everything, regardless of our semi-final opponent. We will have fun as a team, this is what counts.”
Jim Gottfridsson (SWE) – centre back
On what he said in the last team time-out:
“I simply explained what we wanted to play, who does what, which pass we will initially play – and then it is the players’ choice what to do. It worked well until the missed pass, but we got the ball back and then I saw our line player. In the end, we won, this is what counts.”
On the key for the victory:
“It was all about quality of every player and the will to win of the whole team. We have such a great belief in us, we have a defence, which stood strong, and a goalkeeper [Peter Johannesson], who saved outstanding. But we also have to say that the luck was on our side at the end.”
Christian Berge (NOR) – coach
On the defeat:
“Sweden played a good game, in some key moments we started to miss our chances, we made some errors in counter attacks, and had weak moments in the second half. Sweden deserved to win.”
Tomas Solstad (NOR) – line player
On the match:
“We played well in the first half, but after the break we were too undecisive, caused too many mistakes and took too many bad chances.”
