Raiffeisen Bank EHF FINAL4 flash quotes: Sunday 7 June
BUDAPEST - Comments from players and coaches after the Raiffeisen Bank EHF FINAL4 2026 final and 3/4 placement match at the MVM Dome on Sunday.
FINAL: Györi Audi ETO KC VS METZ HANDBALL 31:29 (17:18)
Per Johansson (SWE) – head coach, Györi Audi ETO KC
On the match:
“I think we had a tremendous good start in the attack. We scored 11 goals in 15 minutes. But our problem in defence actually started immediately.
“I think it was a close game, because we were also able to score, but also in the moments when we had 2-3 up, we had serious problems with the Metz players. In the end, you cannot think you can score from every attack, you have to find something somewhere else.
“For us it’s always defence to go back to. But again, today it took us 50 minutes. They were more powerful, faster, they won one against one, we couldn’t control [Sarah] Bouktit. We did a desperate try in the end, but we also played with such a small margin yesterday.”
On Metz:
“Of course, great teams win those games like we did yesterday, but you should not challenge these kinds of small margins again. Metz deserved this Champions League title, they were worth for a long time for a title. First time in final and winning it is impressive. No excuses, they were the best team in the season.”
Nathalie Hagman (SWE) – right wing, Györi Audi ETO KC
On her final match of her professional career and the loss in the final:
“I feel a lot inside right now. First of all, I'm very sad that we lost today. I was really hoping to end with a trophy today. I think we played a fantastic season on very high level, I think, all season, but today we, we didn't play good enough. I think Metz played a good game. Right now it's hard to not stand here with a gold medal instead.”
On what was key to Metz’s win:
“I don't think we find a good solution in our defence. And of course, the MVP girl [Sarah Bouktit], she played amazing game today. We struggled a lot over 60 minutes with her, and I think this was really the big thing for them and why we lost today.
“I think Györ will be even better next season with her [Bouktit]. She's amazing handball player and Györ have a amazing team, like always. One more good handball player, they will be very, very good next year.”
Kristina Jörgensen (DEN) – centre back, Györi Audi ETO KC
On the loss in the final:
“I'm disappointed and sad. I'm really grateful for my two years in Györ, and I'm grateful for everything that happened, but I'm disappointed about the game tonight and how we didn't manage to give more in the decisive moments.
“I think we were not sharp enough in the defence to stay compact on Bouktit. Their key players, they made the difference today, and we were not strong enough to keep this.”
On playing against her future club, Metz:
“I'm not happy right now. I want to win with Györ, but I know Metz, they also work really hard. They deserve all they got, and they played stronger today.
"But of course, it's nice to come to a club who is in top in the world, and we want to defend the title next year with Metz, and I'm looking forward to go for that task and do my best to keep that in Metz next year."
Dione Housheer (NED) – right back, Györi Audi ETO KC
On why they lost:
“It was all about the details. I’m extremely proud how we fought till the end. In this team we don’t give up, until it’s over, and that’s how we did today but it’s all about the details.
“We didn’t get the flow in attack we used to have. But especially playing in defence where we usually win games, but it was just not good enough today. They played around with us, especially Sarah [Bouktit]. If you can score so many goals, then it’s hard.
“We fought, we came back and this is good, but it was just not good enough. Time is running and if we just make so many mistakes at the end, throw balls away, then of course they get energy from it. We got low in this. It hurts, it’s hard, but we fought and I think they deserved it, they were the better team today.”
Emmanuel Mayonnade (FRA) - head coach, Metz Handball
On the win:
“I don't know what to say, we probably didn't expect to win the Champions League when we started the season in July. And when we came here for the [EHF] FINAL4, first we really wanted to win the first match, because everybody knew we lost four times before matches here.
“All the time we played a second match on Saturday and the first match on Sunday, you don't have time to enjoy. And now we play the first match on Saturday and the second on Sunday, so everything changed for us.
“For this match, we really wanted to stay close to Györ as Brest did yesterday. I tried to explain to the girls, by the past the only team who won against Györ was Vipers, and after 20 minutes they were equal 10:10, and by the past, Bietigheim, they lost by five after 10 minutes, and Odense also.
“We didn't want to do it, and we wanted to start in the best way. I don't know if we did it or not, because they were in front by three – 8:5, and 11:8 – but the end of the first 30 minutes we were in front and we say to the girls that we just have to do the same, because the mood and the flow was good and the players they continue to play.
“We were afraid a little bit the last 10 minutes, because they push so much, but at the end we won.”
Sabrina Novotná (CZE) – goalkeeper, Metz Handball
On her emotions:
“I feel amazing because this is crazy. This is for me surreal because last year I played in the Czech League, you know, and this year I'm standing here with this medal, so it's crazy. It's crazy.”
On winning the EHF Champions League:
“I need to wake up from the dream or I can still dream because this is very crazy. I dream about that, that I will play in Metz. I dream about [EHF] FINAL4, and it happened in one year. It's crazy, it's crazy."
On what was the difference in getting the win:
“I think the break point was around the 45 minutes in the second half and five minutes in the second half when we scored three or four goals in a row. And the girls started to defend really good. They didn't shoot on us and we score easy goals.”
On what the trophy means to her:
“I want one more. I want more. I want to achieve more because this year for me, I was the goalkeeper number two, so for me, another goal is to grow and be goalkeeper number one.
“Of course, I enjoy this year with Johanna [Bundsen]. It was amazing year for me. I learned so many things from her, so I'm so great that Metz bring her, and they didn't put everything on me. Because in the beginning of the season, I came from the Czech league directly to the Champions League, it's hard. But I'm glad, we are really good friends with Johanna, and I am glad how we cooperate together."
Petra Vamos (HUN) – centre back, Metz Handball
On the win:
“It was amazing, it’s always a special feeling to come here, to play in Hungary, to play in front of the Hungarian people. During the introduction, they clapped for us a little bit more. It means a lot for us. Playing in front of my family is very special for me. It was very emotional, but today everything was amazing.”
On why they won:
“I feel we worked so hard during the whole season. We knew this [EHF] FINAL4 would be very hard and maybe we need to change something a little bit. And I think we did. We found the good feeling to come here and perform very well.
“This game was a rollercoaster, it went so slow and fast at the same time. When Györ came back, they played well in that period and they could come back to the game. I had the feeling that we had this experience from last year and in my head, I said, it cannot happen twice.
“We were really confident, and in the most critical moments someone could come in and score a goal, [Johanna] Bundsen could save one. We stayed very calm and compact as a team. This victory means everything for the club, for us, for the coaches. I’m very proud of this team and what we achieved this year.”
3/4 PLACEMENT MATCH: BREST BRETAGNE HANDBALL VS CSM BUCURESTI 26:32 (13:15)
Raphaëlle Tervel (FRA) – head coach, Brest Bretagne Handball
On the match:
“It was a very very tough game today. Of course we missed a lot of shot in the goalkeeper. We missed shots because we are tired – for sure it’s linked.
“We didn't have today a lot of energy, not enough to stop CSM today, who was very strong. We try everything, we try everything in attack, in defence, but today we didn't have the energy to stop them.
“CSM are physically very strong in comparison to our little players, and we didn’t succeed as we wanted to to get past them.
“But we tried everything, we gave everything, and that’s the most important thing.”
On her time at the club:
“We won a title, we need to remember that. But it’s hard. It’s hard because in the end I stayed three years, in two years I said we achieved quite a lot, in the third year we said let’s see what we can do, and we didn’t quite manage it. It’s like that, that’s life. I’m still happy that I’m not leaving empty-handed.”
Onacia Ondono (FRA) – line player, Brest Bretagne Handball
On her emotions:
“It's hard to find the positives right now, because we lose two games, but after all we win the title in [the French] championship and it was the first experience of a lot of players doing this tournament.
“I’m proud of my team, because we show a great face and we never give up. It was hard for us today and yesterday, but we didn't give up, so this is good.”
Yvette Petraki (FRA) – line player, Brest Bretagne Handball
On the defeat:
“We were not good enough. What can I say more? We really tried to give everything until the end, but it was not enough. They played very physical and also we had difficulty scoring.”
On whether the semi-final took its toll:
“Of course. It was such a tough game, and to play two such high-level games in two days, it's actually impossible because also the body needs to recover and yesterday it cost us a lot of energy, but this is the way the [EHF] FINAL4 is. All players are having this and also CSM had a tough game against Metz yesterday.”
Ana Gros (SLO) – right back, Brest Bretagne Handball
On her retirement:
“Of course I'm sad, because very important chapter of my life is finishing. Handball was such a big part of me and of course it's very tough, but I'm very pleased with my career and very grateful and I achieved everything I ever dreamed of, so there is just a lot of emotions now, but I am very grateful.
Message to the young girls who want to follow her footsteps:
“Just they need to continue, Handball is such a beautiful sport, it give you so much emotions, and to play in front of this crowd, you know this is all we train for every day and if they love handball they should just continue, it would give them so many things, so many people along the way. So, I am would just encourage them to do handball, because it's beautiful.”
Bojana Popovic (MNE) – head coach, CSM Bucuresti
On the match:
“I think also Brest did a good job. They had a hard work yesterday later, they had less time to recover. It is difficult how we played in less than 24 hours. I want to say thanks for the fight, for the good game.
“I’m proud and this energy today was what we wanted yesterday. When you have the pressure, sometimes it is not possible to reach this. Today I was really happy that the girls were with their right faces there, with the actual energy they had all season.
“I’m happy and I want to congratulate all my staff and team for how they did these seven months together with me. Now we can finish this season this good and we are a good team, we did everything as a team.”
Tatjana Brnovic (MNE) - line player, CSM Bucuresti
On their performance:
“We were empty after yesterday’s performance, because we didn’t manage to put our potential into play to play as we can, as we showed many times. So today for us it was more about showing what we’re capable of, that we wanted to prove to ourselves, not to anybody else to enjoy the game and to show what a great team we are.
“I’m really proud of the fact that yesterday we played as a team, even though we lost, we sticked together and we showed up and we proved that we are a team.”
Inger Smits (NED) – centre back, CSM Bucuresti
On the win:
“I feel very good. This is how we wanted to end this weekend after yesterday. Of course, we wanted to reach the final, but if you can't reach the final, then you have to make the switch in the head, and I think we did this very well and very quickly. And yesterday evening we already said we go for that medal and the way we did this is amazing.”
On what made the difference:
“I felt that we were more ready. Brest had a late game yesterday, so maybe they were a little bit tired, but I felt that we had so much fire in our team and we play much more loose than yesterday. So we reach our level, and then I think it's very hard to beat us.”
On the injury to goalkeeper Gabriela Moreschi:
“This is what you need in a team to win finals like this, to win medals, and it's very hard for us. What happened to Gabi, this touches all of us. Hopefully it's not so bad. And then we showed the character, and this is what a team makes, you know? And that's why we are this strong.”
Gabriela Moreschi (BRA) – goalkeeper, CSM Bucuresti
On the win:
“I'm very happy and proud of my team. I think after yesterday, it was very tough for us who expected to have a better match yesterday. And to come over this and perform the way we did today, it shows that we're very strong, and I'm very happy and proud for this medal.”
On whether she and Evelina Eriksson were the difference-makers:
"I'm a little bit suspicious to say because I think the goalkeepers are the most important part of the game, and I'm very proud of Eva also. I like very much the connection we have in the goal. We are very much a team.
“And it's so good when I left and she said to me that the saves are going to be for me, and this is very important because I also play for her when I'm playing.”
On hearing the fans chant her name as she left the court following an injury:
“It means a lot to have the fans here and also, the fans from Metz and from other teams. They were very much supportive. And I think this is why we play handball, you know?
“We train every day so hard to come in the big events like this. And to have people appreciating handball, appreciating us is the best gift we can have.”
On rising after the semi-final defeat:
“I think this shows a lot of our character, shows that we are a team together. We are not like on the floor. We're just very much professional, we are experienced. We have a chance to get medals, so let's do it together.”
