– We are favorites against Vardar, but they have a really good team, two quality players on every position. We knew that “hell” waiting for us in Skopje, but we wanted to left Macedonia with positive result, and that could be even small defeat with one or two goals, draw, etc. Even Barca and PSG couldn’t win in “Boris Trajkovski” hall.
You said already that FC Barcelona are the first favorite for EHF CL trophy…
– Yes, and I can repeat that. They have been favorites last year also, and again, of course, with Lazarov and Karabatic in the squad, but as we showed last season, in Cologne, everything is possible. You have only two matches. Our goal is to reach F4, and then, we will see what will happen…
The derby of the TOP 16 is clash between Vive Targi Kielce and Rhein Neckar Lowen (we talked before the first match)…
– I am really interested to see who will progress to TOP 8. Chances are 50-50. I support Kielce because all of my Croatian friends there.
You are probably also a “fan” of PSG because of Kopljar, Vori and Gojun…
– Yes, I wish them all the best. They are favorites against Gorenje, but also strong candidates for F4 in Cologne. They didn’t have experience of playing in domestic competition alongside EHF Champions League. Matches on every three-four days, team has to be well prepared for that and has a doze of experience…
You have been amazing in 2013, won World Player awards from Handball-Planet and IHF, became HANDBALL PERSON 2013. Can you repeat last year?
– I can only hope, because 2013 was a dream-year. I am speechless when someone ask me about the awards. I am disappointed that we didn’t won the gold at WCh 2013 in Spain. I have won the EHF CL, these two awards for the World Best Player. That is also a responsibility to try to reach even higher level in the future. I know that “yesterday” doesn’t exist in professional sport. I am kind of a person who always look forward and wish to win more and more. I am happy, but also ready for new challenges…
After years of Filip Jicha and Domagoj Duvnjak, beginning of 2014 showed that Nikola Karabatic is again “the old one”…
– He played amazing tournament in Denmark, but also playing good in Barcelona. Nikola is an outstanding player.
Did you expect such a fantastic French performance at EHF EURO 2014?
– I have never seen in my life something like final match in Herning. That nobody expected, to score 42 goals in the final in Denmark against host team. A lot of people talking about rejuvenation of French squad, but when you look on that squad, they have fantastic team, now with Portes, who played two fantastic matches during final weekend. They are young, but also experienced team. France will be among TOP nations for a long time…
They are keeping “old” players. For example, in Croatian system, Jerome Fernandez would be retired already as Lacković or Balić…
– Maybe I am not the right person to speak about that. It is like that in our team. I told already that I would be happy if some player come in once again, but as I told you, coach has to say the last word…
Interesting fact is that two world best player in 2013 by IHF, Andrea Lekic and you were born in the distance of 176 km. You are from Djakovo, she is from Belgrade…
– That is a huge success. I congratulated Andrea, that is one more prove that best handball is coming from Balkan. I hope that she will continue in that way – concluded Duvnjak for Handball-Planet.com.
