Post-match flash quotes: final and 3rd place match, 4 May

GRAZ - Comments from HSG Blomberg Lippe head coach Steffen Birkner (GER) and left back Nieke Kühne (GER), and JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball head coach Clement Alcacer (FRA) and right back Celine Sivertsen (NOR) and left back Gnonsiane Niombla (FRA); Ikast Håndbold head coach Søren Hansen (DEN) and centre back Emma Lindqvist (SWE) and right back Stine Skogrand (NOR), and Thüringer HC head coach Herbert Müller (GER) and left back Johanna Reichert (AUT) and centre back Natsuki Aizawa (JPN)

HSG BLOMBERG-LIPPE vs JDA BOURGOGNE DIJON HANDBALL

Steffen Birkner (GER) – head coach, HSG Blomberg-Lippe

On losing the match:

“The first half was hard for us, with our shooting, and we had not so good solutions. In the second half we came better in the game, found more solutions in offence and took a little bit more our hearts in our hands.”

On what Blomberg take home from the EHF Finals:

“We lost two games in the final tournament, but I’m very proud of my team. The games in the group phase, from game to game we see we got a little bit better from the start of the season. That’s good. I said to the girls in the dressing room: ‘We are finished for the moment, but we come back and take all our developments to be a better team next season.’”

Nieke Kühne (GER) – left back, HSG Blomberg-Lippe

On losing the third-place match:

“I have to say it’s hard now to be proud. I think maybe in one or two days we can be proud. It was a tough game, too many goals we missed and too many easy mistakes in the first half. The second half was what we wanted to show in both games. Maybe it was a good way to say goodbye, to see we are like this — a team that fights. We can be proud of that.”

Clement Alcacer (FRA) – head coach, JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball

On finally beating Blomberg:

“They are big opponents all the time, we played a lot against them this year. The difference today was the solidarity of the girls. We wanted to fight, but fight together. The girls were amazing today.”

On winning bronze:

“We were focused and aggressive, we showed what we are today. We are a crazy team.”

Celine Sivertsen (NOR) – right back, JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball

On finally beating Blomberg:

“Yesterday was very hard, we were all disappointed and we were really down. We are a young team with a lot of young players, so the disappointment hit hard. It was very important for us to switch fast and to turn this disappointment into motivation for the next match. I feel like the pressure was probably on them today, we had nothing to lose. Of course, we wanted this medal, it’s important for us, for the club, and we are very, very proud. In the end, we were just lucky that we won the right match against them.”

Gnonsiane Niombla (FRA) – left back, JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball

On the difference between the first and second half:

“In the first half we played really well, but we knew they were a bit asleep and they woke up in the second half. We were afraid because they started to play really fast and well and they had good shots, but in the end it was a mental fight and I think that we deserve this medal today.”

On what was different today compared to the previous games against HSG Blomberg-Lippe:

“We had extra motivation today and like I said, we knew we had two identical games, we were up and they came back, and it was the same scenario in the second half. But every time we had a save or managed to get the ball, we tried to let time pass and it was really good. It’s really good for us to have this medal.”

On what the bronze medal means to them:

“It’s a really big satisfaction for this young group to have this medal in the first participation at the EHF Finals. It means a lot.”

IKAST HÅNDBOLD vs THÜRINGER HC

Søren Hansen (DEN) – head coach, Ikast Håndbold

On losing control of the final after the first half:

“In the first half, we needed to lead with more goals when we went into half-time. Those were our own mistakes. And in the second half, our defence and goalkeeper together didn’t find the solution to stop Thüringer, who were playing very well in the second half.”

On missing out on the trophy:

“It’s hard for us, it’s hard for the club, we were going for the win. A lot of emotions are in our bodies now. Most of all, we are looking at ourselves. But we are not satisfied of how we managed this second half, so that was sad.”

Emma Lindqvist (SWE) – centre back, Ikast Håndbold

On the defeat in the final:

“We didn’t find a solution in our defence, and yes, one of them (Johanna Reichelt) had a great game, but I am so disappointed right now.”

Stine Skogrand (NOR) – right back, Ikast Håndbold

On the final loss:

“I think we made too many mistakes in the last part of the first half, we should have been in front with more than one goal. Reichert kept on scoring goals and it’s not easy winning against Thüringer.”

On not finding solutions for a comeback:

“Of course, we got the ride card on Lykkegaard, she is very important for us. I think it’s our own fault, Thüringer are a very good team, but I think we did a good first half and had the feeling that we could do this. We had to work really hard and we didn’t work hard enough, that’s why we are in second place.”

On their thoughts when they were leading 15:11 in the first half:

“We knew that there were many minutes left and we couldn’t calm down because they were coming with the cannons. We also thought that we had more to give, but we did not show that.

Herbert Müller (GER) – head coach, Thüringer HC

On winning the title:

“It feels incredible. It’s so great to see with what fighting spirit, with what emotions we played today. We knew that at the end of the day, Ikast have the stronger team than us, but we also knew that in the 60 minutes everything is possible. We told ourselves the whole day that we must be there after 50 minutes and then we will win this match. In the beginning, it was really amazing with what speed they came over us. But we managed to run. I said: ‘Girls, we have to run like rabbits.’ And they have done this.”

On deserving the trophy against a strong opponent:

“At the end of the day, especially because of the second half, this was a well-deserved win. I am very, very proud of my team and very, very proud of how we treated this whole weekend, and also of our supporters who are great.”

Johanna Reichert (AUT) – left back, Thüringer HC

On her season:

“It’s the best season I’ve played since I moved to Germany. I don’t know what I did different this year, I really have no idea, but I am just happy how it turned out. I don’t care about the personal trophies; I think it’s always nicer to win together and take the title home.”

Natsuki Aizawa (JPN) – centre back, Thüringer HC

On winning the final against Ikast Håndbold:

“I am so happy and proud of the team! Dinah Eckerle was great and everybody played well. It was a really exciting game and I was a bit nervous. Ikast are so fast and strong and they are on the same level as a Champions League team.”

Photo © kolektiff