Ohrid “want to be brave in defence” in European Cup final

Head coach Boris Rojevic shares his thoughts on the development of his team, Ohrid’s strengths and his expectations ahead of the first leg against MOL Tatabanya this Sunday.

eurohandball.com: When looking back on the road to the final, why does your team deserve to be in the showdown for the title?

Boris Rojevic: We deserve to be in the final because we were better than our opponents. We were very comfortable in the first rounds against HC Baki, MRK Sloga Doboj and HC Dukla Praha. In the quarter-finals against Olympiacos, we showed a great performance in Greece but had a difficult match at home. In the semi-finals against Celje, it was very, very hard for us. However, we fought through and earned our spot in the big final against MOL Tatabanya.

eurohandball.com: The club made many changes to the squad before this season. How did you manage to find a rhythm on the court quickly?

Boris Rojevic: We also made some changes during the season. I was appointed as the head coach in April, so the squad for this season was already set. During the season, we analysed which players were good enough for our goals and made some changes. I expect that we build a team this summer that can play together for three or four years in Ohrid. Our team is in development. For example, we lost two very important left backs. Now, only Ante Ivankovic is available for this position.

eurohandball.com: What has impressed you most about your team this season?

Boris Rojevic: Our defence is the best in the region. Kristian Pilipović is the best goalkeeper in the league. Additionally, we have great defenders such as Oriol Rey Morales, Ante Ivankovic, Nikolaos Liapis and David Savrevski. At the start of the season, we invested much time into our defence.

eurohandball.com: What do you want to see from your defence? Is the tactical approach or the attitude more important for your team?

Boris Rojevic: It is a mix. We want to be brave in defence while also following our ideas on how we want to play our defensive style.

eurohandball.com: What do you expect from your opponents, MOL Tatabanya, in the final? Will their playing style suit your team?

Boris Rojevic: Maybe Tatabanya are the favourites, because they have more experience in European competitions. They have top-quality players in their squad and we respect that. However, we play the second leg in Ohrid. We know how good our defence can perform, which boosts our confidence. We expect to win and won’t wave the white flag, but will try everything to win the title.

eurohandball.com: What will be the key for your team to succeed in the final?

Boris Rojevic: Our defence. During the season, we collected good results. Now, we battle a very good team in Tatabanya. They play very fast, so we have to come back on defence as quickly as possible. They have many experienced players and a high individual quality. The difference between the two squads in the back-court positions is big. We have four backs available at the moment, while Tatabanya have eight very good players in the squad.

eurohandball.com: Does your team need to manage the pace very carefully during the finals because of the smaller squad?

Boris Rojevic: Yes, definitely. That is a huge advantage for Tatabanya.

eurohandball.com: For consecutive seasons, a team from North Macedonia has reached the EHF European Cup Men final. What does that say about the development of club handball in the country?

Boris Rojevic: We have a really strong and difficult league in North Macedonia. We surprised a little bit this season and want to fight for second place against HC Eurofarm Pelister and HC Alkaloid. All the matches in the league are really hard, which is important for our team to develop.

photos © GRK Ohrid