The CL debutants comment on the draw results and the chances in the upcoming season.
FCK's ambitions
FCK Håndbold’s women are debutants in the EHF Champions League – similarly to the men. FCK are in the second qualification round with a wild-card. Nevertheless, many people in Denmark expect the team to get real far in the tournament already in their first season.
The successful coach, Anja Andersen, joined from Slagelse where she won three CL titles already. Together with her nine players arrived from the team and others also arrived. These players secured a third place in the Danish league last season.
Despite the great expectations, handball director of FC København, Thomas Hylle, believes that it will not be an easy job.
Respect for Dunaferr
“Of course, our first aim is to reach the group phase, but I do not believe that it would be easy to win our qualification group. Dunafer will probably be a tough opponent,” Thomas Hylle said. FCK have been drawn to Qualification Group 4 with Hungarian Dunaferr, Ukrainian champions Motor Zaporozhye and a still unknown team from the first qualification round.
Should FCK pass that round, they will join Group B where Hypo Niederösterreich, Orsan Elda Prestigio and Budocnost were drawn.
“That will also be an interesting group with strong teams. Of course we aim to win every game we play. Anyone who knows Anja’s ambitious nature may know this. However, we also have to realise that we have to build a new team with a new coach,” Thomas Hylle told Eurohandball.com.
Anja Andersen has already expressed her objective: to win the Champions League with FCK in 2010. This is the official goal of the club.
“This objective has not been changed, but of course we aim to get as far as possible in the CL this season too,” Thomas Hylle added.
TEXT:
Peter Bruun