Defence is the key
He is an integral part of the defence of Renovalia Ciudad Real: Spanish international Viran Morros de Argila builds up the infamous "human wall" in their defensive middle block together with Frenchman Didier Dinart.
Before the Quarterfinal duels against SG Flensburg-Handewitt, ehfCL.com spoke to Morros de Argila, who has been playing for the current Spanish Champions since 2007.
ehfCL.com: Renovalia Ciudad Real only lost one single match in the current VELUX EHF Champions League season – and that was in Flensburg. Is this a warning sign for your team?
Viran Morros de Argila: Don’t forget that we have two extremely hard matches before that. It will be important to produce a good result in the first leg match in Flensburg. And of course we are warned after losing the Group Match there.
We will have to give 100 percent in both matches. Flensburg even have more squad alternatives now compared to the Group Stage, as the injured players Mogensen, Knudsen and Szilagyi are back again.
ehfCL.com: Against them, is it an advantage to have the second leg of the Quarterfinals on home ground?
Viran Morros de Argila: Indeed it is good to have the decisive match at home. But if we lose the first game with a seven or eight-goal difference, then this so called advantage turn out to be worth nothing.
But of course, having the possibility to play in front of your home crowd and then even to qualify for the VELUX EHF FINAL4 there can feel well.
ehfCL.com: Last season Renovalia Ciudad Real already participated at the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne – is it obligatory for your club to go there again?
Viran Morros de Argila: Ciudad Real is a great club with a strong team – so we aim for every possible title every season. We want to win the VELUX EHF Champions League, but it will be a difficult task, looking at the other teams which also seek to qualify for Cologne.
But we should not think too much about the VELUX EHF FINAL4 yet, as we first have to beat Flensburg – and that challenge is tough enough.
ehfCL.com: For years the defence has been the main reason for Ciudad Real’s success. Why is that so?
Viran Morros de Argila: That is right, the defence is the key for us. We build our entire match play on a foundation of strong defence including brilliant goalkeepers. It’s our aim to have as many turnovers as possible and then to speed up with our wing players. So it really is our strength.
ehfCL.com: What does it mean to you to play next to Didier Dinart in defence?
Viran Morros de Argila: He’s the best defence specialist in the world and to play beside him is great. But defence is team work and you have to be 100 percent confident in defence. Of course we have special training sessions only for defence and the cooperation of defence with goalkeepers.
We have played together for years and everybody knows what to do and where to move. This is one of our great advantages. And we hope to take profit from our well-rehearsed defence in Flensburg, too.
ehfCL.com: You have already won two titles in the VELUX EHF Champions League with Ciudad Real – what would your third and the club’s fourth trophy mean to you?
Viran Morros de Argila: It would be another great story for our trophies cabinet, for the club and for me. But as I mentioned before: at first we need to go to Cologne – but by winning there it would be the first time to take the title at a FINAL4, this would be something special. But still we are far away from everything.
ehfCL.com: After having played in Cologne in 2010 – what is your opinion about the event and the atmosphere?
Viran Morros de Argila: It is absolutely great to play there in this huge sold-out arena. It was a real big crowd that forced you to give all – the atmosphere was perfect and a perfect advertisement for handball.
TEXT:
Björn Pazen