Hombrados: "No Germans again, please!"
José Hombrados knows how it feels to win titles. In his long career the Spanish goalkeeper won the EHF Champions League five times with three clubs – as the only player in the world: Teka Santander, Portland San Antonio and three times with his current club Renovalia Ciudad Real.
Now Hombrados and his team mates are on the way to take the next step to raise another trophy. Before the return match against SG Flensburg-Handewitt the Renovalia Ciudad Real players are full of confidence after a highly successful week.
First they won the first leg of the Quarterfinals of the VELUX EHF Champions League 38:24 in Flensburg, then they clashed Barcelona in the "Asobal clasico" 30:27 and remain unbeaten on home ground in domestic matches for more than six and a half years.
Before the game against Flensburg, Hombrados is already looking ahead to the VELUX FINAL4 in Cologne in this interview with ehfCL.com.
ehfCL.com: You beat Barcelona on Tuesday – did this result increase your confidence?
José Hombrados: Yes, well, this victory gave us a lot of extra motivation, not only for the match against Flensburg, but also for the rest of the season. We have performed well, we want to go to Cologne to win the VELUX EHF Champions League title and we are aiming high to win the IHF Super Globe in Doha again.
It has always been our objective to win titles, and as we will not be able to defend our title in Spain, we need other fields to become champions on.
ehfCL.com: Did you expect such a clear result in the first Quarterfinal in Flensburg?
José Hombrados: No, never, but we played extremely concentrated and decided the match very early. 14 goals are very much, but we always want to win, so we will also be starting the return match with the will to beat Flensburg again. For us, matches at home are something very special.
ehfCL.com: In the last 12 years Renovalia Ciudad Real only lost three international matches on home ground – what does this series mean to you?
José Hombrados: Indeed, we are really strong at home, nearly unbeatable. We are pushed by our spectators and we always want to make them feel happy. I think most of the opponents are a little bit afraid of playing in the Qichote Arena.
ehfCL.com: Last season you participated at the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne – despite losing the semi against Kiel, what are your memories?
José Hombrados: It is a great atmosphere in this great LANXESS Arena full of frenetic spectators. I want to go there again, and it looks quite good for the second qualification for the VELUX EHF FINAL4. But this year we are trying to win in Cologne.
ehfCL.com: In case you could wish, what team would you like to meet in the semi in Cologne?
José Hombrados: This is a difficult question, as none of the possible opponents are known yet and all possibilities look very tough. But I only have one wish: Not to meet a German team in the Semifinals again!
TEXT:
Björn Pazen