Growing from day to day

Stipe Mandalinic is probably Croatia's top rising star at the moment. Although he is just 21, his international career began in 2010. Back then was, to be more precise, his first tournament with the national team in the Mediterranean Games in Bar where they took the silver medal.

Underage championship medals and MVP awards followed as the left back began to make a name for himself on the international stage.

Last season was his first as a senior for Zagreb and now he is their big name in the VELUX EHF Champions League.

Six games, 35 goals, with no penalty throws, puts him among the competition's best scorers. Wingers have been dominating in this area for long, but Mads Larsen and Stipe Mandalinic, who has already after 6 rounds passed his last season scoring record in Europe's top flight, are proof that times are changing.

ehfCL.com: You are part of a rejuvenated Zagreb team. Is the club able to build a new golden generation of Croatian handball?

Stipe Mandalinic: We're really young and already playing such a big and important competition. We have potential, but we can make the most of it only if we work hard.

Reaching the top of European handball is not close yet, but I believe that this generation can be the new golden one.

ehfCL.com: Your squad only consists of Croatian players - is this something which pushes the team and the fans?

Stipe Mandalinic: The financial situation is not very good and it surely affects the sporting world.

International players are very expensive and that's probably one of the reasons why club has decided to give young players chance to develop.

The fans are a very important factor and they push us all the time to perform well. Their help makes it easier to play at this level.

ehfCL.com: In the last years and decades a big number of top talents left Zagreb very early to play abroad. Is it a dream for you too, or is your future in Zagreb?

Stipe Mandalinic: Each young player's dream is to play for strong clubs like Kiel, Hamburg or Paris, but Zagreb is also a very good club.

We have history and tradition which demands everyone's respect. Time will decide whether I'll stay or go, but I am currently happy to be a Zagreb player.

ehfCL.com: Is the team 'growing up'?

Stipe Mandalinic: It's easier this season, we're surely more experienced. We' re growing from day to day and of course I am satisfied with my own development in Zagreb.

Coach Dvorsek is giving me plenty of chances which is great and on the other side, such a great shooter like Zlatko Saracevic really helps me with his advice. I really believe in this team.

ehfCL.com: There is a great fight ahead of you in order to qualify for the Last 16. Can you progress?

Stipe Mandalinic: Honestly, we expected that. To be realistic, Veszprem and Rhein Neckar Löwen are at the moment above us, but we can surely fight with Celje and Motor until the end.

Celje's advantage is their win in Ukraine and the match in Veszprem was proof that it was not an accident.

However, we surely have something to say, especially now that Sandrk and Obranovic are back for us.

They are very important and we've shown that now we can even match Löwen for 50 minutes. I was a bit disappointed after that match, but life goes on and our goal is still reachable.

We have to grow, get better and train hard. The match in Celje will be maybe the most important one and is sure to be a great match between two rivals with the same ambitions.