Stegavik looking forward to meeting former teammates

For one player in the Elverum team, their next tie against HCM Baia Mare in Group D of the VELUX EHF Champions League will be particularly special.

The 31-year-old centre and left back Steffen Stegavik played with Baia Mare last season, and quite understandably, he is looking particularly forward to meeting his former teammates in the Terningen Arena.

“Of course, it will be a special experience for me.

“Their team have undergone some changes after I left, but there are still seven or eight players there I used to play with, and I am looking forward to meeting them again,” Steffen Stegavik tells ehfCL.com

Looking back on the year, he spent in Baia Mare he has in general positive memories.

“I had a good time there and played with some great guys. Of course, it was also a year with plenty of success on the court,” he says, referring to the fact that he and his Baia Mare teammates won the Romanian championship and qualified for the Champions League Group Phase.

“Furthermore, it was an advantage for me that the team had a Scandinavian coach, the Dane Lars Walther.

“There is no doubt that this made many things easier for me,” he admits.

Still, one year in Baia Mare was enough for him. Then it was home to Norway and to his former club Elverum Handball Herrer.

“It was nothing to do with handball that made me go home after one season. Regarding the handball itself, things were great, but there were some problems with my contract, but I would really not like to go into details about that,” he explains.

A happy homecoming, but with a downside

His return to Elverum has been a happy homecoming so far.

“First of all, it has been cool to come back at a time, when the club was going to play in the Champions League for the first time in history.

“For many years, this whole town has had a dream of playing the Champions League one day, and now that we are there, we really relish the experience,” says Stegavik.

However, he has to admit that leaving Baia Mare and returning to Norway has had a downside too.

He can no longer be with his wife, Camilla Herrem on a daily basis.

While he played in Baia Mare, she played in the club’s women’s team, so the married couple was able to live together.

However, Herrem left Romania together with Steffen Stegavik, but unlike her husband, it was not move home to Norway.

Now, the Norwegian left wing plays for Team Tvis Holstebro in the Danish league.

“Of course, it is an unusual situation. We lived together for six years here in Norway, and then a year in Romania, so of course it is sad to be living apart in two different countries now.

“However, those were the only options we had. It became Denmark for Camilla and Norway for me, and we simply have to make the best of that,” says Steffen Stegavik.

Not favourites, but with a good chance

Quite naturally, he is extremely motivated ahead of the match against his former team.

“It would really be cool to beat Baia Mare, and I do think we have a chance to do just that.

“Obviously, we are not the favourites, but that applies to all the Champions League matches we play this season.

“Baia Mare definitely still have a good team, but their mood can vary some, so it will be interesting to see what mood they come with. A lot may depend on that, but I believe we have a good chance, nevertheless,” says Steffen Stegavik.

Watch live on ehfTV.com if Stegavik & Co. really can cause another surprise as Elverum Handball Herrer host HCM Baia Mare.