VIENNA - Comments from Hungary head coach Vlagyimir Golovin and centre back Petra Vamos (both HUN) and Norway head coach Thorir Hergeirsson (ISL) and left wing Camilla Herrem (NOR); and France head coach Sebastien Gardillou and centre back player Tamara Horacek (both FRA), and Denmark head coach Jesper Jensen, line player Kaja Kamp (and DEN), at a press conference in Vienna on Thursday, ahead of the EHF EURO 2024 semi-finals on Friday.

HUNGARY vs NORWAY

Vlagyimir Golovin (HUN) – head coach

On the semi-finals:

“Hungary haven’t been in the semi-final for so long. We are really proud because we think we deserve to be in the semi-final this year. We have achieved what we planned so far in the tournament, but we know that on Friday we will face one of the best, if not the best team, in the world.

“We have seen in this tournament that Norway has, let’s not say problems, but some kind of small problems in attack because they had to rebuild their attack because of the changes in the squad. But they have a really good and tough defence, and so far none of the seven teams achieved to face successfully their defence.

“We have our own plan. We will do the best that we can to be on the top level and play the top level of our own game. We think we can play the semi-final without any kind of stress or pressure on us.”

Petra Vamos (HUN) – centre back

On Hungary reaching the semi-finals:

“We had a really hard last few years, but we worked really hard to be where we are now. I think because we were young, we were inexperienced players, we still had a really big heart and we were really motivated. Now it looks like the hard work paid off.

“I’m really proud of our team. Maybe everything came to the right place during this tournament. I think we developed especially mentally during this time. Now I feel like it doesn’t matter who is the opponent. We are ready to fight and give our best. I’m curious what will happen on Friday.”

On the fans:

“Playing at home was an amazing experience. I think our fans did an amazing job. They supported us from the hotel to the arena. It was a really good feeling to feel that they are standing next to us even when the situation is really hard. Vienna is close to Hungary so I hope a lot of fans will come and support us. I think they are a part of this result, that we are here in the semi-finals.”

On Hungary’s position right now:

“I think this is a really big result for Hungary to be here, but I feel like this team is ready for or hungry for success. I feel like, in this result, the fans, they have a really important part of this success. I think they gave us a lot of energy in the hard times especially, but feel their support means a lot for us.

“In the past we didn’t reach good results in European championship or world championship, but they still supported us no matter what, so we would like to thank you for them for a really good performance.”

Thorir Hergeirsson (ISL) – head coach, Norway

On the semi-final against Hungary:

“There is no surprise that Hungary are in the semi-final. They have been building a team for many years. They have had good players from the youth and junior national teams. They have been developing the last years and taking big steps. They have a really good team, so they deserve this semi-final of course.”

On the tournament:

“In this championship, this is for me a little bit typical EURO after the Olympic Games. Many players played three championships in 13 months, and they also play EHF Champions League and they play every Wednesday and Sunday, so this championship is a little bit like it always is in the year of the Olympics. But I think we have seen good handball. Many good matches, and I think overall, women’s handball is developing in a very positive way.

“For our team, we prepare as we always do. We respect our opponents. We have quite new things in our team after the Olympics. We had to rebuild our attack especially, so we will prepare as well as we can and do as well as we can tomorrow.”

On his last final weekend leading Norway:

“I have not been thinking about it at all. Only time I think about it is when the journalists ask the same question. I’ve had about 1,000 since 9th of September, and I understand it — it’s OK.

“I just work. I’m very good at working. Born in Iceland, you have to work hard to survive. So I work, and then I forget everything. Now I’m only thinking about playing against Hungary. Prepare the players and the team and myself as good as I can. That’s my only thinking right now.”

Camilla Herrem (NOR) – left wing

On enjoying the matches alongside long-term teammate Katrine Lunde:

“We’re playing handball because it’s fun. It’s something that we love. We want to do and we’ve been doing since we were young. We started doing this because we thought it was fun.

“I think it’s something you never should forget — this is handball. It’s supposed to be fun, it’s supposed to be joy, it’s supposed to be something you love to do, so it’s important not to have too much pressure on your shoulders when you’re out on the field and remember this is pure fun. That’s why we love doing it.

“Standing in a semi-final with a lot of spectators that’s coming on Friday. For me and Katrine, that’s something we love to do. We love when there’s so many spectators. We get so much energy from it. Of course, we are serious on the field, but I think we have to have to have moments also on the field to look in each other’s eyes and just take a little bit pressure off the shoulders.

“We’ve been standing in the semi-finals for many years and if you only feel pressure and stress then it takes out the fun. I think that’s one of our main goals also as a team, because we gather for so many weeks. I think our positive side, that we always have so much fun together, off the field as well, on the field also. I think it’s something you should just never forget to have.”

FRANCE vs DENMARK

Sebastien Gardillou (FRA) – head coach

On his team:

“After the Olympics (it) was easy to keep the core of the team. Key players decided to stay and try to win the European championship. My purpose as a new head coach is to help them obtain their goal.”

On Denmark:

“We will prepare the game against the strong team. Our purpose is to go to the final. We have to analyse sharp how they work and how they play. We know each other so well, this is not the first time we play against each other.

“Jesper (Jensen) has a lot of experience and maybe even know our players better then me. Each game needs to be taken seriously and we need to make one step more than in the previous games.

“I watched their game against the Netherlands and it's not easy to beat the Netherlands by that advantage and they did, and it's a good summary of how strong they are. I'm not afraid of them, but I'm very focused how to organise the French team to be better than against the Hungary.”

Tamara Horacek (FRA) – centre back

On playing the semi-finals:

“All professional players train for these games. It is hard to get to the semi-final and it's a long way. We are mentally prepared to play. In the end, it's just handball.”

On the game against Denmark:

“We need to keep strong together like we were from the start of the competition. Denmark are a great team, but we haven't played against them since World Championship in 2021.

“We know there will be a great fight between us, but we are getting ready for games like these. We have good rotation, we all played, but didn't play a lot of minutes and I think our wide squad could be our advantage as we will not be that tired and we have good base.”

Jesper Jensen (DEN) – head coach

On the team and injuries to Sarah Iversen and Althea Reinhardt:

“It's been crazy days. We had two major injuries of our key players. It's been tough, there are many friends inside the team, so there was a lot of feelings the day before the game against the Netherlands. But we stick together. I'm proud and I had great feeling before that match.”

On the game against France:

“The Netherlands play differently than French team. France have world-class players, even beyond this 16. We have a lot of respect for them. They are strong and doing so good together for a long time.

“I've been in this situation six times, as we played six semi-finals and I'm proud of that. But we have to consider the fact France have been in (the) final five times, so they are strong and we have to put up a fight. I think we have a good chance tomorrow. We have to play at the top level.

”They change a lot, they change thy rhythm of the game. They go from 6-0 to 5-1, from 5-1 to 6-0 again, and they keep chasing, they put on new skills into the court. So that'll be a huge experience for us, but I think we are pretty well prepared and the team we bring into the semi-final have a lot of  confidence.”

Kaja Kamp (DEN) – line player

On playing her first semi-final:

“I don't think I will prepare differently than I would if I'm at home. Luckily, I'm playing in a big club at home and have been playing in (EHF) FINAL4 in the (EHF) Champions League in the last three years. So I have that experience and been playing this stage, so I will lean on that. I'll do my best and take the role Jesper (Jensen) will give me.”

On France:

“The French team is very strong because they have a lot of opportunities, they have a lot of good players and they can play with many different constellations. You never know what you have to prepare on.

“They can do a lot of different things as Jasper (Jensen) said, they have a lot of experience in being in those kind of matches. They have just played a final at the Olympics, so they are quite experienced in being in those hard situations.”