HERNING/OSLO/KRISTIANSTAD – Comments from players and coaches after matches in Men's EHF EURO 20206 preliminary round groups B, D and F on Tuesday.
HUNGARY vs ICELAND 23:24 (14:14)
José Rodríguez (ESP) – Hungary head coach
On the defeat:
“I'm really proud. I always said to my players we fight all the time 100 per cent, that we give everything on the court. After, I’m always proud.
“Today was one day like this. We fight like crazy. We know Iceland is a great team, so hard team. They are with a lot of big players and coach. Incredible team. We fight until the end, trying to win the match. Finally, they win.”
On why Iceland won:
“We did defence so good we make really good job. But after in attack we had some problems. Their goalkeeper was amazing. He stopped a lot of balls. More in the beginning of 10 minutes, 12 minute of second half we had problem scoring goal and after we started having more difficulties in attack. They also had problems to attack us and it was one match like where we were defending hard and score goals in fast break. They win the match and we are so proud of the team.”
On the plan they had against Iceland:
“We have one plan, we try to pass our game, in our defence, try to defend to have our goalkeeper save and try to run to score easy goal. It's our way. I think we defend good today but it wasn't enough to win.”
Ómar Ingi Magnússon (ISL) – right back
On the game against Hungary:
“It was a hard, physical match with good defences on both sides. Goalkeepers had some saves. It was a lot of defence.”
On how he sees his team:
“We take two points with us. We been playing fine, but still think we can improve in some areas and then we build on what we've been doing good and go from there.”
SLOVENIA vs FAROE ISLANDS 30:27 (16:15)
Uroš Zorman (SLO) – Slovenia head coach
On what decided the game:
“I would say fight and defence, and discipline in attack. As we said in the locker room, everything done on the court. This is what every coach wants. today was really nice to play in this full hall, with fans of the Faroe Islands and also our fans. I need to thank our fans. In the end, it’s nice to be Slovenians.”
On their preliminary round overall:
“When you look from up or behind, we grew up in each game. today, we played a good match. It’s very hard to defend their seven to six. And also with their fans. As I said, fight and defence made the difference. Also, we did not lose balls, maybe three or four balls.”
Domen Makuc (SLO) – centre back
On what decided the game:
“For sure, our team spirit, which is fantastic. I think today we played for the first time, from the first minute, like we said we should in the locker room. We need to play like that as a team on both sides of the court. You can see that if we play together, we play really good.”
On taking two points to the main round:
“Our plan was to get to the main round. We did it two days ago, but if you do it with two points, it’s even better. I am really happy with the result, with all three matches and I hope we won’t stop here.”
Peter Bredsdorff-Larsen (DEN) – Faroe Islands head coach
On what decided the game:
“Slovenia have a lot of experienced players who are used to games on very-high level. They used all their skills. We were hanging in there. We had our momentum after half-time, we hit a 5:2, we should have continued that. We missed some big chances, we might have felt the pressure, we are not used to that. That’s how it is.
“We were very close, we did what we could. Maybe we missed defensive experience, compared to the one Slovenians have.”
On their tournament overall:
“We improved ourselves, we showed we are a very competitive team, a very hard one to beat. Even though we have a lot of players who don’t play at a very high level. We are very proud of our performance, of our way to coming to the EURO, the way we qualified.
“Two years ago, we qualified for the competition, now we won a game. We were close, maybe if we had beaten Montenegro by more, it would have been our turn to go to the main round. But all due respect to Slovenia.”
Pauli Jacobsen (FAR) – goalkeeper
On what decided the game:
“They played with an extremely good defence, especially on one against one, and their goalkeeper had a great performance with crucial saves in the second half. That was the decisive thing in the game.”
On what the Faroe Islands can take from the tournament:
“There is a lot of experiences that we can take. Of course, we lost, but the most important is that we gave everything. We believed in the tactics we had, we did that since the beginning. We don’t care by how much we are losing, we just want to play the next ball. I am very proud of the team.”
DENMARK vs PORTUGAL 29:31 (11:12)
Nikolaj Jacobsen (DEN) – Denmark head coach
On the loss against Portugal:
“Today we didn’t play well. Especially in attack, in the first half and also in the second half we made a lot of mistakes, we don’t normally make that much like we did today and defence in the first half, the last 20 minutes were good. In the beginning of the second half also, but then second half we couldn’t with our defence and goalkeepers get many stops and Portugal played really well and also deserve this victory.”
On where they stand in the tournament:
“We know we have a lot of quality, but if we look at this match, if we want to go through to the semi-final, we need to play with less mistakes than we did today.”
Kevin Møller (DEN) – goalkeeper
On the defeat:
“We simply lost to a better team today. Portugal played really well, very strong. They put us under a lot of pressure in attack. They forced us into technical errors, and defensively we were actually set up quite well at times. But on the counterattacks, the Costa brothers just completely flattened us, and that obviously makes things very difficult for us.
"I saw fight and determination. And that never disappoints me when I see it. At the end of the day, that’s just how it is. We lost today against a much better team, and they deserved to take the two points.
On the upcoming pressure in the main round:
“There are many aspects to it. Now we have to learn from this. Today we’re frustrated, and then the preparation for the next match begins. I also know that a lot of players will struggle to sleep tonight. So preparation probably won’t really start until tomorrow afternoon.
"Recovery is the first step, and learning from the game comes after that. Then we simply have to go all out and show who we are over the next few matches. There’s no room for mistakes anymore.”
On the next opponents, France:
“Against France, nothing is ever guaranteed, and the way they’ve played so far has been impressive. I haven’t seen France play with that kind of drive and pace for many, many years, so it will be interesting to see where we stand against them. They are also the European champions, and it would be nice to beat them.”
Luís Frade (POR) – line player
On the win:
“It is tough to put it in words. We were superb in many parts: our goalkeepers helped us a lot, defence-wise it was perfect how we stopped Denmark. In attack, we had a high-scoring efficiency against Emil (Nielsen) in the goal. The rest I do not know. But I feel really proud of this team. It is incredible that we made it with two points to the main round.”
On being only the second-ever team to defeat Denmark in Herning:
“I did not know this. We won a game and pass with two points, this is what counts. We are happy today, but we have to keep our feet on the group. It is still only one victory – of course against unbeatable Denmark. Now we have to rest and get ready for the main round.”
On bouncing back from the draw against North Macedonia:
“After the match against Macedonia we were devastated, as we wanted to guarantee the qualification for the main round. But maybe it was better for us to draw. Yesterday I was pissed, today I am smiling all over.”
On their first main round opponents, Germany:
“We have to forget this win against Denmark quickly, we have to be ready for a really strong German team, with powerful back court shooters. Their defence is amazing.”
Salvador Salvador (POR) – left back
On the victory:
“This was a really deserved win. Two days ago, we left this hall with a bad feeling after the draw against Macedonia, today it was the opposite. We did everything we need to do against the World champions in their hall. We did an almost perfect game with a really good attack and defence. We did our job.”
On the significance for Portugal:
“If we think about the past, Denmark are unbeaten at World Championships, we never won a game against them in seven attempts. But we are growing, Portugal is putting a lot of effort to be one of the best teams in the world. Today was an example of this. If we keep this mentality, we can do amazing things.”
On their first main round opponents, Germany:
“We have a hell of a main round ahead with Germany, France, Spain and Norway – all of them can make it to the semi-finals. It will be hard week and a half with four really competitive games. Last year we beat Germany, but in the last ten years there were a lot of defeats. But if we keep this spirit and stick together, we can win again. Germany play with an impressive defence, and their match against Spain was outstanding.”
POLAND vs ITALY 28:29 (13:15)
Jesús González (ESP) – Poland head coach
On the defeat in the last moments:
“We were playing seven-against-six in that moment and we decided to tell the goalkeeper not to change because, for us, a draw was enough. At the moment where there were minutes left of the match we had a draw and decided to tell the goalkeeper not to change and my players didn't see this situation.
“He enter a little on the court and after that we were in trouble and they were able to score. Now it's difficult for us, this situation because this mistake was really, really hard for us. In the end we got the worse position in the group, and this is the situation.”
On the experience:
“We have lot of things to work, to improve. But, we have to keep working. This is my first experience with the team. Maybe I try to teach them a lot of things. Maybe in some moments I need to simplify things because sometimes its really complicated for them. This is current situation.”
Mikołaj Czapliński (POL) – left wing
On the defeat:
“In last minute we did big mistakes. In the first half we lost a lot of balls. We were missing shots. In defence we get too many two minutes suspensions and it was problem. It's not just this last action that we can win this game. It's like this.”
On their EHF EURO performance:
“We are so disappointed for us. We wanted here to win games and we were prepared for everything, but we play really bad tournament.”
Jakub Skrzyniarz (POL) – goalkeeper
On the match:
“We are very disappointed after this match. We miss a lot of balls and we make a lot of mistakes to win this game.
“But I think we are very good in the second half, but at the end we lose. It was a very tough loss.”
On their EHF EURO as a whole:
“It’s very hard to say now because we are five minutes after the game, but I think we have to do a lot of work in the training.”
Bob Hanning (GER) – Italy head coach
On the win in the context of the tournament:
“I feel very good.
“It was so important after we lost against Iceland, and you saw what happened with the players, because I put our aim maximum high to go for the main round, because I want to go for the main round, because I want that they feel that they are able to do special things.
“Then we have some injured players, and Iceland play so good, and we take 10 balls less than them to the goal. And we go two days later, and it’s also not so easy to do it on this level against Hungary. Many 50:50 decisions don’t go of our side. Then we have one chance to change the game, we lost this one chance because we go four times for missed shots. Then we were out.
“But I always know this is the most important game now against Poland, and I talk to my guys – for Domenico Ebner, for (Davide) Bulzamini, for (Andrea) Parisini, and for Simone Mengon, to help me now, to bring us back to the game. If the player don’t feel it’s so important it’s not easy for me to help all the guys.”
On the development of Italian handball:
“They was working for it, so I’m happy because Italian people see what we can do if we work more harder than we do in this year. We are by 10, 15 per cent what we are able to do, but we have to do it together. Talk to the junior national coach, we have to talk to the league.
“This is the best what can happen for Italy, that all people think the same, that all people go now for one side, not to take more than they take out, and also to do it for Italian handball. It’s not me alone, and I know it’s many work to do, and I’m not happy with everything what happened in this year, but I’m happy that we win the game and have now a little bit better position for the World Championship.”
On the last minute of the match:
“I’m really not nervous. I always concentrate, but I feel my heart on the field. You have to be totally clear in this situation. I love these moments, I love always these moments to change, to decide, to look what is the best way. Sometimes it works, sometimes it not works, it’s also the truth, but I love to do it. That’s really why coaches are coaches, and I feel very good.
“I’m old enough, and it’s not necessary to do this job for me. I pay more inside than take outside. I love to do it and I love to work with my guys.”
Simone Mengon (ITA) – left back
On Italy's first win after 28 years:
“It's crazy feeling. We were waiting for a long time for this. We work hard, not just in last three weeks but last two years. We searched for this win for three games, It was hard in first two games, and today we finally did it. In the last 10 seconds we did a winning goal and it's like finally good feeling.”
On the first half:
“At the beginning we were like a bit too much in foul. They have good defence, physical defence. But in 15 minutes we found some solution and after that their defence was more open. Also fast break and a good defence, we could run and that was really good for us against such team.”
Leo Prantner (ITA) – right wing
On the first EHF EURO win since 1998:
“We are very happy about this victory, this was a real fight, Poland were always close. We can be happy about their last mistake, when they changed the player. We are just happy that we won."
On the development during this tournament:
“The development is very positive. Against Iceland, we played a good match for 15 minutes. They have better players and wider bench with players from the Champions League. Hungary have more quality than us. But today, we really wanted to win this game, as it was so important. We played with heart and put everything on the match.”
MONTENEGRO vs SWITZERLAND 26:43 (16:22)
Didier Dinart (FRA) – Montenegro head coach
On the defeat:
“Tonight was a very bad night. I think we were all disappointed by our first two losses, especially the one against Slovenia, and it had an impact on the other two games.”
On what he takes from the three preliminary round games:
“Overall, our defence was not good, we did not have enough rotations. We have to remain cold-blooded to make the analysis of our three games.”
Miodrag Ćorsović (MNE) – line player
On the defeat:
“I have nothing to say. I feel sorry about this performance. It's dissapointing. To lose by 20 against anyone, even the best team in the world, it's just disappointing. I'm sorry. I have nothing else to say.”
On what decided the game:
“To be honest, really, I don’t know. I don’t have any word to describe what happened tonight.”
On what Montenegro can take from the EHF EURO:
“Nothing good. To be honest, I don’t know, I don’t have the words.”
Andy Schmid (SUI) – head coach
On the key to the win versus Montenegro:
“The mentality. The mentality of our players. The heart of our players. They took this hard defeat against Slovenia — they took some examples. That’s why they showed amazing character. Played over 60 minutes an amazing game, from defence to attack to everything. It was a great day for us.”
On whether it was a perfect game for Switzerland:
“Perfect it was not. There is still room to improve but it was close to an amazing game. This is what I tell my players all the time: they don’t know how good they are. They showed it and this helps everyone who was on the field today. They can feel it. The defeat against Slovenia, they feel the pain, and now they feel the joy and that’s so important as a sportsman to grow in the future.”
On the preliminary round overall:
“I think we were stable over three games. We were in every game we had chances to win. I think we were one of the best teams in the group, but it doesn’t help if Faroe Islands win today against Slovenia — we are going home with a really hard defeat against Slovenia. But maybe there is a handball God or I don’t know. I can only change what I have in my hands, or in our hands. That’s why I go to the hotel now and relax.”
Gino Steenaerts (SUI) – right wing
On what decided the game:
“We gave 100 per cent. We focused on ourselves, played our game so that was the key for this win.”
On what they did different from the last game in order to keep their lead:
“We played the game we wanted to play. We showed in the first two games that we could maybe play 20 minutes less good than we can. Tonight, we wanted to show that we can play for 60 minutes.”
On waiting for the result of Slovenia vs Faroe Islands to know if they are qualified:
“It is out of our hands now, we have to wait. If Slovenia win, we go to Malmö but we have done our job. Of course we are going to watch the game.”
NORTH MACEDONIA vs ROMANIA 24:23 (13:9)
Kiril Lazarov (MKD) – North Macedonia head coach
On the match:
“I’m very satisfied, that was very important for us to win today. Maybe we wanted to win with more goals, but Romania also have a very very good and very strong team, they have very good players.
“In the first half-time we had the possibility to lead by six or seven, maybe, goals, but their goalkeeper (Mihai Popescu) was the man of the match, that was the problem. We had a lot of problems in our attack – our defence was very good – but finally we are like Macedonia, very satisfied.”
On their chances of the main round:
“Now we will hope that Denmark win by 16 or 17 goals, that looks like mission impossible, but why not? We will be here in the hall, and we will hope that some miracle will happen.”
Martin Serafimov (MKD) – right back
On the close win:
“We started very well, we were motivated, we had a home match. In the second half, Romania attacked better and we missed some crucial shots against their strong goalkeeper. The final results show the number of our mistakes."
On the chances to proceed to the main round:
“I hope and I pray, but it is in the hands of Denmark to play for our fate.”
On the results at the EHF EURO 2026:
"When we started our preparations, we wanted to be equal with Portugal, and this is what we reached. The win against Romania was crucial. We hoped to play better, but we are happy with what we reached.”
George Buricea (ROU) – head coach
On the last-second loss:
"It was a very tough game, it wasn't our game. I think correct was a draw, but they put a goal in the last second and if you want to break my heart, put goal in the last second. Not for me, also for my players. In this moment I don't know how I explain what I feel now, but I feel empty. When you lose in the last, last second, they put goal and you hear (the buzzer), this moment is the most difficult time for me and my players.
"Of course, I will go home with all that was positive and we will learn of this experience. But what I feel now, it's too much pain in my body."
On how satisfied he is with Romania's performance in the preliminary round:
"I am not satisfied for the first half in this game, for example. I am very satisfied for first half against Denmark. in these games we don't have... we play like this, we don't have constance. But yes, the most of the moment we play handball from high level and from this part yes, I am satisfied."
Mihai Popescu (ROU) – goalkeeper
On the defeat:
“We deserved to have a draw, we played very bad in the start, but minute by minute we got better.”
On becoming Player of the Match in his last international match for Romania:
“I wanted to give all the best and wanted to leave the national team with my head up in the last game.”
On his takeaways from the EHF EURO:
“All the people in Denmark love this sport, they play a beautiful handball here. It was an amazing tournament. And I really hope that all my teammates will come to another EURO, as this is such an amazing tournament.”
On the end of his career in the national team:
“Now it is over. One week ago, I took this decision. From now on I want to be happy, as I did all my best in 20 years for the national team. Now I will think about the rest of my life.”
Ionuț Nistor (ROU) – right wing
On the farewell of Mihai Popescu:
“I'm so happy for him. He deserve this Player of the Match, he deserve as well. He have very good career and we are proud we are teammates.”
Photo © kolektiff images
TEXT:
European Handball Federation