EHF Finals Dijon métropole 2026 flash quotes: 15 May
DIJON — Comments from players and coaches at media calls on Friday, ahead of the EHF Finals Dijon métropole 2026.
Thüringer HC
Herbert Müller (GER) — head coach
On being back at the EHF Finals:
“It's totally special for us because, for me, all these international games are so nice to do it, because it's so well deserved. After a long, good season in Germany, you have to fight for your nation. And winning last year makes it more special.
"For us, it's a great situation. Last season it was a bit surprising because Ikast was the main favourite, without doubt, they had a Champions League team and we know well our place is the European League. So having a chance to defend your title is something that cannot happen every day.”
On the semi-finals:
“This tournament is very interesting because the teams are different. I think the semi-final between Dijon and Esztergom will be more a physical one, with very strong physical teams with a lot of power. Viborg have a young team, but a very fast team, and it's very important for us to avoid the technical mistakes, to force them into the positional attack.
"If you let them play fast and you must run like rabbits against them, you will have a big problem. So our main goal will be to have good shot efficiency, a good running home, and doing everything to show that we already have the experience of the of the last season or the last four seasons, because it's the third time that we are here.”
On his team:
“The main difference between this season and the last season is that I had the feeling that we are coming in a better shape. Unfortunately, we had a lot of injuries in the past month. This also forced us to do some other things. The preparation was not in the optimum as I like it normally, but I don't want to complain. If you play a final weekend, you must be ready for it and you must go with everything you have from the mental side, from the physical side, to go all in and to do everything to get the chance to defend your title.”
On players Anika Niederwieser, Nathalie Hendrikse, Csenge Kuczora and Johanna Reichert:
“We have two main players, who were so many years with us and they will stop after this season. On the other side, Johanna will leave also, Csenge too. Very important players.
"As a coach, you don't like to talk about players, but rather the whole team, but in this case, seeing how Johanna played last season here, we have to talk definitely also about her. I will miss her. We took her as a young player, we developed her and we are proud of the way she is going. We will follow her way in the future. And maybe we could send her to Bistrita with one title more. That would be really great.”
Luca Faragó (HUN) — line player
On playing her first EHF Finals:
“I'm really excited about the weekend because for me, it's the first time that I play in a European League final four. It's a very big step for every player and everyone wants to be here. So I really looking forward how will this weekend go. And, hopefully, we will be happy in the end of it, too.”
On Thüringer's previous experience:
“I heard a lot of stories from the girls in the last week. They played really good. They said it was a really good feeling and that feeling also gave them a lot of strength. So I hope we, as a team, can do it again.”
On Viborg:
“It's a very strong team. They are playing very fast. They play in this Scandinavian style handball. We really need to pay attention on them. And really, we have to reduce our technical mistakes. We will try our best and we will see how it will end.”
On her sister Lea playing for MOL Esztergom:
“We said in the beginning of the season that it would be the best if we could play against each other in the final, because then it means that both of us reached the highest level in this tournament. There is a chance, so I hope it will come true.”
Csenge Kuczora (HUN) — centre back
On playing the EHF Finals as reigning champions:
“I hope it's not a pressure for us. It's just, I hope, it's a motivation for everyone that we already won one. So we want to just feel again, this feeling what we felt after this final.”
On playing against Viborg in the semi-finals:
“They are playing very fast, but we can also. That can also be our strength for in this game. And I also hope that we can be patient in attack and in defence also, but more in attack. Just to reduce our technical mistakes.”
On her leaving the club at the end of the season:
“I get a bit goosebumps when I think about saying goodbye to this team after two years. And now we have a chance to reach final. I hope it will be really good. I really want to reach it again. It would be great way to say goodbye, and would make me really happy.”
