Katrine Lunde: You deserve the position you have

The 2023/24 season has not been a bed of roses for Katrine Lunde and Vipers Kristiansand. In a campaign where results initially fluctuated on the court, things have also fluctuated off it.

"For us, it is always fantastic to play in the EHF Champions League. Performances have varied slightly. We are finding our form now after Christmas. There are many good opponents, and it is fun to play these matches."

"It's going better now. We play more evenly now - and better together, not least. We have had a few substitutions and some injuries, but now I think we are finding our form."

As three-time defending champions of the EHF Champions League, expectations for the club have been high. However, with the exception of replacements on the coaching front, this season hasn't differed that much from the previous ones, if you ask the seasoned goalkeeper, Lunde.

"We've got new coaches and some new players, so the seasons will be a little different from each other, but we have very much the same concept and we train a lot in the same way. So, it's not that different after all, I think.”

The battle for points in the Match of the Week

After all, the southern Norwegian club are fourth in group B with 13 points from 12 games. Metz Handball is currently in the lead with 20 points. Lunde sees her team's position as a realistic benchmark of where the club stands.

"In a way, you always deserve the position you have. However, we are fighting to win all the games and to win the last games in the group phase, and then we will have to see in the end. The aim is to finish the group as well as possible and then we have to see where we stand. We take it one game at a time," says the goalkeeper.

Now it is the group's sixth-placed team with 10 points, FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria, that awaits the Norwegian champions in this weekend's round of games – a match that Lunde is looking forward to.

"They are a really good team; they have many fantastic players. FTC are always hard to play against.”

"I think they have a lot of good players, so you can't just focus on one player. We want to stand well in defence, and hope that we can pick up some pace in attack".

The match outside the pitch

Over the past months, Vipers Kristiansand have been fighting a financial battle, which has cost energy and effort on the part of the club's administration as well as the players.

Katrine Lunde has also experienced the situation as something that has drained the players' energy levels.

"It has been a demanding situation, where you didn't quite know whether there would be a club next month or the month after. Of course, you are affected by that, but now there is a little light at the end of the tunnel, since we have good support from the local community, who are interested in helping us further. It has given us a boost, also on the court, so I also think we are playing better again now. We had a good match against Team Esbjerg, where we played well, so that has helped set the standard for us for the rest of the season."

The 43-year-old star, who also does not underestimate the importance of having good teammates in difficult periods, "In many ways, our training and time together with the team has been very good, and there have been many matches recently which have given us a lot. I think it's really fun to come to training and we have a good time. So, you can hopefully see that in the game as well," concludes the seasoned Norwegian.

Photos: Terje Refsnes, Vipers Kristiansand