Flash quotes: Maschinensucher EHF Finals 2025, semi-finals
HAMBURG - Comments from MT Melsungen head coach Roberto Parrondo (ESP), right wing Timo Kastening (GER) and goalkeeper Adam Morawski (POL), and SG Flensburg-Handewitt head coach Aleš Pajovic (SLO), right wing Johan a Plogv Hansen (DEN/FAR), line players Blaz Blagotinsek (SLO) and Johannes Golla (GER) and left back Lasse Møller (DEN) after SG Flensburg-Handewitt beat MT Melsungen 35:34 after overtime; and from THW Kiel head coach Filip Jicha (CZE), left back Eric Johansson (SWE) and left wing Rune Dahmke (GER), and Montpellier Handball head coach Érick Mathé (FRA), right wing Sebastian Karlsson (SWE), centre back Stas Skube (SLO) and left back Diego Simonet (ARG) after Montpellier Handball beat THW Kiel 32:31 at the Maschinensucher EHF Finals 2025 on Saturday.
THW KIEL vs MONTPELLIER HANDBALL 31:32
Filip Jicha (CZE) – head coach, THW Kiel
On the match:
“Obviously it’s very hard to swallow, it hurts to lose a game from the last shot. I have to say that my guys they put everything in it.
“We came back in the first half, we knew what was this strong side of Montpellier, but still couldn’t defend the contra-attack as well as we wanted.
“We started also to play a little bit faster, and then we came back. We had a great efficiency of our attack in the first half.
“In the second half we were leading by one, two. A very tough game, fighting for every centimetre of the arena and in the end there was nothing left. We missed a shot, we made a technical mistake and Montpellier scored very luckily. In the end it’s how it is and we’ll have to deal with it.”
Eric Johansson (SWE) – left back, THW Kiel
On the placement match on Sunday:
“After this kind of game it’s hard to recover now for a moment, but we still have one game left tomorrow and of course we want to win it and take the third place to show the fans that we want to win more tomorrow.”
Rune Dahmke (GER) – left wing, THW Kiel
On the defeat:
“We had the chance to decide the match several times, but finally we paid the bill for missing those opportunities.
“It is always bitter when the last shot decides the match, and you are the loser. We feel a really deep disappointment now. But when you start like we started, you should not complain.
“We came back, we fought, we were ahead, but in the end, you leave the court empty-handed. This is really a shame, but this is sport. We wanted to go all the way, now we have to get our heads up high to gift our great fans with a win on Sunday.”
Érick Mathé (FRA) – head coach, Montpellier Handball
On the match:
“The start of the match was even a little bit odd. We weren’t disappointed, but leading like that at the start of the match – we’d expected it to be a lot harder.
“We’ve had matches like this throughout the season, we’ve had matches like last week’s against PSG in the French Cup which was very tight from start to finish. Moments like that help us to believe in ourselves. Last week’s victory really helped us with today’s match.”
On another chance to win a title after the French Cup:
“We definitely don’t want to stop. We had had a little blockage when it came to winning titles, but that was unblocked last week. So obviously we don’t want to stop there, and we want to keep reaping the rewards from that summit.
“I’m proud, clearly, but also I’m proud of being able to work with this group. We’ve overcome a lot of things this season, the championship was difficult, we couldn’t beat our biggest rivals Nantes and Paris.
“But there was still the two cups despite everything, and we believed in that to the end. So I’m proud of that, proud of working with this group that have won this first title and there’ll be more, I hope.”
On the final and playing a team who played overtime:
“At this stage of the competition, I don’t think playing the next day has advantages or disadvantages. We played three hours after them, you could say that could be an inconvenience.
“The staff have done a lot of video work with the two potential opponents, and we’ve got tonight’s matches to look at. I think that video work will pay off.”
Sebastian Karlsson (SWE) – right wing, Montpellier Handball
On his emotions:
“Of course it’s fun to play in finals, that’s why most of us like to play handball, and to have the chance to win a trophy like this is also important for the team and the club.”
On his expectations for the final:
“Similar game as today, a lot of fight, a lot of fast-paced play.”
Stas Skube (SLO) – centre back, Montpellier Handball
On the match:
“It was such an amazing match with amazing emotions on our side. Though we were leading by five goals, we knew that we could not expect an easy run for 60 minutes.
“We allowed Kiel some counterattacks, but we were quite calm and focused in the dressing room. Our goalkeeper brought us back into the match – and finally, it was logical that Ahmed Hesham would go for the last shot. He was brave enough to shoot and the brave always have some luck.”
On their approach to the EHF Finals 2025:
“One week after winning the French cup final against Paris at Paris, we had enough confidence to stand this match also against thousands of German fans. We arrived here as the underdogs, but we showed, what we are able to. We can keep up with three German teams.”
On the final on Sunday:
“We will have a bit of celebration now, but then we need to recover from this tough fight. We know that we can make history tomorrow by becoming the first-ever French winner of this competition, and I am confident that we can do so, though we also know the strengths of Flensburg.”
Diego Simonet (ARG) – left back, Montpellier Handball
On being in the final:
“It is simply amazing to be in the final. In 2014, I lost the EHF Cup final against Szeged with Montpellier, now we have the chance again to finally win this trophy as first-ever French team.
“We stayed calm and focused throughout the whole match, even when were down by some goals. And when the chance was there, we grabbed the opportunity, when Ahmed (Hesham) hammered the ball into the goal.
“Of course, it was a bit of luck. Now, Flensburg is the team to beat, and we need another top-performance to win this trophy.”
MT MELSUNGEN vs SG FLENSBURG-HANDEWITT 34:35
Roberto Parrondo (ESP) – head coach, MT Melsungen
On the match:
“Kevin (Møller) was amazing today. In the first half we played really good especially in the first minutes and finding right and good situations, and Moller was saving the balls. But this is handball and that is why you play with your defence or your goalkeeper. It was hard for us in these crucial moments.
“However I would like to say, to defend a little bit my players, we had the chance to win the match before the overtime and we missed one shot. We were really close. Flensburg played an amazing match.”
On goalkeeper Adam Morawski:
“I’m really proud of my players and the match that we did. Adam (Morawski) was making a good job, he was fighting a lot, he’s alone now in the goal and he’s playing all the minutes so thanks for him.”
On what he told the players:
“The biggest difference that we have in number of saves, so it makes me say to the players a really good match in attack and also in defence. I told them in the dressing room thank you for this amazing European, thank you for this fight today that we did, how we played handball. I’m really happy and we need to try to learn a little bit from the small mistakes that we had.”
Timo Kastening (GER) – right wing, MT Melsungen
On the placement match on Sunday:
“I hope that we continue with winning and not like today with losing. We want to win the game tomorrow playing 100 per cent because then maybe the chance to get injured is most less.”
“We are proud today and we go ahead.”
On their performance:
"We caused a little bigger number of mistakes compared to Melsungen, but it were really little, little things. We had several chances to win the match in regular time, but we failed against a strong opponent, who were a little bit cleverer than us, mainly playing seven-versus-six. And though Adam Morawski played outstanding, Kevin (Møller) on the other side was even better."
Adam Morawski (POL) – goalkeeper, MT Melsungen
On their emotions:
“We are sad, we are unhappy, we are down on the ground. It is a really hard moment for us, as we were close to win this match and make it to the final.
“Maybe I could have saved some shots, maybe other little things decided. Finally, if you lose after overtime, you were not that bad.”
On the placement match on Sunday:
“Now we have to forget this match and get ready to win tomorrow, regardless the opponent. We are here for the first time, so it was also a big experience for us, but still, we are sad.”
Aleš Pajovič (SLO) – head coach, SG Flensburg-Handewitt
On the match:
“It was a crazy game and it’s really hard in overtime. You have some things in your head you want to use, but it’s such a crazy crazy game.
“We lead by three and then we play seven-against-six and they come back, so it was a little bit crazy.
“We were playing good but also I have to say that Kevin (Møller) was today unbelievable. He saved us the whole game, the 70 minutes. It’s my first final four but I’m happy that we have a little bit more luck.”
Johan a Plogv Hansen (DEN/FAR) – right wing, SG Flensburg-Handewitt
On the match:
“We tried to fight against all these various systems that Melsungen had. They had a lot of different openings. In the first half especially they had some good chances but we had Kevin (Møller) that saved a lot and then we get the lead and we played a really good control.
“It was some moments where Melsungen got the lead, but I think in general we played with confidence and controlled the game in the way we wanted it. In the end it’s small things that make the difference. Today we were the lucky ones.”
Blaz Blagotinsek (SLO) – line player, SG Flensburg-Handewitt
On the match:
“It was incredible, I have no words to say about this match. But what I know: if we play like this tomorrow, we will win the trophy. The keys for us were Kevin Møller and our successful seven-versus-six match play.”
Lasse Møller (DEN) – left back, SG Flensburg-Handewitt
On the match:
“Last year, we had a quite easy-going semi-final, this year it was completely different with this overtime. We have a little time to enjoy this victory, then we will fully focus on the final.
“Our fans were brilliant today, they granted us wings to fly. They – and us – always believed in the victory. Kevin Møller was another key, he boosted the whole team. His saves made it much easier for us.”
Johannes Golla (GER) – line player and team captain, SG Flensburg-Handewitt
On the match:
“Of course, we were lucky today, but we also showed a great performance. In a duel of two extremely strong goalkeepers we were a little bit better. Besides, we managed to keep calm in seven-versus-six situations.
“Melsungen played strong and knew exactly what we were doing, and finally, little things have decided. We could have been more clever, when we were ahead by four, five goals.
“But always, when we needed them, our fans gave us extra power. They were definitely the loudest corner in the arena. And playing in an almost sold-out arena causes an extra excitement.
On what being part of the EHF Finals means:
“For us, this tournament is the highlight of the season, and we are not ready yet. I am sure we have enough power for the final.”
