Ona Vegue: “We always play without any pressure”

Sometimes, the way to a final destination is winding, or even completely unexpected. This is the case for German side HSG Blomberg-Lippe, who will have their first appearance at the EHF Finals Women in Graz on 3/4 May.

Whatever happens in Graz, 2024/25 will go down as the most successful in the club’s history. Blomberg reached the German cup final in March — which they lost to EHF Champions League contenders HB Ludwigsburg — and finished the regular season of the Bundesliga in third position, with the quarter-final of the league play-offs against VfL Oldenburg coming up.

But Graz will be the icing on the cake. Blomberg had not even made it to the group phase of the EHF European League before, this time they are among the last four teams standing at the EHF Finals. The team of head coach Steffen Birkner had to come through two qualification rounds, then overcame a string of injuries to win five of their six group matches and finish top of group C — four points clear of runners-up JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball, who have also made it to the EHF Finals.

Blomberg have been in a European semi-final once before — in the Challenge Cup 2008/09, when they lost by a single goal on aggregate to Handball Cercle Nimes.

“It is simply unbelievable that we play the EHF Finals in the end. No one expected that before the start of the season,” says Ona Vegue I Pena, the player who secured Blomberg the ticket to Graz. The 27-year-old Spanish left wing netted the decisive penalty of the shootout in the thrilling quarter-final against a Spanish side, Super Amara Bera Bera.

It marked the first time a quarter-final was decided by a penalty shootout since the start of the EHF European League in 2020. Blomberg seemed safe following a 28:25 away win at Bera Bera in the first leg but squandered their advantage with a 22:19 home defeat the following week. The penalty shootout only ended following a save from Blomberg goalkeeper Zoe Ludwig and Vegue’s winning strike.

“It was really special to face a Spanish club in the knockout stage, and I really felt sad for this club,” Vegue says. “I appreciate Bera Bera, I have many friends there and I would have been happy if they also could have made it to the EHF Finals. It was really nice to play in Spain, I played many years against Bera Bera in the league. And their coach was my coach in the youth national team. Funny that I was the one who knocked them out in the quarter-finals.”

It was obvious that the Spanish wing would go for the crucial penalty, as Vegue is the team’s expert from the seven-metre line. Taking into account all competitions, Vegue is Blomberg’s overall top scorer, including 54 goals in the European League, where she is the team’s third-best scorer behind Nieke Kühne (80 goals) and Laetitia Quist (57).

“I am top scorer mostly because of penalties; half of my goals are scored from the line. I never would be the top scorer without my teammates, this is a team thing. I am scoring the penalties, but they do 70 per cent of the work behind them,” Vegue says.

In the summer of 2023, the Barcelona-born wing took her first steps out of Spain when she joined Blomberg, ending a highly successful stint at KH-7 GM. Granollers that included 573 goals in 165 matches.

“It is really difficult to learn the German language when you are from Spain, but my intention and ambition to leave Spain was to leave my comfort zone and to grow up, both as a player and as a person,” says Vegue, who has been part of the Spanish national team since 2021.

“Leaving home is a really difficult decision to take, but for me personally it was worth it, and I am so happy to be here now. After one and a half year, Blomberg definitely feels like a second home. Since day one, I really felt welcome, as it is easy to get along with the players. Blomberg is a small city and a small club, so it is easy to get to know everybody.”

Also, the success of the team all made it a lot easier.

“We have a great team with great players, but there is a lot to grow, like currently in the European League, as it is really special to play a competition likes this. Even when we started winning, we were never sure that we could do this and go that far. We are simply enjoying it and try to get experience. Probably, this is why we got what we got,” the left wing says.

At the EHF Finals, Blomberg are set to face 2023 EHF European League champions Ikast Håndbold in the first quarter-final on Saturday 3 May at 15:00 CEST, followed by the second semi-final between Thüringer HC and JDA Bourgogne Dijon three hours later.

“We were and we are always the underdogs; we always play without any pressure, maybe this has been the reason we went all the way,” Vegue says. “I am really, really proud of the team and the club, as this is something historical and special. Even in Graz, we just have to enjoy and go with everything we have.”

In contrast to many of her Blomberg teammates, Vegue has the experience of playing in European club competitions before from her time with Granollers.

“It is really important to play on this international level, even though there is a big difference between European Cup and European League. But still, you have to be used to playing twice a week and to change your mentality,” Vegue says.

“Ikast are the top favourites, they are a great team and play a great season. It will be hard to make it to the final. But playing a semi-final is something we have to enjoy, no one expected us to go that far,” Vegue adds.

“One of our goals is simply to enjoy the atmosphere, to have the chance to play against a team like them. Of course, there is a chance to make it to the final, but for that to happen we have to deliver a great game. Being at the EHF Finals is already such a present for us, and we have a minimum chance, so we go for it. We are ready, we want everything.”

photos © Timon Peters (Blomberg); Arnaitz Rubio (Bera Bera)