Bodo: “Perfection is what we expect from ourselves”

The Hungarian side are chasing a four-goal deficit in the MOTW, having lost the first leg 25:21 in Germany last week.

For this match, Bodo is likely the only B left from what once was Szeged’s ‘3B’, nickname of the high-scoring trio of Bodo, Bence Banhidi, and Zsolt Balogh.

Right back Balogh left for Hungarian league rivals Grundfos Tatabánya KC a few seasons ago, and line player Banhidi missed the first leg with a persistent back injury and was also doubtful for Thursday’s return game.

In recent seasons, Bodo has not been scoring as much anymore as he did in the EHF Champions League seasons 2017/18 and 2018/19, when he netted 48 and 59 times, respectively. With strong wing players and centre backs at his disposal, head coach Juan Carlos Pastor has been altering the team’s tactics.

Some started questioning Bodo’s scoring and decision-making qualities in recent years – but the left back has remained confident, believing in the system as well as in himself.

“This season I was not able to always perform my best. But since the EHF EURO 2022, I am closer to the peak of my performance and I feel the game and the pace better,” Bodo said.

“My self-confidence also levelled up; without it, you cannot deliver good results in attack. Pastor knows what to do to reach the EHF FINAL4, which would mean that I made one of my most important dreams true.”

The German Bundesliga is one of the world’s toughest championships and Flensburg are among the top contenders. Last week, Bodo had scored twice and the score was 5:5 when the left back got a red card after a defensive foul in the 15th minute.

“We did not find the rhythm following my red card. After that, they had an 8:2 run over the next 12 minutes and we could not fight back,” Bodo reflected on the first leg in Flensburg.

“We have understood our mistakes and will do everything in our power to turn the odds. Thankfully, in our brand-new arena, our incredible supporters will help us. We will fight as one, together with the fans,” Bodo said.

So, what will be the crucial points deciding this MOTW?

“Our squad is in great form, and we have spent plenty of hours watching videos about our opponents and the errors from both sides,” Bodo said.

“First and foremost, we have to play our game and force them to do what we want to do. If we start to run like them, we may not reach the quarter-finals. Secondly, we have to prevent Johannes Golla, pivot of Flensburg, from getting so many balls. Even after the loss, the morale is great and from that, we can build our confidence.”

Last week’s defeat was Szeged’s fourth in the EHF Champions League, while they have remained unbeaten in all other competitions. Szeged lead the Hungarian league after dropping just one point in 21 games and going three points clear of Telekom Veszprém HC, who have a game in hand.

The 203-cm tall back highlighted that only nuances make the difference between victories and defeats in modern handball.

“Only a few minutes of blackout can lead your team to the edge, and we definitely had temporary collapses during some games. Yet, when you have 40, 50 matches in a season and only a few losses, you do something close to perfect,” Bodo said.

“Perfection is almost impossible, but this is what we expect from ourselves. This is why we play. And this is why I believe that I can reach my goals here, in Szeged. I do not want to buy tickets to Cologne until I earn the right to play there, first. And for that, we have to get past Flensburg.”

If Szeged advance to the quarter-final, they would meet defending champions Barça for a place at the EHF FINAL4 in Cologne, on 18/19 June.

In December, Szeged opened their new hall, Pick Aréna, with a win against THW Kiel. They have not lost a home game since, only dropping a point against Montpellier HB.

The atmosphere has always been a huge advantage for the ‘blues’ and with the help of more than 8,000 intense fans, Bodo and Szeged have no other option than to fight until the end.

“Our supporters are the best. They never let us down and constantly cheer for us. Usually, they start during our warm-up and finish only long after the final buzzer,” Bodo said.

“Many players from opponents told me that this arena and the people make this place very unique and amazing. I hope we can pay them back with a dominant victory on Thursday.”