Men's EHF EURO 2026 flash quotes: 21 January
HERNING/MALMÖ – Comments from players and coaches at media calls at the Men's EHF EURO 2026 on Wednesday.
FRANCE
Dika Mem (FRA) – right back
On playing Denmark tomorrow:
“Nobody expected that this game would be so soon, but playing Denmark tomorrow or in three days does not change much. We are not worried, it’s the same thing to us, this game was already in our hands.
“It does not change anything for us that they lost, we have to win all our games to reach the final weekend anyway. They will have to win all of their main round games, we have a little bit more of a joker. You are all speaking about France versus Denmark, but Spain and Portugal are great teams, everything can happen. It’s important to focus on ourselves.”
On the game between Portugal and Denmark yesterday:
“It was a very high-level game, everybody ran around, it was played on details. It’s a performance that nobody expected, but it’s no a surprise given the quality of the Portuguese players. They have been getting and better in the last three or four years, we only beat them by one goal last year.”
On Mathias Gidsel, his future teammate at Füchse Berlin:
“He congratulated me on the transfer, we wished each other happy birthday and this kind of thing. I don’t really know him, I know him on the court, but we spoke about the club and my transfer towards Berlin. We talked on the phone, there is a lot of respect between us.
“It happened through Aitor Ariño, he gave Mathias my number and then things happened. Mathias Gidsel talked to me during the friendly games last year, that was the first contact between us. When we started talking, I understood what was on his mind. And then I wanted to play with him, to play in the Bundesliga.”
On the games France played against Denmark in the EHF EURO Cup:
“They don’t mean much to be honest, they were only friendly games. I expect the game tomorrow to be completely different. It’s going to be a great game to play, a fun game to watch as well for the spectators. Of course we beat them in the EHF EURO Cup, but they beat us at the Olympics, for example. All the games we play are very tight, so I don’t expect anything else tomorrow.”
DENMARK
Henrik Kronborg (DEN) – Denmark assistant coach
On the defeat against Portugal:
“It was the first time in this tournament that we played against a truly strong opponent. We saw what was missing: we lost the individual duels in both attack and defence, and Portugal delivered a really strong performance. They played with a lot of pressure in attack and were aggressive in defence, which is why we couldn’t find our attacking rhythm.
“We now have four home matches, and we have to win them with the crowd behind us. We still have all the possibilities, but we need to improve in several areas.”
On a potential revenge for the lost EHF EURO 2024 final against their next opponents, France:
“You can’t take revenge for a final defeat in a main round match. Now it’s another important game for both teams. If we lose it, things will look very difficult. We need to focus on ourselves. If we win the next four matches, we will be in the semi-finals — that is our goal.”
On potential variations in attack:
“We always have new variations depending on the opponent, and we have prepared a few things for tomorrow. More important, however, is that we get into our flow. When we play at a high tempo and put the opponents under pressure with quick passing, we always have a chance. We will change a few things against France, but we also all need to raise our overall level.”
Magnus Saugstrup (DEN) – line player
On the reasons for the defeat against Portugal:
“Portugal played incredibly well. We made too many mistakes — for example, when we were two goals ahead in the second half, we missed a chance and allowed them back into the game. Apart from that, it was a lot of small things — that’s handball. We’ve always said that the European championship is very tough because there are so many incredibly strong teams, and that’s what Portugal showed.”
On the players’ experience with pressure situations:
“That helps us not to panic now. There’s no reason for it — we still have four matches to play. But now we have to deliver and stick together.”
On whether France are the toughest main round opponents:
“That’s hard to say, because it also depends on the form on the day. We’re facing four top teams — all of them will be difficult.”
On the importance of the defence:
“Hopefully we can use the speed to our advantage and control the game. We then need to stop the pressure from the French, who play with a lot of physicality and have two strong line players. We have to work hard against that.”
On their home advantage:
“We love playing here. Hopefully it gives us an advantage and a few extra percentage points.”
Mads Hoxer (DEN) – right back
On the unexpected defeat against Portugal:
We are still very disappointed, we did not play that good of game we wanted to, but I also have to say that Portugal were better than us. We have to continue now and beat France.
On coping with pressure:
“All our players play for top-level clubs, so we know what to do know. We look on our mistakes and try to do it better tomorrow.”
On whether attack or defence will be crucial against France:
“It is both ends. France scored a lot of goals and we have to see how we defend against them. And we have to run much more than yesterday, then it will be a fun game.”
On their confidence:
“We still have confidence. We only lost one game and we have an amazing team. We already talked about it right after the match that we only have to win the next four games, then we are in the semis. That is our hope and our goal.”
On whether France are their toughest main round opponents:
“France are tough, but also Germany have a great team. But now our focus is only on France.”
SPAIN
Jordi Ribera (ESP) – Spain head coach
On having two days of rest:
“It’s better to have two days of rest. On the first day, our head was really far away from the competition. Today is the day to prepare and concentrate for the main round.
“It’s going to be really difficult, against France, Denmark, Portugal and Norway. The first match for us will be the most important for us, especially after our loss against Germany. We have zero points in the main round. It’s possible to take the points.”
On the four teams that they will play in the main round:
“All are playing at a very high level. Of course, Denmark and France, everybody knows them. But also Portugal, after their game against Denmark. I am not surprised, I think Portugal have been playing really well since the last EURO.
“Right now, their group of players, this generation, is very good. The Costa players (Martim and Francisco) are the top players, they show it every week in the Champions League. They have the EURO at home in 2028, they will have a very good team.
“I think that Denmark can recover, even though they did not play well yesterday. Usually, there is one surprise at the EURO, like in 2020 when France were eliminated. Maybe there will be another surprise this year.”
On every game from now on being a quarter-final:
“The philosophy of the team is, every game is a final. If we don’t win against Norway, it will be very difficult to look ahead. For us, Germany was already a final and the first game of the main round, because we would take points. Now, I think Norway is the most important game, and if we win, we can have another final. And then, we can see how things will be then.”
On the way his team has been playing since the start of the tournament:
“We have really young players, such as Marcos Fis, who is 18 years old. I think that the main round offers us four more matches to make progress, to improve. Every game is a good opportunity to make a step forward, to make progress. Now, in this competition, it is important that the team played better against Serbia than against Austria, and better against Germany. Even if we lost.”
Daniel Dujshebaev (ESP) – left back
On having two rest days between the game against Germany and the start of the main round:
“It’s really nice because we had this extra day, we could disconnect from handball and today is like a normal rest day. Yesterday was different, we did not train, we could do something else. For the mind, it’s important we can take a break from handball. Here, everyday is like the day before the next game and it’s really difficult. It’s good to have this day-off.”
On what they did on their day off:
“We went out to eat something with the whole team. Nothing special, but at least your are not 24 hours in the hotel, you don’t talk about who beat who and what player you will be playing against tomorrow. The rhythm has been intense since the beginning of the preparation, as every January. You come here, you know you are in for a month of focusing and always thinking about handball. It’s not easy sometimes but, in the meantime, there is nothing I would like to do more than being here.”
On the importance of the main round games:
“You could say we started the main round against Germany already, because there were points at stake. We have to be ready for every game, try to win every single game and think about the next one. We just have to try and play good handball. We are doing well, I think, even though we did not play the best game of Germany. If we keep playing like we have done since the beginning, I think we can do something good.”
On Norway, their next opponents:
“Really, we did not see anything of them. I know they changed a little bit their team and Sander Sagosen had a good game against France. We also changed, I don’t quite know what the game will be like, honestly.”
On the preliminary round:
“We had such a difficult group, every game was tough. Against Germany, we made a lot of mistakes, we did not play at our best. But we had some really offensive moments, in defence we were not that bad. The quality of their players is high-level. We could have done more, of course.”
On his importance to integrate the new players:
“It’s so easy, the new players — some of them are not that young — are easy to go off the court. The relationship is really good. When you have a really good group, it’s way easier. We go for some coffee, we always try to do things together instead of staying in our rooms. It is a little bit in our mentality, of course, but it’s always better to be six of us taking coffee than just going to it alone.”
Ignacio Biosca (ESP) – goalkeeper
On having two rest days:
“It’s for sure really important. It’s the first time we have two rest days between two games and the next one is really important for us. We know that our chances will be almost gone if we lose. We need to rest and recover as much as we can before the game against Norway.”
On the way Spain played in the preliminary round:
“I think I would say that we grew up as a team. Even when we lost against Germany, I think we played pretty good. The defence was not that good, we did not help as goalkeepers either. Against Serbia, we were solid and we helped more as well. I think in general we played good offensive handball, we scored a lot of goals as well.”
On the importance of the main round:
“We can say that for us, each game will be like a final. Starting with zero point, every defeat will be almost the end for us. We know that this is going to be really difficult for us but we have to focus on ourselves. I think we have the quality to do it. We have to believe in ourselves if we want to do it.”
On the EHF EURO being his first international competition:
“I was excited before and I am still every game. It’s amazing because the EURO is the most amazing competition, only the Olympics are higher, because they are unique. Each game here is amazing, the level is really great. I am enjoying myself a lot here.”
On how he enjoys this competition more because it is his first at 30:
“Of course, I always waited for that. We joked, when we had the dinner of new players, I was like, OK I am new but I am already 30 years old. It’s my first time here playing a big championship but it’s not my first playing for the national team. I mean, for sure, I appreciate it a lot, but I think I would have appreciated it just the same if I was 20. I am living the dream.”
On waiting for this opportunity:
“It was kind of long, but I also knew I had Gonzalo Perez de Vargas and Rodrigo Corrales in front of me. I always worked to be here and it arrived this year. I am very excited but I will keep working to keep coming here.”
On how playing for Nantes and Veszprém helped him to be in the EHF EURO squad:
“For sure, a lot. The right step was to go to Wisla Plock. Maybe it was only for six months, but it helped me a lot because before, I was in Switzerland. I was playing the (EHF) European League before, it was good, but it was not in the big league, nor the (EHF) Champions League.
“Playing the Champions League, you are more in the spotlight, Veszprém was an important move and Nantes after that. We play good games, competitive games every three days and of course you make progress when you play in this kind of clubs.”
Photo © kolektiff images
