Mocquais, the 27-year-old French player, unveils some of the big secrets for a victory on Tuesday (20:45 CET) against Montpellier, but leaves some unpredictability in the air. “I believe we have some very interesting trump cards on our side. I don't know if I should reveal them now, but we can really do something special here. We believe in ourselves and we have worked hard for it,” he said.
Another of the secrets for the lions’ triumph that Mocquais highlights with great enthusiasm is the strength of the fans at the João Rocha Pavilion. “I think that with our fans and the amazing atmosphere we can achieve something positive. The fans will help us as they do in every game, and even more so in this type of game. Now at the knockout stage, it will be very important to have them and I hope they will come in great numbers,” highlighted Étienne.
Traveling back to the origins of Étienne Mocquais, he was born in Lagny-sur-Marne, near Paris, and the big passion for handball started during his childhood. “It was a friend of mine who took me to handball matches. I got hooked right away and the passion didn't stop there. So here I am today,” he said.
“In Portugal, people are passionate about sports in general, especially at Sporting CP”
The 27-year-old left wing arrived in Portugal this season and what impressed him most about Portuguese handball is “the passion for the game”. “It's a culture that is different from ours. In Portugal, people are passionate about sports in general, especially at Sporting CP. They love it and we have many fans who come to see our games,” highlighted Étienne with pride.
On an individual level, Mocquais is impressing a lot with his skills and for not shaking in decisive moments. He has already scored 21 goals in this European competition, but the ambition switch is always on. “I think there's always room for improvement. I try to give one hundred per cent of myself, every day. So, is it going well? Yes, of course”, he said.
In turn, in the EHF European League Last 16, the Portuguese team defeated Bidasoa Irun after a six-goal win at home. While Montpellier won both games against FTC, the first by six and the second at home by 14. Impressive numbers that allows Sporting CP and this player to show lots of respect. “I know the French Championship, I played for several years in France, in the first and second divisions. It's going to be a very complicated match against Montpellier. They are a very strong team, they won titles for several years, ever since I remember. So it's going to be very tough, whether it's at our home or at theirs, obviously”, highlighted Étienne Mocquais.
Asked about the main goal of Sporting CP in this European competition, the answer is clear. “Our main goal is to win all our games, now we want to overcome this two-legged match against Montpellier and after this we'll see. But first of all, we have a very important first game at home,” he finished.
