Köln – Even without the coveted trophy in their hands, the handball players of THW Kiel were celebrated by their fans like winners. However, the applause could hardly ease the pain of the German record champions over the unsuccessful hunt for the fifth Champions League triumph.
“It hurts incredibly. We had a big dream,” said THW trainer Filip Jicha after the 30:34 (18:19) in the semifinals against record winners FC Barcelona. And captain Domagoj Duvnjak admitted: “We are disappointed and sad.”
For the cup winner of 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2020 there was not the happy ending that had been hoped for at the end of a long and strenuous season. “I’m still proud of my team, who really left everything on the plate that was still in their legs and heads,” said Jicha, adding: “I’m sorry for the boys that they couldn’t reward themselves. They fought incredibly.”
“Barcelona was clearly better”
However, in the duel with the Spanish series champion in front of 19,750 fans in Cologne, that was not enough to create the sporting sensation Jicha was hoping for. “If you want to win against Barça, you have to show a perfect performance. We didn’t manage to do that today because we missed a few chances at the beginning of the second half,” complained the 40-year-old, who won the most important club trophy as a player with both THW and Barça.
The absence of superstar Sander Sagosen and defense chief Hendrik Pekeler ultimately proved to be too big a mortgage. “I don’t want to look for excuses, but of course we missed them,” said Duvnjak. However, the Croatian left no doubt about the Catalans’ deserved success: “You have to say clearly that Barcelona were better.”
Mainly because some of Kiel’s trump cards didn’t stand out this time. In the offensive, Sweden’s European champion Niclas Ekberg in particular sinned. “I’m incredibly disappointed, especially about myself, because today I missed my chances,” said the right winger self-critically.
“We can be satisfied”
The disadvantage in the goalkeeper position weighed even more heavily. Niklas Landin, actually a safe bet between the THW posts, was not a factor at all. The Danish world champion clearly lost out in a duel with his counterpart Gonzalo Perez de Vargas and then admitted: “Unfortunately, I didn’t get the day I would have liked.” Only six saves were not enough to stop the strong offensive of the star ensemble to stop from Barcelona.
So it did not come to the culmination of a season in which the Kiel team at least did not remain untitled thanks to the DHB Cup victory. As runner-up behind the sovereign champion SC Magdeburg, THW is also in the premier class in the 2022/23 season and can then make another attempt at Europe’s handball throne. “We have always stood together,” Landin praised the team spirit, and Duvnjak summed up: “We can be satisfied.”
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