Champions League Final Six, Budapest (HUN)

Coaches’ quotes, Day 1

1st Quarter-final
Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v Jug Dubrovnik (CRO) 8-11

Theodoros Vlachos, head coach, Olympiacos:
“Perhaps we were too nervous at the beginning we gave Jug a big advantage. They scored easy goals from our stupid mistakes, you cannot commit those against one of the best clubs in Europe. We fought hard and came back but again, our defence didn’t work that well and we didn’t have enough time and power to do a comeback again.”

Vjekoslav Kobescak, head coach, Jug:
“I think none of expected such a high scoring game as this is not usual with defences of Jug and Olympiacos. In the first two periods we played amazingly, then in the third we had a blackout lasting for four or five minutes. But after that our individual qualities brought us back to the match and we went ahead again. The fourth was a big fight, I think both teams ran out of power after a time and we managed to keep our lead. It was a big win, I’m really satisfied with my players.”

2nd Quarter-final
ZF Eger (HUN) v AN Brescia (ITA) 6-4

Norbert Dabrowski, head coach, Eger:
“It was a tough match as we expected. We had some chance earlier to open up the gap but we missed them, still, we managed to keep our nerves and did what we had to do to win this match. In the fourth I think it wasn’t about power reserves it was more about making the chances in front and to have Branislav Mitrovic in our goal, he was outstanding again. We learnt two years ago in the prelims that we had to play well in defence against Brescia, that time they scored 3 and 5 in our two respective matches. And we could keep this four-goal average.”

Alessandro Bovo, head coach, Brescia:
“We played well, up to our capabilities, we gave all what we had. I’m satisfied what I saw from my players, but definitely not with the result.”

25 May 2017

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