Ten goals advance is a consistent margin, but sometimes in handball such a difference can´t assure the qualification, especially when two of the best teams of the world play against each other.
Barcelona was hurt in his own ego being humiliated in "Sparkassen Arena", but the pain is temporary, pride is forever. This saying is also valuable for the German squad who has also his proudness in its quality of the title holder. Both teams showed convincing performances in their national championships this week, Barcelona beat Portland San Antonio with 39:34 and Kiel trashed TuS N-Lübbecke, 46:27. "We had very good moments against Portland but to beat Kiel we must multiplicate them 1.000 times the whole match. We must to be at a high level, especially in defence in order to produce fastbreaks", said the former "Kieler" Demetrio Lozano to the press agency "Europa Press". His colleague Iker Romero was very optimistic. "Who doesn´t believe that we can turn back this difference, should not come to the hall."
"I lived everything in my career. We went to Zagreb with 10 goals on our advantage and shortly before the end we were down by 11 goals. In Porto we gambled away almost 12 goals and in the end we lost with 10. Such memories burn foerever in one´s memory. No, no way, 10 goals difference are a beautiful margin but we are still not qualified. Sure is that we will not begin in Barcelona with the thought that we have to defend our 10 goals advance. We can´t do it. My boys will play exactly like they did it home, for the victory", told Kiel´s coach Noka Serdarusic to the newspaper "Kieler Nachrichten".
The best news of the day is that Nikola is able to play and his ankle injury remains a bad memory. He is there to score everytime when his team needs it, so as he used us, and to lead his teammates to the second consecutive final of the Champions League. Niko, who celebrated Friday on the way to Barcelona his 24th birthday, will have the encouragement of his father, Branko, who came especially from Montpellier to Barcelona to be there for his son.
