Men's EHF EURO 2026 post-match flash quotes: 20 January
HERNING/OSLO/KRISTIANSTAD – Comments from players and coaches after matches in Men's EHF EURO 20206 preliminary round groups B, D and F on Tuesday.
POLAND vs ITALY 28:29 (13:15)
Jesús González (ESP) – Poland head coach
On the defeat in the last moments:
“We were playing seven-against-six in that moment and we decided to tell the goalkeeper not to change because, for us, a draw was enough. At the moment where there were minutes left of the match we had a draw and decided to tell the goalkeeper not to change and my players didn't see this situation.
“He enter a little on the court and after that we were in trouble and they were able to score. Now it's difficult for us, this situation because this mistake was really, really hard for us. In the end we got the worse position in the group, and this is the situation.”
On the experience:
“We have lot of things to work, to improve. But, we have to keep working. This is my first experience with the team. Maybe I try to teach them a lot of things. Maybe in some moments I need to simplify things because sometimes its really complicated for them. This is current situation.”
Mikołaj Czapliński (POL) – left wing
On the defeat:
“In last minute we did big mistakes. In the first half we lost a lot of balls. We were missing shots. In defence we get too many two minutes suspensions and it was problem. It's not just this last action that we can win this game. It's like this.”
On their EHF EURO performance:
“We are so disappointed for us. We wanted here to win games and we were prepared for everything, but we play really bad tournament.”
Jakub Skrzyniarz (POL) – goalkeeper
On the match:
“We are very disappointed after this match. We miss a lot of balls and we make a lot of mistakes to win this game.
“But I think we are very good in the second half, but at the end we lose. It was a very tough loss.”
On their EHF EURO as a whole:
“It’s very hard to say now because we are five minutes after the game, but I think we have to do a lot of work in the training.”
Bob Hanning (GER) – Italy head coach
On the win in the context of the tournament:
“I feel very good.
“It was so important after we lost against Iceland, and you saw what happened with the players, because I put our aim maximum high to go for the main round, because I want to go for the main round, because I want that they feel that they are able to do special things.
“Then we have some injured players, and Iceland play so good, and we take 10 balls less than them to the goal. And we go two days later, and it’s also not so easy to do it on this level against Hungary. Many 50:50 decisions don’t go of our side. Then we have one chance to change the game, we lost this one chance because we go four times for missed shots. Then we were out.
“But I always know this is the most important game now against Poland, and I talk to my guys – for Domenico Ebner, for (Davide) Bulzamini, for (Andrea) Parisini, and for Simone Mengon, to help me now, to bring us back to the game. If the player don’t feel it’s so important it’s not easy for me to help all the guys.”
On the development of Italian handball:
“They was working for it, so I’m happy because Italian people see what we can do if we work more harder than we do in this year. We are by 10, 15 per cent what we are able to do, but we have to do it together. Talk to the junior national coach, we have to talk to the league.
“This is the best what can happen for Italy, that all people think the same, that all people go now for one side, not to take more than they take out, and also to do it for Italian handball. It’s not me alone, and I know it’s many work to do, and I’m not happy with everything what happened in this year, but I’m happy that we win the game and have now a little bit better position for the World Championship.”
On the last minute of the match:
“I’m really not nervous. I always concentrate, but I feel my heart on the field. You have to be totally clear in this situation. I love these moments, I love always these moments to change, to decide, to look what is the best way. Sometimes it works, sometimes it not works, it’s also the truth, but I love to do it. That’s really why coaches are coaches, and I feel very good.
“I’m old enough, and it’s not necessary to do this job for me. I pay more inside than take outside. I love to do it and I love to work with my guys.”
Simone Mengon (ITA) – left back
On Italy's first win after 28 years:
“It's crazy feeling. We were waiting for a long time for this. We work hard, not just in last three weeks but last two years. We searched for this win for three games, It was hard in first two games, and today we finally did it. In the last 10 seconds we did a winning goal and it's like finally good feeling.”
On the first half:
“At the beginning we were like a bit too much in foul. They have good defence, physical defence. But in 15 minutes we found some solution and after that their defence was more open. Also fast break and a good defence, we could run and that was really good for us against such team.”
Leo Prantner (ITA) – right wing
On the first EHF EURO win since 1998:
“We are very happy about this victory, this was a real fight, Poland were always close. We can be happy about their last mistake, when they changed the player. We are just happy that we won."
On the development during this tournament:
“The development is very positive. Against Iceland, we played a good match for 15 minutes. They have better players and wider bench with players from the Champions League. Hungary have more quality than us. But today, we really wanted to win this game, as it was so important. We played with heart and put everything on the match.”
MONTENEGRO vs SWITZERLAND 26:43 (16:22)
Didier Dinart (FRA) – Montenegro head coach
On the defeat:
“Tonight was a very bad night. I think we were all disappointed by our first two losses, especially the one against Slovenia, and it had an impact on the other two games.”
On what he takes from the three preliminary round games:
“Overall, our defence was not good, we did not have enough rotations. We have to remain cold-blooded to make the analysis of our three games.”
Miodrag Ćorsović (MNE) – line player
On the defeat:
“I have nothing to say. I feel sorry about this performance. It's dissapointing. To lose by 20 against anyone, even the best team in the world, it's just disappointing. I'm sorry. I have nothing else to say.”
On what decided the game:
“To be honest, really, I don’t know. I don’t have any word to describe what happened tonight.”
On what Montenegro can take from the EHF EURO:
“Nothing good. To be honest, I don’t know, I don’t have the words.”
Andy Schmid (SUI) – head coach
On the key to the win versus Montenegro:
“The mentality. The mentality of our players. The heart of our players. They took this hard defeat against Slovenia — they took some examples. That’s why they showed amazing character. Played over 60 minutes an amazing game, from defence to attack to everything. It was a great day for us.”
On whether it was a perfect game for Switzerland:
“Perfect it was not. There is still room to improve but it was close to an amazing game. This is what I tell my players all the time: they don’t know how good they are. They showed it and this helps everyone who was on the field today. They can feel it. The defeat against Slovenia, they feel the pain, and now they feel the joy and that’s so important as a sportsman to grow in the future.”
On the preliminary round overall:
“I think we were stable over three games. We were in every game we had chances to win. I think we were one of the best teams in the group, but it doesn’t help if Faroe Islands win today against Slovenia — we are going home with a really hard defeat against Slovenia. But maybe there is a handball God or I don’t know. I can only change what I have in my hands, or in our hands. That’s why I go to the hotel now and relax.”
Gino Steenaerts (SUI) – right wing
On what decided the game:
“We gave 100 per cent. We focused on ourselves, played our game so that was the key for this win.”
On what they did different from the last game in order to keep their lead:
“We played the game we wanted to play. We showed in the first two games that we could maybe play 20 minutes less good than we can. Tonight, we wanted to show that we can play for 60 minutes.”
On waiting for the result of Slovenia vs Faroe Islands to know if they are qualified:
“It is out of our hands now, we have to wait. If Slovenia win, we go to Malmö but we have done our job. Of course we are going to watch the game.”
NORTH MACEDONIA vs ROMANIA 24:23 (13:9)
Kiril Lazarov (MKD) – North Macedonia head coach
On the match:
“I’m very satisfied, that was very important for us to win today. Maybe we wanted to win with more goals, but Romania also have a very very good and very strong team, they have very good players.
“In the first half-time we had the possibility to lead by six or seven, maybe, goals, but their goalkeeper (Mihai Popescu) was the man of the match, that was the problem. We had a lot of problems in our attack – our defence was very good – but finally we are like Macedonia, very satisfied.”
On their chances of the main round:
“Now we will hope that Denmark win by 16 or 17 goals, that looks like mission impossible, but why not? We will be here in the hall, and we will hope that some miracle will happen.”
Martin Serafimov (MKD) – right back
On the close win:
“We started very well, we were motivated, we had a home match. In the second half, Romania attacked better and we missed some crucial shots against their strong goalkeeper. The final results show the number of our mistakes."
On the chances to proceed to the main round:
“I hope and I pray, but it is in the hands of Denmark to play for our fate.”
On the results at the EHF EURO 2026:
"When we started our preparations, we wanted to be equal with Portugal, and this is what we reached. The win against Romania was crucial. We hoped to play better, but we are happy with what we reached.”
George Buricea (ROU) – head coach
On the last-second loss:
"It was a very tough game, it wasn't our game. I think correct was a draw, but they put a goal in the last second and if you want to break my heart, put goal in the last second. Not for me, also for my players. In this moment I don't know how I explain what I feel now, but I feel empty. When you lose in the last, last second, they put goal and you hear (the buzzer), this moment is the most difficult time for me and my players.
"Of course, I will go home with all that was positive and we will learn of this experience. But what I feel now, it's too much pain in my body."
On how satisfied he is with Romania's performance in the preliminary round:
"I am not satisfied for the first half in this game, for example. I am very satisfied for first half against Denmark. in these games we don't have... we play like this, we don't have constance. But yes, the most of the moment we play handball from high level and from this part yes, I am satisfied."
Mihai Popescu (ROU) – goalkeeper
On the defeat:
“We deserved to have a draw, we played very bad in the start, but minute by minute we got better.”
On becoming Player of the Match in his last international match for Romania:
“I wanted to give all the best and wanted to leave the national team with my head up in the last game.”
On his takeaways from the EHF EURO:
“All the people in Denmark love this sport, they play a beautiful handball here. It was an amazing tournament. And I really hope that all my teammates will come to another EURO, as this is such an amazing tournament.”
On the end of his career in the national team:
“Now it is over. One week ago, I took this decision. From now on I want to be happy, as I did all my best in 20 years for the national team. Now I will think about the rest of my life.”
Ionuț Nistor (ROU) – right wing
On the farewell of Mihai Popescu:
“I'm so happy for him. He deserve this Player of the Match, he deserve as well. He have very good career and we are proud we are teammates.”
Photo © kolektiff images
