Raiffeisen Bank EHF FINAL4 flash quotes: Sunday 7 June

BUDAPEST - Comments from players and coaches after the Raiffeisen Bank EHF FINAL4 2026 final and 3/4 placement match at the MVM Dome on Sunday.

3/4 PLACEMENT MATCH: BREST BRETAGNE HANDBALL VS CSM BUCURESTI 26:32 (13:15)

Raphaëlle Tervel (FRA) – head coach, Brest Bretagne Handball

On the match:

“It was a very very tough game today. Of course we missed a lot of shot in the goalkeeper. We missed shots because we are tired – for sure it’s linked.

“We didn't have today a lot of energy, not enough to stop CSM today, who was very strong. We try everything, we try everything in attack, in defence, but today we didn't have the energy to stop them.

“CSM are physically very strong in comparison to our little players, and we didn’t succeed as we wanted to to get past them.

“But we tried everything, we gave everything, and that’s the most important thing.”

On her time at the club:

“We won a title, we need to remember that. But it’s hard. It’s hard because in the end I stayed three years, in two years I said we achieved quite a lot, in the third year we said let’s see what we can do, and we didn’t quite manage it. It’s like that, that’s life. I’m still happy that I’m not leaving empty-handed.”

Onacia Ondono (FRA) – line player, Brest Bretagne Handball

On her emotions:

“It's hard to find the positives right now, because we lose two games, but after all we win the title in [the French] championship and it was the first experience of a lot of players doing this tournament.

“I’m proud of my team, because we show a great face and we never give up. It was hard for us today and yesterday, but we didn't give up, so this is good.”

Yvette Petraki (FRA) – line player, Brest Bretagne Handball

On the defeat:

“We were not good enough. What can I say more? We really tried to give everything until the end, but it was not enough. They played very physical and also we had difficulty scoring.”

On whether the semi-final took its toll:

“Of course. It was such a tough game, and to play two such high-level games in two days, it's actually impossible because also the body needs to recover and yesterday it cost us a lot of energy, but this is the way the [EHF] FINAL4 is. All players are having this and also CSM had a tough game against Metz yesterday.”

Ana Gros (SLO) –  right back, Brest Bretagne Handball 

On her retirement:

“Of course I'm sad, because very important chapter of my life is finishing. Handball was such a big part of me and of course it's very tough, but I'm very pleased with my career and very grateful and I achieved everything I ever dreamed of, so there is just a lot of emotions now, but I am very grateful. 

Message to the young girls who want to follow her footsteps:

“Just they need to continue, Handball is such a beautiful sport, it give you so much emotions, and to play in front of this crowd, you know this is all we train for every day and if they love handball they should just continue, it would give them so many things, so many people along the way. So, I am would just encourage them to do handball, because it's beautiful.”

Bojana Popovic (MNE) – head coach, CSM Bucuresti

On the match:

“I think also Brest did a good job. They had a hard work yesterday later, they had less time to recover. It is difficult how we played in less than 24 hours. I want to say thanks for the fight, for the good game.

“I’m proud and this energy today was what we wanted yesterday. When you have the pressure, sometimes it is not possible to reach this. Today I was really happy that the girls were with their right faces there, with the actual energy they had all season.

“I’m happy and I want to congratulate all my staff and team for how they did these seven months together with me. Now we can finish this season this good and we are a good team, we did everything as a team.”

Tatjana Brnovic (MNE) - line player, CSM Bucuresti

On their performance:

“We were empty after yesterday’s performance, because we didn’t manage to put our potential into play to play as we can, as we showed many times. So today for us it was more about showing what we’re capable of, that we wanted to prove to ourselves, not to anybody else to enjoy the game and to show what a great team we are.

“I’m really proud of the fact that yesterday we played as a team, even though we lost, we sticked together and we showed up and we proved that we are a team.”

Inger Smits (NED) – centre back, CSM Bucuresti

On the win:

“I feel very good. This is how we wanted to end this weekend after yesterday. Of course, we wanted to reach the final, but if you can't reach the final, then you have to make the switch in the head, and I think we did this very well and very quickly. And yesterday evening we already said we go for that medal and the way we did this is amazing.”

On what made the difference:

“I felt that we were more ready. Brest had a late game yesterday, so maybe they were a little bit tired, but I felt that we had so much fire in our team and we play much more loose than yesterday. So we reach our level, and then I think it's very hard to beat us.”

On the injury to goalkeeper Gabriela Moreschi:

“This is what you need in a team to win finals like this, to win medals, and it's very hard for us. What happened to Gabi, this touches all of us. Hopefully it's not so bad. And then we showed the character, and this is what a team makes, you know? And that's why we are this strong.”

Gabriela Moreschi (BRA) – goalkeeper, CSM Bucuresti

On the win:

“I'm very happy and proud of my team. I think after yesterday, it was very tough for us who expected to have a better match yesterday. And to come over this and perform the way we did today, it shows that we're very strong, and I'm very happy and proud for this medal.” 

On whether she and Evelina Eriksson were the difference-makers:

"I'm a little bit suspicious to say because I think the goalkeepers are the most important part of the game, and I'm very proud of Eva also. I like very much the connection we have in the goal. We are very much a team.

“And it's so good when I left and she said to me that the saves are going to be for me, and this is very important because I also play for her when I'm playing.”

On hearing the fans chant her name as she left the court following an injury:

“It means a lot to have the fans here and also, the fans from Metz and from other teams. They were very much supportive. And I think this is why we play handball, you know?

“We train every day so hard to come in the big events like this. And to have people appreciating handball, appreciating us is the best gift we can have.” 

On rising after the semi-final defeat:

“I think this shows a lot of our character, shows that we are a team together. We are not like on the floor. We're just very much professional, we are experienced. We have a chance to get medals, so let's do it together.”