“Make it a good final”

Present at the press conference of the third final of the Women’s Handball Super Cup between OFNI and PAOK on Wednesday at 17:30 in Philippi were the Vice-President of OHE and President of DEP/OHE, Kostas Violitzis, the Deputy Mayor of Sports of Veria, Michalis Tzaferopoulos, the coaches and captains of the two finalists.

What was said in detail:

Kostas Violitzis (Vice President of OHE): “What I have found is that all six of the panel are from Northern Greece. The Federation must continue to support the handball of Northern Greece and Veria which was and remains the ‘metropolis’ of the sport, we will not give up. We want to see Veria again as a star in the sport and we will try to bring more big events here.

We sincerely thank the Mayor, Costas Borgiazidis, and the Deputy Mayor, Michalis Tzaferopoulos, who are our people. I would like to highlight the voluntary blood donation in memory of Christos Kapsalis which is organized by the Federation and the Municipality and is an initiative of the President Kostas Gantis and the Special Secretary, Erasmia Laskaris.

I wish to see a nice game between two great women’s handball teams. In terms of planning, we had to deal with several issues, the effort of the women’s national team, which is a priority, with a tournament in Ohrid and its official games. It is a historic opportunity for our team to qualify for the EURO and all of us on the Board of Directors of OCHE believe and wish for it.

The Super Cup is, of course, a title, but above all it is a celebration of the sport. UEFA organizes Super Cups at the beginning of the season with 35-40 points between teams that have millions of budgets. To arrive at the solution tomorrow’s date was worked out and preferred over other dates at the start of the season with the agreement of both teams.”

Michalis Tzaferopoulos (Deputy Mayor of Veria): “It is our great pleasure to host two great teams – PAOK and Nea Ionia – for the third Women’s Super Cup today at the historic Filippio indoor gym, one of the few purely handball stadiums in Greece, and we hope the match will be an advertisement for women’s handball. I want to thank the Mayor of Veria, Konstantinos Borgiazidis, who is close to sports and helps to make such big sporting events in all sports with the aim of promoting our city, but also of promoting sports.

For us in the Municipality of Veria, tomorrow’s match is not just a sporting event. It is a celebration of women’s sports, the effort, teamwork and strength of the women who inspire us all. We are proud to host such an important competition because, through such competitions, young girls are inspired to believe in their dreams and love sports.

Also, let’s say that, on the occasion of this match, a voluntary blood donation is also being held in collaboration with the OHE and our Municipality in memory of a man who passed away a few years ago, Christos Kapsalis, but left his ‘mark’ on handball not only in Veria, but also in all of Greece with his work and his selfless contribution.

I wish good luck to both teams, enjoy the match and give the audience a beautiful game full of passion and spectacle.

Let’s also thank OHE, the journalists covering the event, the volunteers for tomorrow’s match and all the contributors who helped, as well as the referees, the observers and wish them good success”.

Panos Gousios (OFNI technician): “It is our pleasure to be in Veria, the most handball city in Greece and in this stadium where we all have our memories. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this race here. Tomorrow’s game is special because, due to scheduling, we had the gymnasts only two days at our disposal, after the official matches of the National team preceded it. So we have a question mark about what we and PAOK will present. Nevertheless… our desire is great and, certainly, our goal is to continue on the track of titles”.

Magda Kepesidou (head of OFNI): “The season is starting. Indeed, it is a special game and we were with the National Team and we are trying to adapt to the needs of the match. Sure, the teams won’t be 100% ready. But I don’t think it will affect us.

We are in an excellent handball city, we have come here with the national team, we have played games with our teams. It is a title that is not the main one, but it remains a title and Nea Ionia is aiming for all the trophies. We are waiting for you all at the stadium”.

Dimitris Pelekidis (PAOK technician): “We warmly and personally and as an association would like to thank the Municipality of Veria and especially the Deputy Mayor, Michalis Tzaferopoulos, for the help they have shown all this time for the sport. Veria for PAOK is very welcoming, we have played European matches here. It makes us happy to be here again. I feel that the programming is not correct with the definition of the race. A more correct planning would definitely help the National team more. We have the important promotion from ERT and, the better spectacle we present, the better for the sport and it attracts new children, but also the upgrading of women’s handball.

It will be a demanding match, worthy of the history of the two teams, who are arguably the best in the last decade in women’s handball. In these games, passion, energy and personality count more. For us, the year has started with hard work, we have qualified for the ’32’ and now we are invited to play the first final of the year which is special as the club turns 100 years old. Certainly, it is a title that we want very much and we will give our best. We invite the public to come to the stadium to support us and see a beautiful game.”

Elena Kerlidis (PAOK athlete): “We are happy that the game will be played in this ‘hot’ stadium. We have great memories from here. We know the people and they have honored us with their presence, which I believe will happen again tomorrow. In the competitive part, most of the athletes from both teams were missing several days with the National Team and now we are called to press a button and be 100% for tomorrow’s final. It is the first title of the season and I believe the passion and personality of the athletes will play a big role. I wish all the athletes a happy new year and no injuries.”