Louise Bager Due Still Believes in the Semis

Danish national team goalkeeper Louise Bager Due had an important role in Viborg HK’s comeback in the first leg of the Champions League quarter final tie against Lada Togliatti. Due’s 18 saves after she replaced Valerie Nicolas in the Viborg goal in the middle of the first half contributed a lot to the home team changing Lada’s seven goal lead into a 32-32 draw.

Before the quarterfinals draw, Louise Bager Due was one of the Viborg players who wanted to play against Lada. “Lada do not play particularly well away,” Due said on that occasion. After the match in Viborg Stadionhal, Eurohandball.com asked her if she changed her opinion.

Louise Bager Due: Of course, there are no weak teams left at this stage of the Champions League, and Lada played an extremely good first half against us. I still think it is a team that we should be able to beat. I realise, however, that the second leg over there will be extremely difficult.

Eurohandball.com: Before these quarterfinals, many people in Denmark probably thought that Lada consists only of Ludmilla Postnova and Irina Bliznova. Of course you prepared from them, but did it surprise you that they had so many good players?

Louise Bager Due: Even though we had seen a lot of video on Lada before the match, we were still surprised by their pace and physical strength. Fortunately we got adjusted to that in the second half.

Eurohandball.com: As the second half progressed, you actually had plenty of opportunities to level the match?

Louise Bager Due: Yes, but actually it was an uphill battle for us all the time. We made many mistakes due to the pressure we were under, so in general I think we should be contented with a draw. As things are now, we have to win in Russia, and the situation would have been pretty much the same, if we had won by one – or lost by one.

Eurohandball.com: How do you see your chance to win in aggregate?

Louise Bager Due: Of course, it will be extremely difficult. Lada will have the home advantage, but I’m convinced that we will go on if we can play our best there.