Dainis Kristopans: 'I'm having a lot of fun'

How was the international break for you?
"I didn't have much free time [laughs]. I spent my days off working individually on my physical condition. It wasn't easy, but it also allowed me to come back here fresher physically and psychologically to be able to attack this second part of the season."

Is this second part of the season the most important?
"It's always the most important. This is the moment when we can play in the Champions League finals. But before thinking about that, we have to finish the group phase in the Champions League and get that first or second place in the group that would qualify us directly for the quarter-finals.
In the league too, our upcoming matches are crucial. We want to maintain our unbeaten record. That's one of our objectives. We will also have to approach the Coupe de France matches in the best possible way. After the disappointment of the Coupe de la Ligue, the whole team will want to lift this trophy."

How have you felt since the end of the winter break and the extra playing time afforded you by the injury to Nedim Remili?
"I may not be as fast or as prolific as Nedim, but I take a lot of pleasure in the games I play. Playing all these games in a row, with so much intensity, isn't easy, but I do my best. I'm also looking forward, like the whole team, to Nedim coming back."

What is your philosophy of play?
"I try to play every move thinking about what will be the most effective for the team and my teammates. That's why sometimes I don't take certain shots. That's how I learned to play handball and how I continue to play."

How did you take the postponement of the game against Zaporozhye this week?
"It was a game we wanted to play. Our team is on a good dynamic and we were confident in our ability to go there and get a good result. But from a political point of view, the climate was not conducive to playing a match. We will try to play this game at a more convenient time. In the meantime it gives us more time to prepare for our next appointments."

Are you looking forward to returning to the Champions League?
"Of course! We know that our next game will be at home against Flensburg. We didn't perform that well over there and we want to get the job done in front of our fans. We are at the end of the group stage and in our group, every game counts: a point can make us gain or lose several places on the table and we will have to collect as many as possible if we want to finish on a high."