Nikola Karabatic: 'Couldn't dream of better'

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Back in the Paris Saint-Germain Handball squad for the five-day trip to Aix and then Chambéry, Nikola Karabatic gave us his impressions on Les Rouge et Bleus' season so far. He also spoke about his personal situation, his brother and Luc Steins.

Psg.fr: You're returning to the squad just at the moment when the team goes on a five-day road trip. Are these conditions ideal for you to get back to action?
Nikola Karabatic: When you are injured for a long time, you don't necessarily dream of a five-day trip (laughs). What you want is to train with your friends and play matches. But I'm glad! We were able to play cards on the train and on the bus. 

What do you make of the team's season?
We are in the final sprint! We are in a very good position. We won the Coupe de France, we are well placed in the championship and we qualified for the Final4 of the EHF Champions League. We couldn't dream ff better! We have two weeks left to give everything. We've had some good periods, but also some more uncertain ones. We have the talent to do something great! It's in our hands. I also hope we have the right amount of luck. Everyone is excited. We know what it takes in terms of concentration. The players will be ready - I'm not worried.

You talked about the Champions League. How would you sum up your journey?
It's been a long campaign! We didn't start well, but we recovered nicely. We finished the group phase well and we took second place in group A in Kielce. Nevertheless, we had a difficult quarter-final against Kiel, after a good performance in the last 16 against Celje.

Are you satisfied with the team's performance against Kiel?
We played well in both games. In the first leg (31-29), we lost narrowly, but we could have won it too. It came down to details. In the return leg (34-28), we showed a lot of quality, especially in the second half. Our qualification was well deserved. To make it to last four in Europe, against a team like Kiel, is something important for the team, but also for the Club.

Who do you think will be the favourites in the Final4?
A Final4 is always special... It will be even more so, because once again there will be no spectators. It will be strange to play such a big competition without fans. The other three teams also deserve to be there. Even if Barcelona are the favourites, because of their history, anything can happen. Playing two games in two days leaves room for the unexpected.

Your brother, Luka, recently extended his contract. Are you happy for him?
I am very happy for him! This is what he wanted. He wanted to be a long-term player. He is the captain and this club is very important to him. I think it's deserved, with everything he gives on the court.

Your contract ends in 2022. Are you also thinking of extending the journey?
Yes, but I want to see how I feel when I return. Of course, if everything goes well, I would like to continue and finish my career at Paris Saint-Germain. I also want to play as long as possible with my brother. But for the moment, this is not the situation. I have already discussed it with management and we will meet again at the beginning of next season.

During your absence, you were replaced by Luc Steins. What do you think of how he has fitted in?
He slotted right in! He immediately brought his qualities - which are very different from mine - to bear. His contribution has been great. I'm very happy that he's continuing the adventure here. It's going to give us another weapon. I've been very impressed and I'm looking forward to playing alongside him. On top of that, he's a very nice person who is good for team spirit. That's just a bonus!

(Credits: TeamPics/PSG)