Emil Nielsen: “My madness is never having enough”

Danish goalkeeper Emil Nielsen is performing at an extraordinary level so far this season

“Meningitis taught me that nothing is easy. It sounds cliché, but… enjoy the moment!” he says

Barça will play for the lead in Group B this Thursday at 8:45 p.m. at the Palau against GOG with both teams tied after winning their matches in the three rounds played and with the Danish goalkeeper Emil Nielsen in an extraordinary moment, forming the best couple in the world with Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas.

With a contract until 2026 and not until 2025 after the club executes a clause in his contract, The Scandinavian spoke with SPORT at the Ciutat Esportiva about his current moment and made interesting and brave confessions.

After overcoming serious meningitis at the age of 17 that led him to spend almost a year in rehabilitation, Nielsen has taken a huge step forward in his second season at Barça and claims to never be satisfied. Agile as a bird with his height of 196 centimeters and weight of around 120 kilos, he always wants more and is clear that the team must aspire to the maximum despite the loss of personnel.

Is he in his best moment since he signed for Barça?

It is clear that it has been a good start to the season. There will be ups and downs, but I hope to continue at this high level.

Perhaps his best season was 20-21 in Nantes, but now he looks better than ever…

I feel very well physically and mentally. I have to focus on staying healthy and working hard, because it is clear that I am in the best moment of my career. I think it was more consistent in the 21-22 season, although it is true that in the previous one I played very good games in the Champions League.

Do you feel that confidence when you go out to play?

Clear. When I was young I had the mantra that if I didn’t have at least 16 stops it was a bad game and now I’m getting that back. My goal is to stabilize at this level, continue working hard and not drop below those 16 stops (laughs). Last year I started very well and then I was weaker, but I consider it good for all the changes I experienced.

What did overcoming meningitis teach you at the age of 17 when you were knocking on the doors of the elite?

That nothing is easy in this life. I spent about nine months in rehab and came back wanting to be even better. It was a complicated stage and it is now forgotten. Although it may sound cliché, but… enjoy every moment and enjoy life!

It is said that goalkeepers must be a little crazy. What level of madness do you have?

More than madness, an important factor is courage, because you can end up in a difficult situation. The other big mental key is to never be satisfied. Against Magdeburg I made 19 saves (48.65% effectiveness)… Well, for me it wasn’t enough.

Wasn’t even his historic 49% effectiveness against Granollers (23-40)?

Not necessarily. It’s important for me to put pressure on myself to never be satisfied. Yes, I made a lot of stops, but I got off in the last few minutes. My mentality is different from other goalkeepers and my madness is never having enough. I always keep track of stops during the game.

Are you enjoying yourself on the court?

Of course. I enjoy every game. It’s a pleasure to be in my position and I enjoy it even on bad days or long workouts. I really appreciate and enjoy my life as a handball goalkeeper.

Would you have liked to try to be a track player?

I’ve been a goalkeeper since day one! It was the new one, they didn’t have a goalkeeper and they said the new one was in goal. It went well and that’s how it is until now. I haven’t even had the option to try anything else.

How important has Gonzalo been in your adaptation?

A lot. We make a good team and that is vital. You are alone there in the goal, but you have your teammate on the bench and when he plays he has to be happy that he stops. We handle it very well.

And the coach?

Carlos trusts me a lot since I arrived and especially this season. When my signing became official, many people said that I was coming to be on the bench, but it never was like that and I really appreciate that, the confidence that it has always given me.

He missed the last World Cup (Nikolaj Jakobsen called up the brilliant Landin and to former Barça player Kevin Möller), but this level should take him to the European Championship and the Games…

I would love to be in both competitions and I think I will achieve it, although in Denmark we have very good goalkeepers and it does not depend on me. This year I have shown that I can be the best.

How do they carry ‘cuts’ of the club in the section?

It’s amazing to be in a team where everyone pushes every day in every training session. The best response to the ‘cuts’ is to all work harder. There are no more secrets.

Contract ends in 2026. There is a lot left, but… Do you see many more years here?

Maybe, we’ll see. I am happy in the club and in the team… Why not?

Is it special to play against a Danish team like GOG full of Danish players?

I’ve been away from home for five years, but I enjoy these games. This season they only have Scandinavians. GOG is the second best team in Scandinavia, at the level of Kolstad and behind Aalborg. They are a great team and they can surprise and go far. We have to be prepared.

Do you see the team prepared to fight for the Champions League?

Of course! This year we were able to win it. We had the semi-final against in our hands and I have the feeling that we would have won the final. We are very competitive and we are among the four or five candidates to win it. We have lost several key players and Domen (Makuc) to injury, but the others have to give more, including me, right?

Did you expect to win the affection of the Palau so soon?

I had not thought of it. It has been natural. I feel great at the Palau, especially when there are a lot of people, because it gives us extra energy. It only fills up at big games and we have to get more people to come. We are one of the most entertaining teams, we have unique players and let’s see if a lot of people come this Thursday.