The Barça handball coach, ready to face a demanding season
In his first campaign at the helm of the Blaugrana, Carlos Ortega won six of seven possible titles
Coach Carlos Ortega, who is starting the preseason today, his second season at the helm of the Barça first team, considers, in statements to EFE, that “perhaps last year” he suffered “a lot of external pressure”, but “just being in the Barça is always under her”.
The balance of his debut last season was very positive achieving six of the seven titles in dispute, including the Champions League.
“That was merit of the team that worked very well because it was not an easy season at all. We went little by littlebut especially from November the team began to take the concepts that we wanted and since then we have not lost a game. I think we reached the Champions League Final at a good time.“, he admitted.
However, he acknowledges that once in Cologne “everything was like flipping a coin” and also in the final that was decided from the penalty spot: “The truth is that I experienced many emotions because it had been a complicated season“.
Barça has signed Emil Nielsen, Hampus Wanne and Jonathan Carlsbogard and has also promoted pivot Artur Parera from his affiliate team.
“On paper, we have a better squad than last season. I think the goal is improved with the arrival of Nielsen and on the far left we have lost Ángel Fernández, a player who had an incredible season, but Wanne can be better than him in attack at the level of effectiveness”, he opined.
About Carlsbogard, the Barça coach believes that he is “a player similar to Ali Zein on a defensive level”, but remembers that Zein gave Barça “a plus in attack” that the team needed. “I hope Carlsbogard gives it to us, too,” he said.
He considers himself satisfied with the incorporations, although he comments that for economic reasons it has not been possible to sign a pivot. “We have to keep trying, since Ludovic Fábregas is leaving the team next season. It is important to get the pivot signing right and that is where a clear investment will have to be made”, he stated.
As for the incorporation of Artur Parera (who turns 20 on the 28th), he points out that he is a young player and that he does not occupy a senior position in the Asobal League. “He has a fantastic opportunity for him and to show us that he has a place here,” insisted the coach.
The Champions League is, once again, the main objective, although this season it has a very difficult group with Kielce, THW Kiel, Aalborg and Nantes and with the first game on the fearsome court of Pick Szeged.
Last season it was said that Barça defended better, but attacked worse, although Ortega doesn’t see it that way. “Perhaps we have lost some rhythm than in previous seasons, we make fewer attacks and this is something that I have to work with the team and increase the rhythm, although in positional attack we have more solutions. In any case, I am one of those who say that ‘battles’ are won on defense.”