Interview with Xavi Sabaté

On last weekend Telekom Veszprém’s team got defeated in Barcelona’s home by 3 points. Nobody can say that it was a subordinated game with the group winner. At the end of the clash the 48-year old Xavi Pascual and the 40-year old Xavi Sabaté hugged each other like true, old friends.

 

 

Xavi Sabaté said the followings to the member of Telekom Sporthír Szolgálat: “We have four things in common besides the fact that we are both Spanish citizens. We were handball players and we are still serving this sport and similarly to each other we tried to perform as good as we could as goalkeepers. Furthermore, even if it was not on the same level but we both played in Barcelona and now we are trying to get into the Champions League’s Final4 by fighting against each other. On last Saturday I ‘drove Telekom Veszprém into battle’ for the first time against my friend’s, Pascual, team and this was a special moment because my former coach was sitting on the bench of the opponent team. I was 12 or 13 years old when Xavi Pascual taught me how to play handball because I went to a sport school which belonged to Barcelona. He encouraged me to practice a lot because I can go far both as a player and later as a coach. I get to know him as a great person and excellent coach, who had a great enthusiasm in himself, which is still there. He always tried to bring the best out of his players. He always played a decisive role in my life; I am his friend and respecter. I would have never thought that we would be both after 25 years on the handball court. I can say that we met as coaches in our second home, representing different interests.”

 

 

Xavi Sabaté, Carlos Ortega’s assistant coach arrived in 2012 but now he is the head coach of the Hungarian champion team, is not disappointed because of Saturday’s CL defeat but annoyed because of the inaccurate shots and missed layups in the first half.

 

“We knew that it would be really hard but we went onto the court as people who can overcome on every barrier. If we had played as we did in Flensburg and gave almost the same performance we would have got point or points. We had 5 rounds and 3 group matches away. On the rematch we will be the host so it will be a bit easier.”

 

The Spanish professional thinks that the match against Szeged on next Saturday will not be easier than matches against teams in the Bundesliga or the CL match against Barcelona.

 

“Another clash is coming, where Juan Carlos Pastor will be the opponent team’s coach, who is another compatriot of mine. They strengthened well and played strict games. They are very dangerous on home court. A great game can turn out of our clash but we have to play very well and without any mistakes to win against them again.”

 

Xavi Sabaté loves Hungary and feels good in Veszprém. He also thinks that it is an honor to be the leader of the Hungarian National Team for a while. On November 2 he will lead the team against the Latvians on the European Champion Qualifying in Nyíregyháza. 4 days later they will also play a game against Netherlands – walking on the path towards the European Championship of 2018. 6 Veszprém players can be found in Sabaté’s team: Roland Mikler, Péter Gulyás, Gábor Ancsin, Máté Lékai, Schuch Timuzsin and Gergő Iváncsik.

 

 

 

Photos: György Ary and Zsolt Melczer