"This team can do even more"

On February 5, Aleš Pajović led the first training session at SG Flensburg-Handewitt for the first time. 109 days later, the coach had the first trophy in his hands. A few days later, the EHF European League trophy stands in the SG office while Aleš Pajović is busy with the video analysis for the next match. The 46-year-old Slovenian finds time for an interview.

Aleš Pajović, how does it feel to be the winner of the EHF European League? What prevails: pride, relief or joy?
Aleš Pajović: All together, I would say. It took two days for the first euphoria to set in and to realize what the EHF European League means. It's a big title. And for me it's a special honor that I was able to win something so quickly. The team was so strong on both days that it was able to confirm the pre-season assessments: It was a candidate to win the EHF European League and also the championship. They gave their all in Hamburg and invested a lot. I could feel from the first minute that the players were fully focused and showed character and will.

In hindsight, how can you explain the fact that the team still had so much energy on the second day in Hamburg? Montpellier HB didn't stand a chance in the final.
Aleš Pajović: The semi-final was already a final in terms of intensity - and then there was the extra time. There wasn't much time to recover, but we let the players sleep a little longer on Sunday. The physiotherapists did a great job. Everyone was motivated, the final gave them legs. We coaches had already prepared for both possible opponents in the final. When it became clear at 8pm that it would be Montpellier, we drew up an initial game plan that evening and completed the video analysis. The next morning, we mainly held discussions in small groups. I had a good working relationship with Mads Mensah and Jim Gottfridsson for the offense, and all three circle players were involved for the defense. It went well right from the start. Then there was the backdrop: Our fans turned both days into home games. After 40 minutes, I could see in the eyes of the Montpellier players that they had given up.

Were you aware that the SG might not be playing on the European stage next season if Montpellier had lifted the trophy?
Aleš Pajović: In the week before the Final Four, this possibility had already crossed your mind. The home defeat against the Rhein-Neckar Löwen hurt. You thought it might not be possible to take part in the EHF European League again. These thoughts were hard to accept. There was so much input in Hamburg that they could only focus on the semi-final and then the final.

What will you remember from the weekend in Hamburg in the long term?
Aleš Pajović: The speech in the dressing room before the final. We all stood together, there was so much team spirit. Or when Kevin Møller put his hand on his heart after the semi-final as he looked at his family and the fans. Everyone on the pitch showed this heart. Or when they stood in the arena shortly before kick-off and the spectators' wristbands lit up. The moment on the winners' podium when they held the trophy in their hands and then celebrated together was also special. It was an overwhelming impression when we arrived at the arena by bus late on Sunday evening and so many people were still waiting for us. It made me realize that this club is one big family.

Let's get more general: How do you rate this season from the SG's point of view?
Aleš Pajović: It was very important that we won a title. It allowed us to save the season. We had too many ups and downs - even after I took over as coach. We dropped seven points in Göppingen, against Eisenach, in Lemgo, against the Rhein-Neckar Löwen and in Bietigheim. I often thought where we would have ended up if we hadn't lost those seven points. We're not satisfied with our position. The team showed in Hamburg that it can do more.

What needs to change in the coming season in order to be even more successful in the DAIKIN HBL?
Aleš Pajović: The system is in place, not much needs to be changed. The main thing will be to achieve even greater consistency. We had strong performances against Melsungen and Kiel in the spring, but we weren't able to maintain that level. The Final Four with the two victories showed that we are heading in the right direction and that the championship is possible with this team. The team has to be mentally at its best against every opponent.

When do you start preparing for the new season and what will your focus be?
Aleš Pajović: We start again on July 20. Initially, it's mainly about athletics. Then, when the test matches come, I can try out a lot of things. We have a few new signings to integrate, including a playmaker in Luca Witzke. We want to optimize our compact 6-0 defence and rehearse a second defensive variant. The most important thing for me is team spirit. Everyone in the team must always know: We are Flensburg!

20250524-IAJ33428 — Everything at a glance.

Are you sad that you are no longer Austria's national coach?
Aleš Pajović: Yes, I am a little bit. It was an incredible six years. We achieved a lot and always had fun at the training courses. But with this double burden, it would have been too much of a good thing in the long run. Now I can concentrate one hundred percent on the SG. It was anything but a given that a top club would sign me. Normally there are a few steps in between.

Will we perhaps soon be welcoming another Austrian player to the SG? There have only been two so far, namely Viktor Szilagyi and Boris Zivkovic.
Aleš Pajović: I didn't even know that Viktor Szilagyi used to be in Flensburg. To the question: The team for next season is fixed, I'm not getting an Austrian in. But I will get a Slovenian, our Slovenian faction is getting bigger. Maybe an Austrian will join us one day. It's more likely now that Austria is no longer an outsider at the World and European Championships.

You come from Celje, the Slovenian handball capital. The young talent there is considered to be very good. Is there anything the SG can learn from it in terms of talent development?
Aleš Pajović: Celje has always had a good handball school and has often had players through the senior team who have matured in the EHF Champions League and become interesting for other clubs in Europe. At the moment, however, there are financial problems. Even in Slovenia, Celje is only number three. For my coaching license, I once had a course in Füchse-Town with very good impressions of the German youth system. In Germany, the transition from youth to a top club is not really possible because the level is too different. Young players need intermediate steps. The SG has acquired good cooperation clubs. I will be keeping a closer eye on the entire youth sector in the coming season.

20250513-IAJ15203 — "We want to achieve greater consistency".

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