“I know we can compete with a club like Dinamo Bucarest” 

At 33 years old, Iosu Goni Leoz has some handball experience in his back pocket. The Spanish centre-back, who can also play in the left-back position, even played in the EHF Champions League in his early career when he was still playing with Ademar Leon in Spain. So, looking at this season’s EHF European League starting list, he almost feels like he is going in time. 

“I’m happy to be playing two games a week; it’s been quite a long time since doing so. I think that playing in European competitions is what every handball player is after. Being able to play against teams that you don’t know, that play at another level, motivates me,” explained the player who arrived in Chambéry in 2020. 

However, at least on the European side of things, last season was not exactly the one that Chambéry expected. The French side was eliminated in the qualification round 2 by Fejer B.A.L. Veszprem (56:54 on aggregate). And this season, they are determined to show that they are worth better than that.  

“I think we owed ourselves some revenge and our fans too. The way things happened last season was not exactly what we expected, which was a huge disappointment. And what better opportunity for us to prove what we are worth than against some of the best teams in the world?” 

So the draw offered Chambéry and Iosu Goni Leoz the best of opportunities, as titleholders Füchse Berlin, last season’s EHF Champions League playoffs participants Dinamo Bucarest, and Bosnian side HC Izvidac were placed with them in group G.  

“We were all watching the draw during our preparation while staying in the mountains. We looked at the teams beforehand and started saying that we would like to play this one or that one. And then Berlin and Dinamo came out, and we knew it would be hard to compete with these two teams that could play in the EHF Champions League,” said the right-hander. “I know we can compete with these kinds of teams and that it will be a great experience for all of us anyway.” 

The first game in Berlin proved Iosu Goni Leoz right. Despite missing a few key players due to injuries, Chambéry only lost by two (24:22). And kept all their hopes alive ahead of the following rounds. “Before the game, I probably would have signed for such a result, but afterward, there was some disappointment. We were able to show some exciting stuff, but we still fell short,” explained the Spanish player, who scored four in the German capital city. 

Times are hard for Chambéry anyway, with both left-handers Gustavo Rodrigues and Alexandre Tritta out injured and Nikoloz Kalandadze, who suffered a torn ACL at the start of the season. But while some would try to use such bad luck as an excuse for some disappointing results, Goni Leoz is definitely not one of them: “We have to adapt and deliver the best we can in those conditions. We have the solutions within the team; I’m sure of that.” 

While, on some occasions, Chambéry have been able to deliver some blinding performances, in some others, things have been a little bit less rosy. “What I would like to see against Dinamo is the same level of defence that we showed in Berlin because we know that against players like Luka Cindric, if you don’t defend at the highest level, you will not be able to compete,” said the EHF EURO 2018 and 2020 winner with Spain. “We will be able to achieve things if we remain together as a team and not try to do our own thing when things don't go our way.” 

Photos: Kevin Domas