Courtesy: UEFA.com


New talent showcased at finals

Friday 22 January 2010

by Paul Saffer from Debrecen

Fans attending UEFA European Futsal Championship games at Debrecen's Főnix Arena are treated to two games a day – not only the tournament fixture but before it a match showcasing the best young talent Hungary has to offer.

Junior finals
The Hungarian School Sports Federation are holding their county finals at the arena, the players emerging to the tournament theme tune and presented with their medals on the pitch after the match. In Thursday's game, prior to Ukraine's 4-2 win against Belgium, Nyiregygaza defeated Nyirbator 7-1 in the elementary schools' final for Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, in the north east of Hungary. Nyiregygaza were captained by 14-year-old goalkeeper Tomas Gazsi, and he told uefa.com: "I enjoyed it a lot. It is a very good feeling to play here before the finals game and it was a really good experience for me."

'Rare opportunity'
Márton Kováts is organising the competition, and he said: "It's a very rare opportunity for children of these ages to play at an event like this and it is a very unforgettable experience for them. And they are happy because they are given their kit and it is a great pleasure for them to see the national teams play."

Futsal growing
Futsal is a growing sport for his organisation, and Kováts explained: "It's easier to get a team together because of the smaller team sizes and the children enjoy the speed and skill." Gazsi agreed, saying he enjoys futsal because "it's a fast game with tricks and tactics".



Courtesy: UEFA.com


Kike's experience shines through for Spain

Saturday 23 January 2010

by David Baño from Debrecen

A top-level futsal tournament would not seem quite right without the presence of Spain defender Enrique Boned Guillot – better known as Kike. The 31-year-old has won two FIFA Futsal World Cups and three UEFA European Futsal Championships over the last decade. Spain's latest campaign in Hungary began with a finals record 9-1 Group D defeat of Belarus, with Kike scoring his 73rd international goal on his 145th appearance to ensure progress to the last eight regardless of the result on Sunday against Portugal. Kike spoke to uefa.com about the experienced Spain squad, including the continued prowess of his long-time team-mate Javi Rodríguez.

uefa,com: What did you think of the first game?
Kike: It was a typical opening game in an important championship, with the difficulty of finding the right rhythm. Belarus did very well in the first half. They were physically very good, but in the second half we managed to dictate the pace and show our skills. I think we deserved the victory, maybe the result was a bit too much, but the goal difference will allow us to draw against Portugal and still finish top.


uefa.com: Against Belarus we saw an evergreen Javi Rodríguez. We can tell he really wants to do well in this tournament, as it might his last European Championship.
Kike: Yes, he had his moments. It is obvious that he is no longer the young player who surprised us ten or 15 years ago, but he is still a talented player. It is true that we can't avoid losing physical capacities with time, but he always performs well in these tournaments. When it matters, he is always there. He is a very competitive player. He did very well during the last World Cup and I'm convinced he will do well here in Hungary too.


uefa,.com: One of the strong points of the Spanish squad is its maturity...
Kike: Yes, we have always tried to have an experienced and balanced team. It is our trademark. We always try to have a few experienced players on the pitch, as they are able to set the pace, putting more and more pressure on our opponents until they crack. It is important that they pass their knowledge on to the new players who join the national squad, so that they understand the philosophy of this team. This is what has made us be successful over the years and we will try to do the same in this championship.





Courtesy: UEFA.com


Bacaro embraces senior status

Saturday 23 January 2010

by David Baño from Debrecen

Italy's Vinicius Bacaro has happy memories of playing Ukraine – in 2003 it was his goal that gave the Azzurri a 1-0 win on home soil in the UEFA European Futsal Championsip final. That was Bacaro's first taste of a major tournament; now 31, he has since played in final of the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Cup and the 2007 EURO, losing both to Spain, and recovered from a serious knee injury to aid Interviú Madrid to victory at the 2009 UEFA Futsal Cup. He overcame a fresh problem to play in Italy's opener here in Hungary, beating Belgium 4-0, and the Brazilian-born Bacaro spoke to uefa.com as they prepare to face Ukraine again in Saturday's Group B decider in Debrecen.

uefa.com: Italy has started this tournament very well...
Vinicius Bacaro: Yes, the most important thing was to win. The victory allows us to face the next match a lot more calmly. We had three days to rest and prepare for Ukraine. For a few players in our team, this was their first international experience. It is always hard to play in such big venues. Italy are renewing their squad; there is a mixture of Italian and Brazilian-born players. The Italian ones are less experienced, which is something very important in these type of tournaments. This is why it was very important to win. It will allow us to prepare better and help the new players adapt.


uefa.com: You are one of the most experienced players in the team. How do you share that experience with the others?
Bacaro: I talk a lot with them and most important I try to make them feel calm and relaxed when they get into the pitch, so that they feel the pressure less. This victory is important as it makes us gain confidence.


uefa.com: With the new-look team, have your objectives changed compared to previous tournaments?
Bacaro: No - Italy's objectives remain the same. The renewal of the team is something internal, but we always go on to the pitch to win it all. We want to reach the final and beat whatever team we face. We are well aware that this time it is going to be more complicated. Spain and Russia have very strong teams, but now every country in this tournament is very difficult to beat.


uefa.com: How are you doing with your knee injury?
Bacaro: In general, I'm doing very well. I've only had this sudden pain in the knee since three days before the finals, which did not let me train in the best possible way. But thanks to God, and our physiotherapists, I've fully recovered from my previous injury. I'm very ambitious for this tournament, both personally and for the team, and I hope we can go very far in the tournament and reach the final.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Gyurcsányi has high hopes for Hungary

Saturday 23 January 2010

by Andy Clark from Budapest

Danger man Zsolt Gyurcsányi felt the hosts were "on the right road towards getting a victory" as UEFA European Futsal Championship Group A ends with a winner-takes-all clash between Hungary and the Czech Republic.

'The right road'
Beaten 3-1 on opening night by Azerbaijan, Gyurcsányi and his Hungary team-mates watched their previous opponents win 6-1 against the Czech Republic on Thursday and he is positive about the challenge to come. "The atmosphere in the team is very good," he told uefa.com. "I think the team is already ready for our big test. We're practicing to eradicate the mistakes we made in the first match, and I believe we're on the right road towards getting a victory."

No dishonour
Due to goal difference, a draw would be enough for Mihály Kozma's side to progress, with whoever finshes top of Group B – Italy or Ukraine – set to be the Group A runners-up's opponents in the quarter-finals at Debrecen's Fönix Arena on Monday. "It would be a dream in Hungary, for the players," said Gyurcsányi of their last-eight target. "For me the most important thing is that the team plays well; that we perform at international level against the best. That would count as a success."

'Extra player'
The Czechs' 4-3 victory against Hungary in qualifying for the 1999 European Championship was before the 29-year-old Gyurcsányi's time, though he noted: "We played against them one year ago last January, here in Hungary. We lost 1-0 to a goal from a set-piece." However, a sell-out crowd at the Papp László Arena may help the hosts get their revenge. "It really will be a huge help for us," said Gyurcsányi. "Having a 7,000 crowd behind us will be like having an extra player."

Learning experience
While Hungary hope they can give their fans what they want on Saturday, Gyurcsányi is taking pleasure in being able to watch so much top-class futsal, "I love watching the games," he said. "I'm a huge fan the Spanish team: I've watched them on TV – for me, they're the best team around at present. The tactics are the best thing about futsal; in Hungary, we're a bit behind both technically and tactically, but hopefully we can reduce the gap. We can learn a lot from the what we see on TV and from the pitch during the finals."



Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com