The first international match of the year is played in Jönköping on Monday evening. Sweden, who are currently charging for a home European Championship, face Brazil in the first of two practice matches.
– Our goal is to win both games against Brazil. Wins build confidence, says Max Darj.
Time for returns in Husqvarna Garden is at 18.10. The resistance is familiar to Sweden. It was Brazil that defeated Sweden in last year’s world championship in Oslo.
– I want to see that we make two good efforts against Brazil and deliver a good handball. We need to be coordinated for what is to come in Malmö, comments the middle six Max Darj at the press conference in Gothenburg.
Max Darj was recently named sports profile of the year by Stenungsunds Tidning. An honorable award for Darj who comes from Stenungsund.
– Even if you are involved in team sports, individual prizes are always fun to get. I am proud, happy and humbled that the hometown pays attention to you.
In 2025, Darj won a German league gold with the club team Füchse Berlin. He thus has an EC gold, a SM gold, a German league gold and a European League gold in his medal cabinet.
However, a Champions League gold medal is missing, which Darj is well aware of:
– The Champions League is a big carrot for me and for the team in Berlin this season. Considering our distance up to Magdeburg in the league, Final4 is our big goal for the spring season. There is no talk of it, says Darj, whose Berlin is therefore in fourth place in the Bundesliga, six points ahead of league leaders Magdeburg.
Sweden’s EC premiere will be played on Saturday 17 January in Malmö Arena against the Netherlands.
– We now have two weeks to learn handball and improve the game even more. It’s about agreeing on how we want to look in each situation. Since there are 14 days left and not 8-10 until the championship, we don’t need to stress so much. We will come well prepared.
But first there are meetings with Brazil. The first is played in Jönköping, while meeting number two is played in Partille Arena.
Darj’s first match at Husqvarna Garden was in the Champions League group stage in 2009 with Alingsås HK. Then AHK met Spanish Ciudad Real.
– I don’t remember very much about that match. But I remember that I made my debut in the Champions League before the elite series, laughs Darj.
Text: Olof Thyrelius Ericson
Photo: Bildbyrån
