After surviving a real rollercoaster in the quarter-finals, Real Club Cajasur Priego TM now find themselves just one step away from the final of the ETTU Europe Cup.
Standing in their way is Lille Métropole TT – another team full of ambition, and one that promises a very different kind of test.
For Robert Robert GARDOS, the timing couldn’t be much better.
“I feel good. I have fewer matches now, so I can really focus on the important ones,” GARDOS said. “The French league is finished, in Poland there are just the play-offs left, and in the US we’ve also finished the play-offs. So now the focus is fully on Europe and I hope we can reach the final.”
If there’s one thing Cajasur bring into this semi-final, it’s experience under pressure.
Their tie against HB Ostrov z.s. had everything, momentum swings, tight matches, and in the end, a golden match to decide it all. Even after building an advantage in the first leg, they were pushed to the limit away from home.
“We didn’t play our best, but we kept fighting,” GARDOS said. “That was the key, we never gave up.”
And when it mattered most, they delivered.
While GARDOS is one of the most experienced players in the competition, he is the first to say this run hasn’t been about individuals.
“Of course, experience helps, but the team is more important,” he explained. “Priego enjoyed a very strong Champions League campaign with several important wins. Ultimately, the strength of the team is more important than individual experience, and we have players like MACHADO who bring many years at the top level.”
That balance between experience and team spirit has been one of Cajasur’s biggest strengths so far.
Looking ahead, there are no illusions about what’s coming.
“It will be a very difficult match. It’s a semi-final,” GARDOS said. “We want to play a strong first leg and give ourselves a real chance for the second match at home, where we are very strong with our supporters.”
And if the quarter-finals are anything to go by, this tie could go all the way again.
“It will be a big fight. Both teams want to make history for their clubs.”
Domestically, things are also on track, with Cajasur still leading the Spanish league, even if there are a few matches left to play.
Right now, everything is about Europe.
With momentum, belief, and the confidence of having already come through one major test, Cajasur head into the semi-finals knowing exactly what is required.
