News

HC Alkaloid has moved from its Avtokomanda home base to a training camp in Mavrovo, where they will undergo ten days of preparation. This camp will provide the groundwork for achieving the competitive form necessary for battles on four fronts, starting with the Macedonian Super Cup.

This season, coach Kiril Lazarov brought in four new players during the summer transfer window to strengthen and balance the team. They are already integrated into the training process and adapting well to HC Alkaloid’s system. Their ambitions are clear, and expectations are high.

KIRIL LAZAROV:

“Ever since the club was founded, our focus has been on giving Macedonian players significant opportunities. Our goal, strategy, and aspiration are to nurture homegrown talent. Building a team while aiming for victory is a difficult endeavor that calls for patience, especially when the team has a winning mindset.

We are about to begin our third consecutive Super League season, and I believe we are improving in every aspect with each season. Naturally, players come and go over time, which is part of the process. I hope this season we will be even stronger with the addition of four new players to our squad.

With Marko Kizic, a regular on the national team, joining Galevski and Trajkovski, two more excellent players, we have greatly reinforced our goalkeeping position. In the right-wing position, we added the experienced Nikola Kosteski, which was necessary since we only had young players there. Mihail Ivanovski, as a promising young talent, has earned the right to wear the Alkaloid jersey. There is also our new Portuguese addition, Francisco Oliveira da Silva, a versatile full-back whose skills were something we may have lacked. I’m optimistic he will adapt quickly and add real value to our roster.

We will take things one step at a time, fully aware of the challenging competition that lies ahead. It’s positive that our competitors are becoming more formidable and that the Macedonian championship is growing better since our squad needs a tough league to develop. The EHF European Cup will be a new experience for us; last year, we participated in the EHF European League, where we tasted both victory and a draw. This season, we are competing for four trophies—the Super Cup, the Macedonian Cup, the championship, and the EHF Cup—but we won’t rush. Many challenges await us this season, and our main focus will be to improve continuously” said Lazarov.

NIKOLA KOSTESKI:

“Returning to Macedonia after so many years spent abroad is a wonderful feeling. I have been away for eight years, and it’s great to be back, especially with a project like Alkaloid. We have a strong young team, and as one of the more seasoned players, I am here to help in any way that I can. We know the club’s objectives, and we are focused on moving forward while following coach Lazarov’s plans. We are hoping for a successful year.

I am familiar with most of the players from the national team, and they are all dedicated to being successful on the court. It’s great that we will be playing together for the Macedonian national team, as we already know each other, and I believe this team will make significant progress in the future. We’ll also be competing in the EHF Cup, and I hope we’ll be well-prepared going in, with our goals clear—we always aim for victory”

FRANCISCO OLIVEIRA DA SILVA:

“I am thrilled to be here in Skopje. I have joined a club full of young players and great potential, and I hope to contribute to Alkaloid’s success and produce some impressive outcomes. Before arriving, I had the chance to watch a few of the team’s games and saw a lot of promise. I am also excited to play in a city that has a deep passion for handball and regards it as a royal sport. I am eager to compete in the upcoming matches and am looking forward to getting started.”

MARKO KIZIC:

“I am excited to take on the new challenge of Alkaloid as a new club member. I have known most of the players since childhood, having played and competed together, which will make my adjustment period much quicker. We have started our preparations, and I am optimistic that solid training will lead to success both domestically and abroad. Despite being a young team, we have the skills to match any rival.

As for the three goalkeepers, healthy competition is always beneficial. I see it as a plus, as it forces us to challenge one another to improve with every match and ensure strong coverage this season”

MIHAIL IVANOVSKI:

“Last season was difficult due to an injury, but I made the most of the second half-season. I hope to help Alkaloid succeed this season and surpass last year’s accomplishments as a team. My goal is to defend the Cup trophy and, if given the opportunity, contend for the top spot in the domestic championship. We will also be playing in the EHF Cup, and I expect us to go far, becoming better every time we play.”