The DHB team has so far worked its way through the Handball World Cup so inconsistently that it urgently needs the Tunisia game on Saturday (8.30 p.m., audio stream and live ticker at sportschau.de) for fine-tuning. “No giving away” is the motto.
Luca Witzke initially looks as if he didn’t understand the question properly. Okay, the last main round game is actually meaningless in terms of sport, even with a 20-goal defeat against the North Africans, Germany would remain in second place – the quarter-finals next Wednesday are bagged.
Desiree Krause, sports show, January 25, 2025 10:45 a.m
“When I go out, I always want to win”
But does that mean conserving your energy? Play with reduced foam so that there are no further injuries after the absences of Franz Semper (left injured) as well as Juri Knorr and Rune Dahmke (both flu)? Not with Witzke. “I am an athlete”he says with great emphasis. “When I go out there” – he points towards the playing field in the boxes in Herning – “Then I always want to win!”
Lukas Mertens sees it the same way. The left winger: “I’ve been told the game is meaningless. Maybe on paper, but definitely not for us. It’s all about staying in the flow, letting yourself get stuck against Tunisia would be completely counterproductive.”
Grgic still sees a lot of potential
The instinctive handball player Marko Grgic, who sometimes oscillates between genius and madness, also demands: “We want to continue to gain self-confidence and do better what we didn’t do so well in the initial phase in the last few games. We still have potential in many areas.”
In fact, a lot has built up there. Most recently against Italy (34:27) the defense finally worked, but the attack once again didn’t work as expected (19 missed throws, ten of which were free in front of the keeper). The fast breaks (four out of four) were also better this time, as was the previously criminally neglected play on the outside positions. The circle is still not really hot, and Renars Uscins’ blocks for free throws didn’t work at all against the Italians.
Stephanie Müller-Spirra / Dominik Klein / Johannes Bitter, Handball on the 1 – the sports show podcast for the Handball World Cup, January 25th, 2025 12:01 a.m
Gislason sits down Load control
Coach Alfred Gislason also strictly forbids any slacking off and the team getting out of rhythm: “Of course we want to win the game, preferably with one more goal than less. It’s not a friendly game, we’re playing for Germany!”
Load control will of course still be an issue. The national coach: “We want to give one or two people who have played a lot and are obviously a bit tired less playing time. Let’s see if we can do that.” Marian Michalczik from TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, who joined the team on Thursday, will be in the squad for the first time.