With an international double pack against Portugal, Germany’s handball players are rehearsing for an emergency shortly before the start of the home European Championship. “Of course we want to win these games,” said Alfred Gislason, explaining the route for the end of the tournament preparations.
The national coach emphasized that there would be no more experiments this close to the start of the European Championship. Rather, two victories on Thursday (4 p.m., live on ARD) in Flensburg and on Saturday (6 p.m., also live on ARD) in Kiel should provide fresh tailwind for the medal hunt from next week. “These are the last two preparatory games for the opening game of the European Championship against Switzerland. We will do everything we can to play really well,” said Gislason.
Thomas Koos, Sportschau, January 3rd, 2024 9:01 p.m
Foretaste of the coming days
Either way, the two-part European Championship dress rehearsal against the World Cup 13. provide a perfect foretaste of what will be going on in the country in the coming days and weeks: Captain Johannes Golla and his teammates want to fight for every inch in full halls – and all of this will be broadcast live on public television. “The whole team is happy and will give everything for Germany,” promised Golla.
The Portugal Games practically mark the start of festival weeks for an entire sport. While the Bundesliga is still taking a bit of a break, up to 11 games by the DHB team over the next 25 days mean “handball total”. “We hope that we won’t see the family again until the end of January,” says Golla happily, alluding to reaching the medal games. “At a European Championship, the semi-finals are always the big thing. That’s in one person’s head or another,” said the cyclist.
Distribute the load better in defense
First of all, full concentration is on the final European Championship tests against Portugal. “The big task at the European Championships will be to be able to distribute the load better in defense. I want to play one or two and one or two,” revealed Gislason: “The test games against Portugal are a kind of that Pre-glow.”
“We want to go into the tournament with a good feeling”
The German team makes no secret of the fact that two wins should give them additional self-confidence. “It is clear that we want to go into the tournament with a good feeling,” said DHB sports director Axel Kromer: “And if we win two games against Portugal, then we will certainly be a little stronger for the Switzerland game than if we won the games Shouldn’t win against Portugal.”
The European Championship begins for the German team next Wednesday in the Düsseldorf football stadium in front of more than 50,000 fans against Switzerland. Then it’s in Berlin against North Macedonia and record world champions France. Only the top two finishers reach the main round.