Domagoj Duvnjak and Luka Cindric are the two creative minds in the Croatian game. Duvnjak, superstar from THW Kiel, is also the captain and face of coach Hrvoje Horvat’s team. On January 4th, nine days before the Croatians’ first game in the tournament, it became known: Both will initially be out due to a positive corona test.
EHF: Players who tested positive must take a break of at least 14 days
On the same day, the European Handball Federation (EHF) confirmed again that players who tested positive could only enter the tournament 14 days later at the earliest.
Specifically, this means for the Croatians, who are already weakened without two of their best players, that the chances of making it to the semi-finals are falling rapidly. Because: Right at the start they will meet France – the team that is most likely to move into the main round with them from the preliminary round. Because you take the points against the preliminary round opponent, who goes into the main round, there is a likelihood that the 2020 World Cup silver medalist will go into the main round without a point and will have to win everything there against strong opponents.
Whether Duvnjak and Cindric will be able to work there immediately after their isolation is over is still in the stars anyway; and the move into the main round should first succeed – after all, with Serbia, there is another very powerful team in the preliminary group.