In its first game of the European Handball Championship, Croatia will face its 2020 final opponent, the Spaniards, who are among the favorites, and are only outsiders. Throw-off in Mannheim is today at 8:30 p.m. (live stream on ARD).
When it comes to his team’s goals at this European Handball Championship, Domagoj Duvnjak is modest. “The European Championship will be very difficult. If we get to the second round and show that we can keep up with any opponent, we would be happy”said the Croatian backcourt star in the service of THW Kiel.
“Croatia in free fall”
In the past, when the favorites were listed in the run-up to major tournaments, the Croatians were almost always there. That hasn’t been the case for a few years. After the 2020 European Championship, when they lost a dramatic final to Spain in Stockholm, Croatia was no longer playing for medals. Croatia was even completely absent from the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The team came eighth at the 2022 European Championships and only ninth at the World Cup a year later.
“Croatia is in free fall,” said national coach Goran Perkovac when he was introduced in February 2023. He wanted to find a good mix between young and old in order to be able to build on old successes again.
Duvnjak: “I expect a thriller”
It remains to be seen whether he can reap the first fruits of his work at the tournament in Germany. The fact that it’s against the co-favorites from Spain doesn’t make things any easier. But veteran Duvnjak doesn’t want to hang the game too high either.
“I expect a thriller. Spain is certainly the strongest team in our group, but that doesn’t mean anything. It would also be possible that we win against Spain and then lose against Austria and Romania. The game against Spain is important, but not decisive”said the Kieler to “Handballwoche”.
Respect for the Croatian backdrop
The Croatian team can definitely rely on its hot-blooded fans, who will ensure a home game atmosphere in the arena in Mannheim. A factor that Spain’s coach Jordi Ribera also takes into account.
“It will certainly be a difficult game. Croatia has been one of our main opponents for years, a team with a lot of fans and a lot of experience. But we would have prepared the same way if we had played Romania or Austria in the first game.”said Ribera, who won two European Championship gold medals with the Spaniards in 2018 and 2022.
Experienced Spaniards
The Spaniards are starting with the most experienced team of all European Championship participants. Among the 20 players that Ribera called up to prepare for the 2024 European Championship, there were only four players who were not part of the squad at the last World Cup. Joan Canellas, the 37-year-old left back, is back in the team, as are goalkeeper Gonzalo Perez de Vargas (32) or Alex Dujshebaev (31) and left winger Angel Fernandez (35).