MADRID, 8 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish table tennis team, made up of Alberto Lillo, Daniel Berzosa, Joan Masip and Carlos Caballero, was on the verge of qualifying for the top category of the 2023 European Championship, after losing in the Stage playoff final. 2 against Switzerland.
As reported by the RFETM, in the qualifying phase held in Osijek (Croatia) from May 5 to 7, the Spanish started off on the wrong foot in the group phase, losing in a tight series against Norway (2-3) and against Greece (0 -3). When they were playing to stay alive, they achieved a long-suffering victory (3-2) against Ireland, which gave them the option of playing in the ‘playoff’ that distributed the last place for the European Championship.
In the quarterfinals, Spain easily beat Lithuania (3-0), the same result as against Israel, which was not a rival in the semifinals either. In the final, Switzerland was waiting, a series that started very well with Joan Masip’s victory over Barish Moullet, but the next three games fell to the Swiss, leaving the Spanish team without a ticket to the 2023 European Championship.