MADRID 18 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The national handball coach, Jordi Ribera, celebrated his team’s lead in the victory (39-20) against Japan this Saturday on the second day of the 2025 World Cup, although he pointed out that they must continue to grow with the tournament, as Sweden will demand on Monday in the last game of the first phase.
“We have been very concentrated in the defensive section, the other day against Chile it was difficult for us. The team has been concentrated, has recovered balls and we have been able to go on the counterattack. The goal has been very good, everyone has been able to play and it seems that Dani’s thing in the end is just a scare,” he said in statements to the media of the Royal Spanish Handball Federation (RFEBM).
The ‘Hispanos’ coach reassured Dani Fernández’s mishap and was “happy” with his team’s version, although he warned that Sweden will demand more. “I’m happy with the group, it’s a good game to face this difficult commitment that we are going to have with Sweden, we needed a game like this. Cautious, as always, the next game is going to be complicated,” he stated.
Furthermore, Ribera confessed his confidence in the young people and insisted on that last match of the first phase against the Swedes. “I no longer make differences. This is a team of 16 players. Everyone has their role, they did it perfectly today with harmony. The team has to continue growing. We have grown compared to the first game and we will have to continue growing much more,” he pointed out.
“We still have a long way to go, the opponent in two days has nothing to do with it, it goes up a lot of steps. Sweden beat us well in Paris and for us it is a challenge,” he added, already thinking about Monday’s game, with the ticket to the Main Round already assured.