Jordi Ribera: “You have to defend very well against Germany to be able to go out against the backlash”

MADRID, 10 Jan. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The national men's handball coach, Jordi Ribera, stressed that they must “defend very well” this Saturday in their duel against Germany, during the second day of the European Championship, so as not to have to be “constantly” attacking the tough rival defense.

“You have to defend very well to be able to go out against the backlash and not constantly have to play six against six against a defense
tough and aggressive, “Ribera told the official media of the Royal Spanish Handball Federation (RFEBM).

“For this there are solutions, but the defense can bring us as before Latvia at certain times recoveries and exits to the counterattack that is something that favors us,” said the coach of the 'Hispanics'.

Thus, the Catalan coach also said that “it is important not to make many mistakes” in the attack game, “or lose balls in the creation zone because the defensive balance is quite limited” against the Germans. “We will have to know how to play and move the defense to have free spaces to have clear pitches,” he said.

Of the rival, he stressed that it is “very physical, a lot of one on one game and very aggressive in defense.” “They don't let you build the game and we have to try to get out of that line because we are a team that needs to build to generate correct completion actions and any fault situation that forces us to build again doesn't help us,” he explained.

Ribera stressed that Germany alternates defenses 6/0 and 5/1, but that “it is possible” for the match to use the first, while in attack “always try two-on-two or one-on-one actions.” “If a player acquires an advantage, he goes inside and throws from outside,” he warned.

Finally, the coach did not give importance to the German casualties because “they make another one there.” “They have a baggage of players that not what one does not offer you another, so I do not understand that it should hinder their strong level of aggressiveness,” he settled.