MADRID, Jan. 15 (SportsFinding) –
The Spanish handball coach, Jordi Ribera, praised the Czech Republic, first rival of the 'Hispanics' in the second phase of the European 2020, and stressed the importance that “defensive work” will have, not only to stop an attack “very frontal “but also to give speed to the attack.
“It is a team that already surprised us two years ago, when I was in our group, was able to win over Denmark and sneak into the best. He was out of the World Cup for a complicated tie. Yesterday he saved a game complicated by the tension that means that if you won you could pass, “he said the day before the duel this Thursday at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna.
Ribera valued the potential of the Czechs, without keeping any specific name. “It is a very physical team, throughout the game it maintains a very high intensity, taking advantage of the counterattack, a very frontal team, much one against one. You have to try to be your best, especially in the defensive facet,” he said.
“The collective, a group that has its game very internalized and that is why it is quite complete; from now on we will only find great teams, it will be a nice challenge,” he added. Spain advanced with points to this second phase where the fight for medals is at stake and the Spanish coach insisted on the defense.
“They are a defensive block that has led some teams to play with seven and will have to work very well in attack. That is why I say defensive work, which always allows us to steal balls and go well to counterattack, it will be essential to not be constantly with the game of 6 against 6, “he finished.