Spain, in European semifinals for the fifth time in a row |

The national team wins Belarus (28-37) and mathematically assures its position in the fight for the medals

The celebration is the routine, but the story exclaims Gesta! Spain, in the semifinals of a European for the fifth time in a row, what only the Sweden of Magnus Wilander chained at the end of the 20th century and the Croatia of Ivano Balic a few years later. Neither the Germany that trained Heiner Brand nor the almighty France dominated for so long. The streak raised the selection among the best ever, but the party was modest. A huddle, some high fives, hugs and back to the huddle. It was the confirmation of the obvious: the only objective of the team is to revalidate the title of the 2018 European, any other result will be a disappointment, even a failure.

In the process against Belarus (28-37), in fact, Spain exaggerates that tranquility with which it manages the tournament towards more important meetings, at the really decisive moments. He did not offer his most solid handball and neither did he need it to win a team that was a threat of nine goals, rather than because of his arguments, because of the context.

Because a defeat, a traspi, would have stained the immaculate European of Spain and would have pushed a party to the edge of the abyss before an already classified Croatia. Hurfana of the already retired Siarhei Rutenka, Belarus presented two young men as an argument, the lateral Uladzislau Kulesh and the pivot Artsem Karalek, both players of the Polish Kielce who trains Talant Dujshebaev, and the whole of Jordi Ribera focused on trying to stop them until he discovered the nonsense . Both have talent, but do not deserve so much attention. Spain entered the game in an odd position for his schemes, planted on the six-meter line to stop Karalek, and because of that he was uncomfortable, slow, even clumsy.

The risk of playing without a goalkeeper

Only the combination game, the national flag, that helped to find Ferrn Sol again and again in the end maintained the equality in the marker, but the risk increased with the minutes. Rest was the solution. Upon returning from changing rooms, Ribera ordered a 5: 1 defense with Alex Dujshebaev in the advanced and everything worked again. With Dujshebaev himself as a benchmark in attack – against his Polish Kielce teammates -, Spain opened a three-goal lead (19-22, min. 36) and from that moment Belarus is out of control. Karalek was expelled and the former Soviet team risked playing without a goalkeeper to enjoy two of the extremes, Angel Fernndez and Aleix Gmez, who were soaked in career goals.

As in all his appointments throughout this competition, the selection reached the last 10 minutes with the victory secured and could entertain with essential players such as Joan Caellas or Julen Aguinagalde breaks. Despite their veteran, both, as well as Ral Entrerros, or the defensive couple formed by Viran Morros and Geden Guardiola, will arrive at the weekend with fresh legs. Before that, Spain has a match of the group stage this Wednesday, against Croatia (4 pm), which Jordi Ribera presents before a complicated decision. With both classified teams, the Spanish coach can exaggerate the rotations and forget the result or play it to win a victory that will ensure the leadership of the group

The first place could serve to dodge in the semifinals to Norway, the best selection so far in the tournament, but it will not ensure that privilege. By demand of the television, the decisive party of the other group, the one that measures Norway with Slovenia, will play the same Wednesday (18.15 hours) when Spain and Croatia are already in the showers so playing with the result could be counterproductive.