MADRID, 7 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish handball team faces this Wednesday (7:10 p.m. / Teledeporte) the first of its two commitments of the week in the EHF Euro Cup 2024, a double confrontation against Sweden on days 3 and 4 of the tournament, in the reissue of the fight for the bronze in the last World Cup and that ended with the victory of the ‘Hispanics’.
Spain returns to the slopes in its first game since signing a creditable third place in the World Championship. The umpteenth success in a major tournament that resulted in the team’s tenth medal in the last decade. Some achievements achieved thanks to an identity based on the ‘culture of effort’ that forces all generations of ‘Hispanics’ to empty themselves on the track.
This first stop after the World Cup, at the whim of the calendar, will be a double confrontation on days 3 and 4 of the EHF Euro Cup 2024 against Sweden. The ‘Hispanics’ prevailed (36-39) on January 29 against the current European champion in a Tele2 Arena in Stockholm packed with some 22,000 local spectators and thanks to a great second half.
The first of these two games of the week will be played this Wednesday at the Saab Arena in Linköping, starting at 7:10 p.m., live on Teledeporte. While the Olivo Arena in Jaén will host the second assault in just five days, on March 12, between some teams that have faced each other 60 times.
The balance is slightly favorable to the Spanish, with 32 wins, 1 draw and 27 losses. In addition, with the exception of the 2022 European final, the ‘Hispanics’ have played all the official duels -9- against the Swedish team since 2009.
Jordi Ribera will be able to count on all his troops, in a call-up in which he practically kept the block used during the preparation and the dispute of the World Cup with the novelty of the young left-back from Fraikin Granollers Jan Gurri, 20 years old and who could making his debut with the ‘Hispanos’, and the return of the Barça winger Aleix Gómez who missed the last big event due to injury.
For its part, the Swedish team, current European champions, comes to this game wanting revenge, as well as with new features in its squad. They present notable absences, such as Jim Gottfridsson, Lukas Sandell, Andreas Palicka or Niclas Ekberg. However, the talented Jonathan Carlsbogrd, Hampus Wanne, Felix Claar or the young Eric Johansson will not miss the double date.
RIBERA: “THEY WILL DEMAND A LOT OF US, WE WILL HAVE TO COME OUT VERY CONCENTRATED”
The national coach, Jordi Ribera, highlighted in the preview that the first match against Sweden will be “a very interesting game” because “two different styles come together” with a “very high” competitive level. “Sweden is going to demand a lot from us, we have also come from winning the bronze against them at home, so we will have to come out very focused and work very well to obtain a positive result,” he added in statements provided by the RFEBM.
For his part, winger Kauldi Odriozola described this match as a “tough test” which brings back “great memories of the bronze from a month ago in Stockholm”. “But this will be another story, I’m sure they’ll want us, that’s why we must play like that time and compete to the maximum to be able to bring victory to Spain,” he settled.