The Blues are now fixed: they will face Germany on Wednesday in the quarter-finals of the Handball World Cup. The German team lost to Norway (28-26) on Monday January 23, after a committed and suspenseful match in Katowice, Poland.
The Mannschaft finished second in Group III while France, first in Group I after their success the day before against Spain (28-26), was already Monday in Gdansk, the place where the quarter-final will be played on Wednesday, after their Sunday victory in Krakow against Spain (28-26).
The other quarter-finals will see Sweden take on Egypt, Denmark take on Hungary, and Norway take on Spain.
ahead of Friday’s semi-finals.
One more day of rest for the French
The Germans, who were able to hope to finish at the top of their group (a draw was enough for them) by taking the lead for the first time in the 52nd minute, will carry out on Tuesday, the day before the quarter-final, the 500 kilometers of journey which must lead to the shores of the Baltic Sea.
A south-north route through Poland taken 24 hours earlier by the French, who will have a full day of rest before the meeting in the Ergo Arena (approximately 11,000 seats).
“Can it make a difference? We’ll see. If there was a recipe for winning the quarter because we have one more day of rest than the opponent, I would be able to use it. This is not the case “, commented on Sunday the coach of the Blues, Guillaume Gille, however aware of benefiting from the “discovering luxury, in the hotel lounge in Gdansk”the next opponent.
The Blues had crossed the Germans in chickens on the way to their Olympic title in Tokyo in the summer of 2021 (30-29). Asked after the victory against Spain, the pivot of the Blues Ludovic Fabregas judged them “very strong” with their young guard, led by 22-year-old Juri Knorr.
The Rhein-Neckar Löwen center half again proved against the Norwegians that he was the Mannschaft’s handyman, author of eight goals and six assists. But he foiled a bit at the end of the suffocating match, sanctioned in particular by an exclusion for an offensive fault at 25-25.
After two group stages and two and a half weeks of competition which may have seemed a little long, interspersed with matches of relative intensity (Saudi Arabia, Iran, even Montenegro and Spain), the reigning Olympic champions are attacking, according to Gille, “this pivotal moment, targeted, [s’ils veulent] be at the rendezvous of [leurs] ambitions: go all the way. “All of a sudden the counters are reset to zero. We are really going to change decorum and dramaturgy ”added the coach.
Return of Dika Mem
In the event of qualification, the Blues could face in the semi-finals Friday Sweden, European champion, at home in Stockholm, since their victory on Sunday placed them in their part of the table.
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“We will respect Norway and Germany and we will talk about that again. And Sweden is not yet in the semis because it will face Denmark or Egypt in the quarters. Doing apothecary calculations has never worked for many people »evacuated Vincent Gérard on Monday.
In view of this final phase, the goalkeeper and his teammates will be able to count on one of their main offensive weapons, Dika Mem.
The FC Barcelona right-back, one of the best players in the world, returned to the field after ten days without playing due to an abdominal injury, playing twenty-four minutes against the Spaniards (4 goals on 6 shots) . Ideal for “take back your bearings”according to Gille, and find the rhythm.
“I made a few silly little mistakes, unnecessary ball losses, passes at the feet. I think it’s due to not having played for a while. These are things that correct themselves quickly, like timings with teammates. commented Mem.
Left-back Elohim Prandi, who twisted his left ankle against Spain, could be fit for the quarter. He was spotted at Krakow airport on Monday without straps or crutches, according to an informed source.