The Blues are fixed: they will face Germany in the quarter-finals of the Handball World Cup on Wednesday, which lost after a committed and suspenseful match against Norway (28-26), Monday 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 in Gdansk, the venue for the quarter-final on Wednesday.
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, the 500 km journey to the edges of the Baltic Sea.
One more day of rest for the Blues
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. is not the case” commented Sunday the coach of the Blues Guillaume Gille, however aware of benefiting from the “luxury of discovering, in the living room of the hotel in Gdansk”, the next opponent.
It will therefore be the Germans, whom the Blues had crossed 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 considered them “very strong” with their young guard, led by Juri Knorr (22 years old). 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.
Sweden in the semis?
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, (if they want) to be at the rendezvous of (their) ambitions: to go to the end.”
“All of a sudden the counters are reset to zero. We will really change decorum and dramaturgy,” added the coach. 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.
“We will respect Norway and Germany and we will talk about that again. And Sweden is not yet in the semi-finals because they will face Denmark or Egypt in the quarters. big world”, evacuated Vincent Gérard.
Mem on time, Prandi restored?
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 10 days without playing due to an abdominal injury, playing 24 minutes against the Spaniards (4 goals on 6 shots). Ideal for “taking your bearings”, according to Gille, and finding the rhythm.
“I made a few silly little mistakes, unnecessary ball losses, passing on the feet. I think it’s due to not having played for a while. These are things that correct themselves quickly, like the 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.