This remake, from the group stage, of the last Euro final at the start of the year does not compromise the chances of qualification: four teams from each group of six advance to the quarter-finals. It could even be seen as a strategic choice on the part of Guillaume Gille, the coach of the France team.
Indeed, a particularity of handball, once the first ten teams of the tournament were drawn, the French coach, thanks to the status of host country, was able to choose between group A and group B. He chose the group b.
It is completed by Sander Sagosen’s Norway, as well as Hungary, Egypt, and Argentina. If Nikola Karabatic’s band and Mikkel Hansen’s band shared the first two places in their group, they would be sure not to cross paths before a possible final on August 11 at the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d’Ascq.
A fourth gold medal coveted by the French team
In January, the two selections were only decided in overtime (33-31 AD) in the Euro-2024 final. Shock of the 2023 World Cup, which this time turned to the advantage of the Danes, the poster is also that of the Tokyo Olympic final where the Blues won a third gold medal.
After these three coronations as well as the silver medal in Rio in 2016, Nikola Karabatic covets a fourth gold medal for his last dance before putting away the resin pots, at forty years old. A final podium would make him alone the man with the most medals in his sport ahead of his friends from the Experts Michaël Guigou and Luc Abalo with whom he currently shares this record.
The Blues must play their first match on July 27 at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center. The groups for the Olympic handball tournament after the draw on Tuesday. Group A is made up of Spain, Croatia, Germany, Slovenia, Sweden and Japan. Then group B is made up of France, Denmark, Norway, Hungary, Egypt and Argentina.