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“The hottest thing in the world”: handball players celebrate the semi-finals
Germany goalkeeper Andreas Wolff is very happy with his team’s performance. photo
© Federico Gambarini/dpa
Germany’s handball players quickly put the defeat against Croatia behind them. The look ahead is to the semi-final against Denmark. For many players it is the career highlight.
National coach Alfred Gislason sees the entry of German handball players into the European ChampionshipSemifinals as a milestone for the young team.
“It has been our dream for a year that we reach the semi-finals. It is extremely important for the boys that they have achieved this. We are very happy about it. No matter what happens now against Denmark,” said Gislason after the 24th: 30 in the meaningless main round game against Croatia.
According to the 64-year-old Icelander, the team “developed very nicely” during the home finals and grew more and more together. “I’m having a lot of fun doing it,” said Gislason.
Wolff: “We can be satisfied”
In the duel with world champions and top favorites Denmark on Friday (8.30 p.m./ZDF and Dyn) in Cologne, the national coach is hoping for a sporting surprise from the DHB selection. “To do that we need an outstanding performance because they are the best team in the tournament. That makes it very difficult,” said Gislason and added: “Of course we hope for a great day.”
The players also rated the advance into the top four teams as a great success. “We can be very happy because we have achieved something beautiful,” enthused goalkeeper Andreas Wolff. And playmaker Juri Knorr explained: “It’s the greatest thing in the world to be able to play a semi-final in front of our fans. That makes me very proud.”
However, against Denmark you are the blatant outsider. “We need a special day, a lot of handball ingredients as well as courage and mentality. We can’t appear with fear,” demanded the 23-year-old from cup winners Rhein-Neckar Löwen.
Handball players hope for a magical day
“It’s no secret that the Danes play the most beautiful, best and most effective handball. But it will be a great challenge. They should first show how good they are,” said backcourt player Philipp Weber aggressively.
If the DHB selection wants to achieve the handball miracle, they need a perfect day. “We lose nine out of ten games against the Danes. But no one knows when that day will be,” said Weber hopefully.
The defeat against Croatia does not stop the German handball players from dreaming of a European Championship coup against the top Scandinavian team. “I can promise that we will show a completely different face on Friday,” announced left winger Rune Dahmke and hoped for “this one, magical day.”
The DHB team is still warned. In Denmark, probably the best national handball team in the world is waiting for Germany – with probably the best goalkeeper duo in the world and an enviable pace of handball. “They travel to a tournament to win it. That is the hardest task imaginable that we have in the semi-finals,” said captain Johannes Golla.
Knorr praised the “concentrated, individual quality” of the upcoming opponent. With Mathias Gidsel, Hans Lindberg and Simon Pytlick, the Scandinavians have several top professionals from the Bundesliga.