After the completion of qualifications, the Balkan region could be proud of the handball players of all the countries. For the first time in history, six national teams from the territory of the former Yugoslavia will compete at the upcoming European Championship. The most attention paid to the drawing of the draw in Vienna was definitely attracted by group A, in which Croatia, Serbia, Belarus and Montenegro will compete in Graz. On this occasion, Nenad Perunicic, the singer of Serbia:
Both men and women, frankly, do not have luck in drawing. I think that the mothers are the best, in that group B, which is conditionally easier. The Bosnians went to a fierce group. With us, Croatia is a big favorite, that is a fact. Montenegro has likewise done the same as we did with the young players in the European Championship. We played with the Belarusians a year and a half ago in qualifications. We know about them. I would not talk about expectations now. The goal is certainly to be better than the World Cup. Honestly, I would wait a while to talk about reality. That’s the time of the gathering. I wish we were finally healthy. We have had a lot of malaria since last year, there has always been an injury, whether before, during the tournament. I want to get rid of the injuries and to complete at the next gatherings.
The places for the next stage, which will be held in Vienna, has two, and their impressions about the teams for the EURO 2020 were presented by the Croatian national team coach Lino Červar:
We have to prepare well, and I hope that we will be healthy and complete first of all. We respect every opponent, because everyone who comes to the EURO will do their best. Serbia and Montenegro know very well. With one we played the qualifications for the World Championship in Germany and Denmark, and we had Serbia in these qualifications. We played with the Belarusians on EURU in Croatia. As for Group B, I believe that nothing will be known to the very end. From Group C, I expect that Germany and Spain will be „brought“ to Vienna, which will be a real challenge. I would like to urge fans to start buying tickets as soon as possible, because they are very important to us „- said the coach of Croatia, Lino Červar.
The selector of Montenegro, Roganovic Zoran, is the same thing that everyone can get to Vienna.
A strong group with strong opponents where it could have been better, and the gods and worse. It will not be easy for anyone because we know each other well, a lot of players play together in clubs, a real small Balkan group, with also strong Belarus, „Roganovic said, adding,
We have a great respect for all opponents and I think that each of these four teams can take the other round. Of course, Croatia stands out as a favorite of the group.
Montenegrins have no pressure …
Likewise, if we do not go into the second round, it should not be understood as the end of the world, because I strongly believe in my guys that have a bright future, and this will be our common, first step and how much it will be this time we will see in January.
Serbia …
I have a great respect for the team and what Perun and his associates do, their way looks a lot like ours, that is, we have played these qualifications almost identically in terms of results, pressures of the media, side-by-side problems and through everything they came out only stronger, as well as we – Roganovic concluded.
Drawing for the next European Championship, which will be played for the first time in three countries (Austria, Norway, Sweden), the national team of Slovenia is placed in group F together with hosts Sweden, Switzerland and Poland.
Slovenes will play their matches in Gothenburg, and if they justify their expectations and continue to play, the second round will play in Malmo.
The first reaction of the selector Veselin Vujovic arrived:
The draw gave us an attractive group with the host of the competition. We are better on paper than Poland and Switzerland, so I expect to fight Sweden for the first place. It will be a top-level match at a high level, which could mean a lot to us for the continuation of the competition. We always play better against stronger opponents, and that’s why I am an optimist
Balkan Handball
