Where, when and how to follow the France team?
If for a time there was talk of a Euro only in Hungary, where the health situation was better than in Slovakia, it is the two eastern countries that will host the Euro from January 13 to 30. Thus, the French team will play its first round in Szeged, Hungary, against Croatia (Thursday January 13, 8:30 p.m.), Ukraine (Saturday January 15, 6 p.m.) and Serbia (Monday January 17, 8:30 p.m.). If it finishes in one of the first two places, it will advance to the main round in Budapest, the Hungarian capital which will also host the last four. Les Bleus matches will be watched live with commentary on Lefigaro.fr, and on television on BeIN Sport. Note that the TF1 group negotiated with its counterpart the unencrypted broadcasting of five meetings,starting with that of Thursday against the Croats (on TFX). Possible semi-finals and finals are affected by this agreement, as well as two other group matches, the choice of which will depend on the course of the French.
What are the groups and the formula?
Group A (in Debrecen): Slovenia, Denmark, North Macedonia, Montenegro
Group B (in Budapest): Portugal, Hungary, Iceland, Netherlands
Group C (in Szeged): Croatia, Serbia, France, Ukraine
Group D (in Bratislava): Germany, Austria, Belarus, Poland
Group E (in Bratislava): Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group F (in Kosice): Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Lithuania
The teams will have to play seven group matches to advance to the semi-finals: the first three in the first round (two qualified out of four per group, result between the two kept) and the other four in the main round (two qualified out of six per pool).
In the main round, groups A, B, and C cross in group I, groups D, E and F cross in the main round in group II.
How to deal with Omicron and positive cases?
Omicron and his ruthless universe. To cope with the rapid spread of the variant, the European Handball Federation (EHF) had to be adaptable. And understanding, too, to avoid a competition at a discount with a multitude of absent stars. So, if at first she had announced that a positive player would have to observe a quarantine of 14 days - therefore synonymous with the end of the competition since it lasts 17 days maximum -, she changed her shoulder rifle to saw reactions from several major nations. The isolation will only be five days, and a return to the prosecution conditional on two negative PCR tests. This leaves room for maneuver in the event of a positive case in the first week, but which will not be forgiven in the second week. At the level of the public,For the moment, no gauge has been decided for the matches in Hungary (Budapest, Szeged, Debrecen), while Slovakia sets a bar of 25% in Bratislava and Kosice.
Read alsoHandball: Nikola Karabatic and the Blues shocked by the sanitary conditions in Hungary
What can the Blues aspire to?
Delicate question. Olympic champions last summer in Tokyo, the Blues have resumed their place at the top of world handball. The space of a competition or in a more sustainable way? If the coach Guillaume Gille had been able to rely for this Euro on all of his living forces, minus the three retirees from Tokyo that are Michaël Guigou, Luc Abalo and Yann Genty, optimism would have been required. Alas, this will not be the case since three other players who participated in the Olympic adventure will miss the call due to an injury. And not the least since it is about Luka Karabatic, Nedim Remili and Timothey N'Guessan. If the absence of the last two on the offensive plan is very damaging, it is especially the withdrawal of the first that poses a big problem in the defensive sector,where he formed an extremely effective duo with Ludovic Fabregas.
Without Nikola Karabatic's little brother, the Blues must (re) find a balance. And if to achieve this Guillaume Gille does not lack talent, he had to deal with a preparation as short as it was hectic, between the aggression suffered by Elohim Prandi, the positive cases of Covid-19, the family drama of Vincent Gérard… The whole thing reducing to the skin of grief the time available to him to work collectively. With entry into a complicated group with Croatia and Serbia, even if the two formations of the former Yugoslavia also have to deal with absences, France is not immune to anything, and in particular not an elimination of entry as it had been the case two years ago. But on the other hand, if everything fits together quickly,Dika Mem and others can dream of a fourth European after 2006, 2010 and 2014.
What are the other favorite nations?
Two necessarily stand out. First, that of the double defending champion, Spain, who aims to achieve a hat-trick only succeeded by Sweden between 1998 and 2002. But the mission of the Spaniards promises to be difficult without their star and playing master, Alex Dujshebaev , hit in the shoulder. Especially since they will have no room for maneuver in the lower part of the table with Sweden in the first round then, in the event of qualification, Norway and Germany. The other big favorite is Denmark, who will be very vengeful after losing their Olympic title in Tokyo in the final against France. And even more after his painful failure in the previous Euro, ended in a pitiful elimination in the first round. The Scandinavian formation has so far the advantage, or the chance, ofto be spared from injuries and positive cases, which will allow him a priori to present himself to the best of his ability with Mikkel Hansen and Niklas Landin. Among the outsiders, it will be necessary to watch the Norway of Sander Sagosen, often placed in recent years but never victorious, or Sweden. Strongly handicapped by absences, Germany and Croatia will leave further afield. And beware of Hungary at home, always powerfully supported and transcended.Germany and Croatia will set off from further afield. And beware of Hungary at home, always powerfully supported and transcended.Germany and Croatia will set off from further afield. And beware of Hungary at home, always powerfully supported and transcended.