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Hungary's 2.08 meter tall striker Bence Bánhidi is one of the top players at the European Championships
Photo: Andreas Hillergren / IMAGO / TT
"Whoever has the fewest corona cases becomes European champion." At least that is what Bob Hanning, one of the leading figures in German handball in recent years, believes.
And his prophecy might turn out to be true.
Before the start of the European Championship in Hungary and Slovakia this Thursday, a number of nations are complaining about infected players.
In the case of title contenders Croatia, both playmakers, the superstars Domagoj Duvnjak and Luka Cindrić, could be out.
But maybe the two will be able to intervene at a later point in the tournament.
The European association has reduced the quarantine for players who tested positive from 14 days to five.
Duvnjak, who tested positive a few days ago, is now said to be negative again.
It is uncertain whether Corona will decide on the title.
The German team will start the EM with many new faces, and national coach Alfred Gíslason has nominated nine tournament debutants.
The first opponent in the preliminary round is Belarus on Friday (6 p.m., TV: ARD, you will find the complete schedule).
SPIEGEL took a look at the German team and put together other short stories about the start of the European Championship.
The favourite
It's almost a little boring, but denying it doesn't help.
Denmark is the favorite at this tournament too.
With goalkeeper Niklas Landin, the world champions of 2019 and 2021 still have one of the best keepers in the world, with Mikkel Hansen one of the most dangerous attackers.
Landin, 33, and Hansen, 34, don't seem to get tired.
Danish long-running hits.
Denmark deserves the role of title contender number one mainly because of its second row.
With Mathias Gidsel, who is only 22 years old and who was named the most important player at the Olympics, the next world star is already ready.
Good for the German Bundesliga: in 2022, the right back space will move to the Hanning Club Füchse Berlin.
In addition, Rasmus Lauge is fit again after many injuries, the former Flensburg native was the guarantor on the defensive at the first Danish World Cup title in 2019.
The lucky bag
Luca Witzke, Joel Birlehm, Lukas Mertens, Djibril M'Bengue, Julian Köster, Lukas Zerbe, Christoph Steinert, Till Klimpke, Sebastian Heymann - how many names have you heard of them before?
In any case, these men are the nine debutants that the German national coach Gíslason has appointed for a tournament for the first time.
It is now almost a tradition that national coaches have to do without regular staff.
Also this year some canceled: Juri Knorr, because he does not want to be vaccinated for the time being, Hendrik Pekeler to be with the family, Fabian Wiede for private reasons.
But there is no resentment to be heard from the German camp these days.
On the contrary: the atmosphere should be good and the anticipation great.
In an interview, the new German captain Johannes Golla said that there was an enormous passion and willingness to be felt in training.
The team has even been spared corona cases so far.
The DHB selection can hardly disappoint with such an inexperienced squad.
The preliminary round with Belarus, Austria and Poland should, however, be survived.
How far can it go?
"We're a lucky bag," says Golla.
The home team
Time and again, host teams manage to come up with surprises at tournaments.
At the 2021 World Cup, the host Egypt was close to a sensation when the team only lost to Denmark in the quarter-finals in the seven-meter throw.
In 2012 Serbia was in the final at the home European championships, never again in the years before and after.
This year, therefore, eyes should be on co-host Hungary.
From a sporting point of view, the Hungarian selection can actually be rated very strongly.
The main reason for this is 2.08 meters tall: Bence Bánhidi is a circular giant with his enormous body size and strength.
German handball fans will probably remember him: At the World Cup a year ago, the 26-year-old Brecher let the German defense run up again and again, he threw eight hits, and Hungary won.
At the home European championships, Bánhidi has a good chance of being the top scorer of the tournament.
The Cuba Connection
For many years Portugal played no role in handball. Then, in 2020, and the first European Championship participation in 14 years, the country suddenly took sixth place in the finals. One of the reasons for the sudden development is Cuba. The country, which has been politically and economically isolated for many years, produces outstanding athletes time and again, but it often loses its talents to other nations. So also in handball.
Portugal is expected to compete with four professionals who were born in Cuba.
A successful model that Qatar has already relied on in the past - Rafael Capote, born in Havana, was a key factor in Qatar's surprising triumph at the 2015 home World Cup possible) all of a sudden in the final.
An exciting player from Portugal's Cuba Connection is Ángel Hernández Zulueta, who, like the other Cubans, has an enormous physical presence.
By the way, Zulueta recently earned his money at the club in Qatar and Kuwait.
The hard hit
If Hanning's assumption is correct and the team with the fewest corona cases ends up becoming European champions, then Serbia would have no chance whatsoever.
Serbia's Spanish national coach Toni Gerona has described the past few weeks as a “nightmare”.
There were 15 corona cases in the Serbian squad - usually with 18 players.
Test duels had to be canceled, including the one against Germany.
"We want to fight, but we don't know if we can," said Gerona.
In the past few days, they had prepared with Zoom meetings, real training, conditional work was not possible.
With the quarantine shortened, some players may still return, but Gerona warns to expect too much.
»I only plan with players who pass a medical check-up after their illness.
The health is the most important thing."
And as if that weren't enough challenges: Serbia's opponents in the preliminary round include former world champions France and Croatia.
The conditions
Some are dissatisfied with the measures against Corona in the Hungarian team hotels.
"We were all stunned and even shocked when we saw non-masked guests, and that we ate in the same place as other guests," said Nikola Karabatic, who recently recovered from Corona, according to the sports daily L'Équipe.
In Slovakia, where the DHB team plays their preliminary round matches, the halls can be used up to 25 percent.
Spectators must be fully vaccinated and wear an FFP2 mask.
In Hungary, on the other hand, the halls can be fully occupied.
Vaccinated, convalescent and PCR-tested persons are admitted and should wear a mask.