Enlarge image
DHB playmaker Juri Knorr
Photo: IMAGO/Tilo Wiedensoler / IMAGO/camera4+
Fear opponent Spain or Olympic champion France?
With the quarter-finals in the back, Germany's handball players were already thinking one step further.
"It's like the plague or cholera," said left winger Rune Dahmke, looking ahead to the knockout stage.
In the final main round game against Norway on Monday (8.30 p.m. / ARD) there is still a final for group victory.
But the thoughts in the camp of the team of national coach Alfred Gislason are already revolving around the now tangible medal games.
“The dream, of course, is having something hanging around your neck.
Otherwise we don't have to keep playing here," said Patrick Groetzki after the early jump into the top eight.
On Wednesday, Germany meets the French record world champions or the Spanish vice-champion in the quarter-finals in Gdansk.
Relief at Gislason
“Now come the really tough opponents.
It's a load off my heart," said goalkeeper Andreas Wolff, who was once again the outstanding man in the decisive 33:26 (15:12) against the Netherlands with a catch rate of 43 percent.
And Gislason felt “a great relief and joy.
That makes me very proud.
The way the boys played was strong.«
At Gislason, it was obvious that after reaching the World Cup goal, a huge burden fell off.
The expectations of the experienced coach at his first tournament without any real background noise were high.
But the Icelander and his team, who can almost always rely on playmaker Juri Knorr and goalkeepers Wolff and Joel Birlehm, withstood the pressure impressively.
Dreams of medals no longer appear as a utopia, but as a realistic scenario - even though Germany is the outsider in the quarter-finals.
Norway as a touchstone
After five wins in five games, what is possible at the World Cup?
"Beating Norway," Gislason replied dryly.
And then?
'I don't even know who we're playing against.
As always, we will focus on the next opponent.
I'm sorry for you, but things have gone well for us so far," said the 63-year-old, laughing.
The game with the co-favorite Scandinavians serves as perfect training for the extremely tricky task in the do-or-die game.
Gislason should distribute forces.
But the claim remains very clear, as Luca Witzke put it unequivocally: "We want to win the group now and take the flow into the quarterfinals with us."
Gislason does not have a dream opponent before his first knockout game at a World Cup or European Championship.
"France and Spain are two very different teams but equally good," he said.
Wolff also didn't want to be 100 percent committed to one team.
But: "The French could suit us better because Spain is our kryptonite." Gislason, on the other hand, referred to the "very good" test match against Spain last October.
It doesn't matter who it is: the German team should also carry the scenery in Poland.
The further the tournament progresses, the more it feels for the DHB selection as if they are playing in Germany.
"It was like a home game," said captain Johannes Golla after the Netherlands game in front of 6,250 loud spectators in Katowice.
Philipp Weber raved about "a lot of goosebump moments".
aha/sid
