Born and bred in Košice, goalkeeper Teodor Paul always dreamt about this moment. Tonight, the 34-year-old shot stopper will take the court in the Steel Arena, representing his national team, which is making its comeback to the EHF EURO after a 10-year hiatus.
For Slovakia, hosting the EHF EURO 2022 is crucial, as the sport can easily be accessed by fans and the team could serve as an inspiration for many children just starting to play.
“Handball is not the most popular sport in Slovakia. There is football, there is ice hockey. But hosting the EHF EURO and playing here, at home, could help boost its popularity. It is important to play and to win some games,” says Paul.
Win some games. Easier said than done, as Slovakia are currently one of the four teams to have never won a game at the EHF EURO, alongside Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Latvia. But no team has played so many games as Slovakia, nine, without having a win under their belt in the competition.
Therefore, the underdog status will be pretty much guaranteed when the hosts start the tournament in group F, alongside Norway, Russia and Lithuania. Only the top two teams in the group standings will progress to the main round in Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava.
Home support
However, hosting the tournament does not guarantee a stellar performance on the court. There are countless examples in the previous 14 editions of the EHF EURO, most recently Sweden, who co-hosted the tournament and finished seventh in 2020, well below their expectations.
“For us, it will surely be something to cherish and respect. We will have our families, our friends in the arena, cheering for us and hoping for the best. Plenty of fans will also be in front of their TV, supporting us. The feeling is that we should do everything we can to make all of them proud,” says Paul.
Plucky underdogs have produced big surprises in the past at the EHF EURO, with Portugal finishing sixth in 2020, after coming out of nowhere to surprise the opponents. Such a fairytale is difficult to foresee for Slovakia, especially as the first game, critical for their fate in the tournament, is against Norway, who won bronze in 2020.
Yet Paul is upbeat, despite the lack of experience in Slovakia’s squad. In comparison to their opponents, only three Slovakian players – right wing Tomas Urban, captain Lubomir Duris and left back Oliver Rabek – have previously played at the EHF EURO.
“Many friendly games supposed to be played before the start of the tournament have been cancelled due to Covid-19 cases in the teams. Therefore, some of the sides do not know exactly what to expect and that bodes well for us,” Paul thinks.
“We have nothing to lose, but everything to win. Therefore, the difference between Norway and Slovakia can shrink, especially as this is the first game in the tournament,” says the Slovak goalkeeper.
Facing up to the challenge
Add the pride of hosting the tournament in the mix and Slovakia could have an ace up their sleeve. Progressing to the main round at the EHF EURO is difficult, but Paul is upbeat about the challenge.
“First, we need to win a game,” says Paul, smiling. “It can be against Norway, Russia or Lithuania. To be honest, winning once will be amazing. Then, we can think about a main round berth, which would be amazing, to go to Bratislava and play there. But we know the challenge is difficult,” adds Slovakia’s shot-stopper.
The nerves and a bit of pressure are definitely there, as making the debut in the EHF EURO at home, against one of the greatest goal scorers of the last decade, Sander Sagosen, is not an easy challenge.
But Paul, who has been plying his trade for the last five seasons in the French league, at USAM Nimes Gard, has faced Sagosen numerous times, when the Norwegian back played for Paris Saint-Germain between 2017 and 2020.
“We have studied Norway intensively and I also know Sagosen from the French league. Of course, he is a stellar player and not an opponent anyone likes to play against. But Norway also have other important players, which we need to pay attention to,” concludes the 34-year-old.
On paper, Slovakia have nothing to lose against Norway, but everything to play for against Russia and Lithuania. Right now, the ball is quite literally in their court. And in perfect conditions, the underdogs need to deliver.
