The final preparations for the start of the EHF EURO 2022 are well underway, with the tournament now just 10 days away.
Several players who tested positive for Covid-19 in recent weeks are now recovered, but there are also some high-profile new absences, due to injuries.
France’s woes continue
After eight Covid-19 cases were confirmed last week in France’s camp, the woes continue to pile up for the reigning Olympic champions. Line player Luka Karabatic, who won gold at EHF EURO 2014 and bronze four years later, and is an integral part of ‘Les Experts’ defence, will miss EHF EURO 2022 due to a thigh injury. Meanwhile, 23-year-old back Elohim Prandi, who was on Guillaume Gille’s extended list, is also out of contention. Prandi was admitted to hospital with stab wounds after an incident on New Year’s Eve in Paris, and while his condition is stable, he has been ruled out of playing.
However, on 2 January it was confirmed that left wing Hugo Descat, left back Nikola Karabatic, centre back Aymeric Minne and right wing Dylan Nahi are on their way back and could join Gille’s side in the next days.
Pereira announces 20-player roster
Portugal suffered from a big Covid-19 outbreak in the final weeks of December, but things are looking on the up for coach Paulo Pereira and the ‘Heroes of the Sea’. Crucial players like left back Andre Gomes, line player Luis Frade, right wing Pedro Portela and right back Joao Ferraz are still missing due to injuries, but goalkeeper Gustavo Capdeville, influential centre back Miguel Martins, left back Alexandre Cavalcanti and veteran line player Tiago Rocha are back after emerging out of quarantine.
“Our objective is to progress to the main round and then, we will see, we have other objectives if we manage this. We must have the best version of ourselves, which we did not see yet,” said Pereira, according to the official website of the Portuguese Handball Association.
Nenadic misses the EHF EURO due to injury
Serbian ace Petar Nenadic will miss the EHF EURO 2022, it was confirmed by the Serbian Handball Federation on 2 January, due to an injury suffered while playing for his club, Telekom Veszprém. The 35-year-old Nenadic, who injured his thigh in December, was reportedly out for six weeks, but Serbia hoped his progress would enable him to play in Hungary and Slovakia. However, the injury has not healed properly. Nenadic was the most experienced Serbian player on the provisional roster, an integral part of Serbia’s team which won silver at EHF EURO 2012, but has been constantly plagued by injuries in the last years.
Six rookies for the Netherlands
Between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Poland and the Netherlands featured in a four-team tournament, alongside Tunisia and Japan. The Dutch side lost two games, 30:33 against Japan and 27:33 against Poland, winning only against Tunisia, 33:28. However, coach Erlingur Richardsson deemed the results satisfactory for this stage of their preparation.
The Icelandic coach called up six rookies for EHF EURO 2022 in his 18-player roster, with Florent Bourget and Denis Schellekens coming from Dutch side KRAS/Volendam, while Tom Jansen, Alec Smit, Ivar Stavast and Rutger ten Velde have international experience in Denmark and Germany. Key players like PSG’s Luc Steins and SC Magdeburg’s Kay Smits are also in the roster, helping the Netherlands face a tough group at EHF EURO 2022, with hosts Hungary, Portugal and Iceland. The Dutch are also slated to play two away friendly matches on 6 and 8 January, against Sweden in Alsingas.
Denmark and Norway make new plans
The reigning world champions were due to face Egypt and Norway this week, in Paris, but the current health situation in France cancelled the plans for both Scandinavian sides. Therefore, Denmark and Norway, who were also due to play a friendly match against France, will now face each other over two friendly matches in Denmark. The games will take place in Hillerod on 6 and 8 January, just three days before the teams travel to EHF EURO 2022 in Hungary and Slovakia.
Hosts ready to enter the last phase of preparations
Hungary’s talented right back Dominik Mathe tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in Hungary, on 28 December, but the hosts are confident that he will still be able to play during the EHF EURO 2022 after returning two negative tests. Hungary will be playing two friendly matches prior to the throw-off of the competition, on 6 January against Belarus and on 8 January against Bahrain.
