Croatia secured their spot at their 15th EHF EURO with a silver medal in 2020, losing to Spain 20:22 in the final. They have been part of the EHF EURO story since 1994, and they come to Szeged with new coach Hrvoje Horvat, who previously served as an assistant coach to Lino Cervar since 2017.
Three questions ahead of the Men’s EHF EURO 2022:
Can a rejuvenated Croatia repeat their previous success?
The team will have a hard task to repeat the success of 2020, when they added a third silver to their collection alongside three bronze medals. The EHF EURO crown continues to be a dream, and is the only gold missing in a rich trophy collection.
Their powerful attack and sturdy defence with the emphasis on 5-1 will characterise the Croatian play as they look for another solid performance. Having finished fifth or better in the last nine EHF EUROs, there is a lot to live up to, and Croatia can never be taken for granted.
Will coach Horvat and the team be under pressure?
After failing to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, coach Horvat introduced new and young players into the team, giving them more time on the court. With many experienced players including the backbone of the team, Domagoj Duvnjak, combining with young stalwarts like Ivan Martinovic, Croatia will try to present a new style while aiming for the top step of the podium.
Missing are players such as Igor Karacic, Marino Maric and Marin Sego. Their omission from the squad came as a surprise for some, however Horvat and his team have a clear vision of introducing young players to build the team for the future. There is no doubt the team will be under pressure as everyone in Croatia expect them to play for a medal – but that should not be the main focus.
What are the expectations?
While their group opponents, France, Serbia and Ukraine, were going through qualification, Croatia played six matches in the EHF EURO Cup. They finished second with EHF EURO 2022 co-hosts Hungary first, leaving defending champions Spain and the other co-hosts, Slovakia, behind.
As all teams have experienced injury and illness issues during the preparation period, the group phase will not be easy for anyone. Croatia opens the tournament against their long-time rivals France and two days later against Serbia.
“France are Olympic champions and they have a wide roster with many great players. It’s not going to be easy as we are opening the competition against them. Our rivalry is well known,” says coach Horvat.
“Serbia showed in the last year they are playing well. With their new coach Antonio Gerona they have become a great team and are not just good individuals as before,” Horvat adds.
“For the end of the group phase, we play against Ukraine. They are a young team with a new roster, unknown to us, and we will have to prepare well. Ukrainian handball is on the rise and we should not take anyone for granted. It is most important to go step by step,” says Horvat.
