Before the start: Most recently world champions three times in a row, in the last ten years they have won a medal seven times in 12 tournaments: Denmark has been the ultimate in world handball for several years. There are quite a few experts who are of the opinion that Danes coach Nikolaj Jacobsen would currently be able to put together two fully-fledged teams that would be capable of playing for the tournament victory.
The DHB team has to compete against these Danes in the semi-finals; a victory would border on a handball miracle. It’s the duel of David versus Goliath. While national coach Alfred Gislason had declared before the last group game against France that his team would have to produce their best performance in years to win, the Icelander now said: “We have to produce the best performance of the past decades, you could perhaps say. To even that To have the slightest chance, we need a huge performance.”
The last victory of a DHB selection against Denmark, which recorded six wins at the current European Championships and a 25:28 defeat in the meaningless last main round game against Slovenia, was almost eight years ago. In April 2016, the Danes were beaten 33:26 in an international match. Just three months after the sensational 25:23 win in the last main round game of the European Championship in Poland.
© getty
before the start: Dirk Nowitzki, Felix Neureuther and Lothar Matthäus: Numerous German sports stars have joined the growing number of fans of the DHB team. “The whole nation is behind you,” Nowitzki said in a video on Instagram. Neureuther advised the team to “simply enjoy the moment when the pressure is greatest, when the hall is on fire.” Stefan Kretzschmar published the compilation: “I recognize a certain pattern: after a not so good game there comes a bang – so today there is a bang. At exactly the right time,” the handball legend is sure. Per Mertesacker also agreed: “Today you are taking the next step,” said the 2014 soccer world champion.
In general, the support from football is great. National player Jonas Hofmann, who was active in handball as a youth, demanded full focus before the herculean task against the Danes: “Show everyone, really hit it hard and let the eagle fly again.” DFB striker Niclas Füllkrug was already looking beyond the “cracker”: “You can handle it,” said Füllkrug: “Then it’s off to the final and then the title will be won – in your own country.” Lothar Matthäus also wanted to see national coach Alfred Gislason’s men “with the trophy” and even misused a quote from the recently deceased Franz Beckenbauer: “Go out, have fun and play handball!”
Before the start: By reaching the semi-finals, the DHB team has already achieved its best European Championship placement since winning the title in 2016. In the meantime, they never got further than fifth place (2020).
before start: The game will be played in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne from 8:30 p.m. This is exactly where the Germans scored their last victory against the Danes. A good ohm?
Before the start: Hello and welcome to the live ticker of the semi-finals at the European Handball Championship between Germany and Denmark.