October 11, 2019 - A joint press conference of the men and women’s Croatia handball coaches was held ahead of the meetings against Germany in Zagreb and Hanover.
HRT reports that the women’s handball team will play first at the Arena in Zagreb on October 23, starting at 5 pm, followed by the men’s team at 7:30 pm. Three days later, the teams will meet in Hanover - the men’s team at 2:30 pm and the women's team at 5:30 pm.
Lino Cervar is preparing for the European Championships in Austria, Norway, and Sweden, and Nenad Sostaric is expected to continue the qualifications for EURO 2020.
“It is a meeting with a very attractive opponent, and I do not doubt that there will be a lot of support at the Arena. We envisioned this for two purposes - as a controlled gathering, a test of physical and mental abilities, as an extremely difficult Olympic year awaits us. We need to have conversations, familiarize them with the goals. And secondly, we want to see where these players are against a strong rival, as they are constantly with or close to the national team,” Cervar said, explaining:
“Some are brand new, and we need to expand our base. Those not listed are by no means written off. Part of them opted out due to club or family responsibilities, and some are injured.”
Sostaric pointed out that there were a lot of changes in the lineup compared to the last gathering.
“Some of the handball players are injured, some of them asked for rest. It is a good opportunity for us to see those who play the Croatian Handball League, are constantly part of the roster, but have played little. Germany is one of the best teams in the world. It will be a good check anyway,” Sostaric said.
Both teams will gather in Zagreb at the Panorama Hotel on Monday, October 21, at 1 pm.
Croatia handball team (men's):
1. Marin Šego – Montpellier HC
2. Matej Ašanin – PPD Zagreb
3. Moreno Car – Nexe
4. Zlatko Horvat – PPD Zagreb
5. Fran Mileta – Nexe
6. Vlado Matanović – Gorenje Velenje
7. David Mandić – PPD Zagreb
8. Lovro Mihić – Wisla Plock
9. Marin Jelinić – Nexe
10. Željko Musa – SC Magdeburg
11. Marin Šipić – PPD Zagreb
12. Marino Marić – MT Melsungen
13. Kristijan Bećiri – PPD Zagreb
14. Marko Mamić – Leipzig
15. Domagoj Pavlović – MT Melsungen
16. Domagoj Duvnjak – THW Kiel
17. Josip Šarac – Celje pivovarna Laško
18. Luka Cindrić – Barcelona
19. Igor Karačić – PGE Vive Kielce
20. Matej Hrstić – PPD Zagreb
21. Luka Mrakovčić – PPD Zagreb
22. Luka Stepančić – MOL Pick Szeged
23. Ivan Martinović – Hannover – Burgdorf
24. Nikola Jukić – Chartres
25. Ivan Slišković – Göppingen
26. Leon Šušnja – Wisla Plock
Croatia handball team (women’s):
1. Tea Pijević – Lokomotiva
2. Magdalena Ecimović – Podravka Vegeta
3. Lucija Bešen – Sesvete Agroproteinka
4. Paula Posavec – Lokomotiva
5. Korina Karlovčan – Podravka Vegeta
6. Tena Japundža – Lokomotiva
7. Ana Debelić – Podravka
8. Ines Domjan – Koka
9. Sara Šenvald – Lokomotiva
10. Marina Glavan – Lokomotiva
11. Dora Lacković – Osijek
12. Selena Milošević – Podravka
13. Stela Posavec – Lokomotiva
14. Dejana Milosavljević – Podravka
15. Dora Kalaus – Lokomotiva
16. Lea Franušić – Podravka
17. Kristina Prkačin – Lokomotiva
18. Katarina Mrazović – Koka
19. Lea Vukojević – Zrinski
Call ups:
1. Mara Budić – Dugo Selo
2. Andrea Šimara – Lokomotiva
3. Nataša Miočinović – Umag
4. Josipa Kašelj – Lokomotiva
5. Josipa Mamić – Bjelovar
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