March 11, 2021 - Croatia handball departs for Montpellier after a short preparation in Zagreb ahead of the Olympic qualifying tournament this weekend.

The Croatia men's handball team has completed three short days of preparation ahead of the Olympic qualifying tournament hosted by Montpellier from March 12 to 14. This is a new challenge for Croatia that ensures a spot in Tokyo at the Olympic Games this summer. 

New coach Hrvoje Horvat and his professional staff had only a short time to prepare for the competition in France, refreshing the players who competed in several matches recently and preparing the others who have played less.

The schedule in Montpellier is hellish. In three days, the national team will face three extremely difficult rivals; the first against the best national team of all time, and the host - France - on Friday, the always improving Portugal on Saturday, and a clash against one of the best African national teams on Sunday - Tunisia.

Due to COVID-19, the World Handball Federation has allowed each national team 20 players. Up to 16 can be on the player list for each match, and five changes are possible. 

As it is known, Hrvoje Horvat had 21 players at his disposal during these short preparations. Since he has the most numbers in the outside positions, he decided to drop Matej Hrstić. The valuable member of PPD Zagreb thus stays at home. 

List of Croatia national handball team members:

1. MARIN ŠEGO – MONTPELLIER HB
2. IVAN PEŠIĆ – HC MEŠKOV BREST
3. MATE ŠUNJIĆ – US IVRY HANDBALL
4. IVAN ČUPIĆ – RK VARDAR 1961
5. ZLATKO HORVAT – RK METALURG SKOPJE
6. MANUEL ŠTRLEK – TELEKOM VESZPREM HC
7. DAVID MANDIĆ – RK PPD ZAGREB
8. ŽELJKO MUSA – SC MAGDEBURG
9. MARINO MARIĆ – MT MELSUNGEN
10. ILIJA BROZOVIĆ – TSV HANNOVER -BURGDORF
11. KREŠIMIR KOZINA – FRISCH AUP GOPPINGEN
12. LUKA CINDRIĆ – BARCELONA
13. DOMAGOJ DUVNJAK – THW KIEL
14. IGOR KARAČIĆ – HC LOMZA VIVA KIELCE
15. MARKO MAMIĆ – SCDHFK LEIPZIG
16. HALIL JAGANJAC – RK NEXE
17. IVAN MARTINOVIĆ – HC HANNOVER -BURGDORF
18. DOMAGOJ PAVLOVIĆ – MT MELSUNGEN
19. LUKA ŠEBETIĆ – TREMBLAY EN FRANCE HANDBALL
20. ŠIME IVIĆ – HC ERLANGEN

The Croatia national handball team has been to the Olympic Games five times so far and won gold in Atlanta and Athens.

The Croatia handball team travels to France on Thursday.

Source: HRS

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 9, 2021 - The first Croatia handball player list under coach Horvat has been released ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers next month. 

The new coach of the Croatia men's senior national team, Hrvoje Horvat, has published a list of 21 players he is counting on for the Olympic Qualifiers to be held in Montpellier from March 12 to 14, 2021. As is already known, Croatia is in a group with France, Portugal, and Tunisia. The two best national teams from each of the three groups will compete in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Apart from Montpellier, qualifying tournaments are also played in Berlin and Trondheim.

The player list also includes two well-known names who were not in Egypt at the World Championship - Luka Stepančić, a member of MOL-Pick Szeged, and Domagoj Pavlović, who plays for Melsungen. Both of these players were injured and could not compete in Egypt.

Croatia handball player list:

1. MARIN ŠEGO – MONTPELLIER HB
2. IVAN PEŠIĆ – HC MESHKOV BREST
3. MATE ŠUNJIĆ – US IVRY HANDBALL
4. IVAN ČUPIĆ – RK VARDAR 1961
5. ZLATKO HORVAT – RK METALURG SKOPJE
6. MANUEL ŠTRLEK – TELEKOM VESZPREM HC
7. DAVID MANDIĆ – RK PPD ZAGREB
8. ŽELJKO MUSA – SC MAGDEBURG
9. MARINO MARIĆ – MT MELSUNGEN
10. ILIJA BROZOVIĆ – TSV HANNOVER -BURGDORF
11. MARIN ŠIPIĆ – RK PPD ZAGREB
12. LUKA CINDRIĆ – BARCA
13. DOMAGOJ DUVNJAK – THW KIEL
14. IGOR KARAČIĆ – HC LOMZA VIVA KIELCE
15. MARKO MAMIĆ – SCDHFK LEIPZIG
16. HALIL JAGANJAC – RK NEXE
17. IVAN MARTINOVIĆ – HC HANNOVER -BURGDORF
18. DOMAGOJ PAVLOVIĆ – MT MELSUNGEN
19. LUKA ŠEBETIĆ – TREMBLAY EN FRANCE HANDBALL
20. LUKA STEPANČIĆ – MOL – PICK SZEGED
21. MATEJ HRSTIĆ – RK PPD ZAGREB

Hrvoje Horvat, the men's senior national team coach, on choosing this lineup:
"The skeleton of the national team is in some form as it was in the last two gatherings. We only hope that all the players on the list will be healthy and able to respond. There are no big surprises as far as players are concerned; there is very little time. My right hand on the bench will be Igor Vori, and I will not have a classic assistant coach. Matija Bilušić will sit on the bench as a goalkeeper coach, and I am happy to strengthen the staff with the goalkeeper coach. Two new physiotherapists, Goran Krušelj and Matija Rajnović will deal with this part of the job. A slightly thinner headquarters, but I believe that this is the right path and that we will show it."

When announcing his list of players, Horvat also announced the composition of the new staff. Thus, for the beginning of his term, Horvat will be without a classic assistant. The goalkeeper's coach remains Matija Bilušić, who also performed this task during the World Championship in Egypt. In the future, he will train goalkeepers and sit on the bench next to the coach. The new physiotherapists of the national team are Goran Kruselj and Matija Rajnovic. The rest of the staff remains unchanged. In other words, there are still Dr. Krešimir Rotim, Dr. Tomislav Kukin, director of all Croatia national teams Ivica Udovičić, sports director of men's national teams Igor Vori, who will continue to be on the bench, spokesperson and team manager Ivica Maraš, and technician Zdravko Mirilović.

Coaching staff:
1. HRVOJE HORVAT, COACH
2. MATIJA BILUŠIĆ, GOALIE COACH
3. MILJENKO RAK, CONDITIONING TRAINER
4. GORAN KRUŠELJ, PHYSIOTHERAPIST
5. MATIJA RAJNOVIĆ, PHYSIOTHERAPIST
6. KREŠIMIR ROTIM, MEDIC
7. TOMISLAV KUKIN, MEDIC
8. IVICA UDOVIČIĆ, DIRECTOR OF ALL NATIONAL TEAMS
9. IGOR VORI, SPORTS DIRECTOR OF MEN'S TEAMS
10. IVICA MARAŠ, SPOKESPERSON AND TEAM MANAGER
11. ZDRAVKO MIRILOVIĆ, TECHNICIAN

Source: HRS

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.  

January 7, 2021 - The Croatia men's handball team kicks off the new year with the World Handball Championships in Egypt! A look at Croatia's schedule. 

The first month of the new year is reserved for handball. The Croatia men's national handball team will begin 2021 at the World Championships, held from January 13 to 31, 2021, in Egypt. Croatia's rivals in Group C, which is being played in Alexandria, will be Qatar, Japan, and Angola.

It will be the first World Championships in an expanded edition. For the first time, 32 national teams will take part, which is divided into eight groups of four in the first phase of the competition.

In the second round, the three best from each group will pass and transfer the points won in mutual meetings. In that second round, there will be four groups with six national teams each, and the best two will advance to the quarterfinals, from which they will play by knockout until the end of the World Championships.

Groups A and B, C and D, E and F, and G and H will intersect. In the second round, the Cowboys' group crosses over with Group D, including Denmark, Argentina, Bahrain, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

*All terms are in Croatian time

Group A
January 15:
Germany - Uruguay 18:00
Hungary - Cape Verde 20:30

January 17:
Cape Verde - Germany 18:00
Hungary - Uruguay 20:30

January 19:
Uruguay - Cape Verde 18:00
Hungary - Germany 20:30

Group B
January 15:
Spain - Brazil 18:00
Tunisia - Poland 20:30

January 17:
Tunisia - Brazil 18:00
Poland - Spain 20:30

January 19:
Spain - Tunisia 18:00
Brazil - Poland 20:30

Group C
January 15
Qatar - Angola 15:30
Croatia - Japan 18:00

January 17
Qatar - Japan 15:30
Angola - Croatia 18:00

January 19
Japan - Angola 15:30
Croatia - Qatar 18:00

Group D
January 15:
Argentina - DR Congo 18:00
Denmark - Bahrain 20:30

January 17:
Argentina - Bahrain 18:00
DR Congo - Denmark 20:30

January 19:
Bahrain - DR Congo 18:00
Denmark - Argentina 20:30

Group E
January 14:
Austria - USA 18:00
Norway - France 20:30

January 16:
Austria - France 18:00
USA - Norway 20:30

January 18:
France - USA 18:00
Norway - Austria 20:30

Group F
January 14:
Algeria - Morocco 18:00
Portugal - Iceland 20:30

January 16:
Morocco - Portugal 18:00
Algeria - Iceland 20:30

January 18:
Portugal - Algeria 18:00
Iceland - Morocco 20:30

Group G
January 13:
Egypt - Chile 18:00

January 14:
Sweden - Czech Republic 20:30

January 16:
Egypt - Czech Republic 18:00
Sweden - Chile 20:30

January 18:
Czech Republic - Chile 18:00
Sweden - Egypt 20:30

Group H
January 14:
Belarus - Russia 15:30
Slovenia - South Korea 18:00

January 16:
Belarus - South Korea 15:30
Russia - Slovenia 18:00

January 18:
South Korea - Russia 15:30
Slovenia - Belarus 18:30

Group I
January 21:
A1 - B2
B1 - A2
A3 - B2

January 23:
A2 - B3
B2 - A1
A3 - B1

January 25:
B1 - A1
B2 - A2
B3 - A3

Group II
January 21:
C1 - D2
D1 - C2
C3 - D2

January 23:
C2 - D3
D2 - C1
C3 - D1

January 25:
D1 - C1
D2 - C2
D3 - C3

Group III
January 20:
E1 - F2
F1 - E2
E3 - F2

January 22:
E2 - F3
F2 - E1
E3 - F1

January 24:
F1 - E1
F2 - E2
F3 - E3

Group IV
January 20:
G1 - H2
H1 - G2
G3 - H2

January 22:
G2 - H3
H2 - G1
G3 - H1

January 24:
H1 - G1
H2 - G2
H3 - G3

Quarterfinals (January 27)
II1 - IV2
IV1 - II2
I1 - III2
III1 - I2

Semifinals (January 29)
II1 - IV2 vs IV1 - II2

I1 - III2 vs III1 - I2

Final (January 31)
Bronze match (January 31)

Source: Gol.hr

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

January 5, 2021 - The handball teams of Croatia and Spain met in Porec on Tuesday as part of the EHF EURO Cup. 

The Croatia men's handball team played a preparatory match against Spain in Porec on Tuesday as part of the EHF EURO Cup. It was a replay of the Euro final in January when Spain beat Croatia 22:20 and took the European champion title.

The World Championships in Egypt is just around the corner, and the world's best handball players will kick off the competition on January 13. As the corona pandemic has changed a lot, some national teams will briefly stop their preparations for the World Championships this week to play their qualifiers for EURO 2022.

Some national teams, such as Croatia, Spain, Hungary, and Slovakia, are playing in the EHF EURO Cup. The EHF Cup is a preparatory competition in which teams that have already qualified for the 2022 European Championships participate - Slovakia and Hungary as hosts and Croatia and Spain as finalists in the 2020 Euros.

If it weren't for COVID-19, these matches would have been played in March this year. However, as the Olympic qualifiers were planned at the same time, this week was left as the only possible option to play.

Croatia hosted Spain at Žatika hall in Poreč on Tuesday. For both national teams, it was a great opportunity to test their form and see how ready the players are after four days of preparations for the World Champs. 

Croatia's Igor Karačić and Luka Stepančić had to cancel their participation in the preparations due to injuries. Marin Šego and Manuel Štrlek are still in the process of recovery, and Domagoj Duvnjak and Luka Cindrić just finished the Champions League and are fatigued. 

Spain coach Jordi Ribera brought his strongest side to Porec - and that means two great goalkeepers Gonzalo Perez de Vargas and Rodrigo Coralles. There is also Jorge Maqueda, Alex and Daniel Dujshebaev, Raul Entrerrios, Dani Sarmiento, Ferran Sole, and others. This national team won its first European title in Croatia in 2018 and defended it two years later. 

Croatia v. Spain Recap

Spain was up 0:2 for the first five minutes of the game, before Croatia finally scored their first goal in the 5th minute for 1:2. It was 2:3 for Spain in the 9th minute. Croatia equalized for 3:3 just before the 10th. It was 4:4 one minute later.

Croatia took the lead for the first time in the 12th minute - 5:4. Mandic scored for 7:6 in the 15th.

Croatia was up by 3 in the 17th minute - 10:7. By the 25th, Croatia was only up by 2 -  14:12, and with two minutes to go in the first half, it was 16:14. Croatia went into halftime with +3 - 17:14.

Croatia started the second half with a +4 lead - 20:16 in the 35th minute. It was 22:17 two minutes later!

Croatia achieved their biggest lead of the game in the 41st minute - they were up by 6 for 24:18! And +7 in the 44th!

In the 50th minute, Croatia led 28:23. With five minutes to go, it was 29:25. Spain reduced their lead slightly in the minutes that followed, but with less than two minutes to go, Croatia was up by 2 - 30:28. With 30 seconds to go, Duvnjak scored for 31:28, which was the final score of the game. 

Croatia and Spain will play the return match on January 9 at 6:00 pm in Madrid.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

The Croatia men's handball team look forward to two friendlies against Sweden - but who is on the team?

While the World Handball Federation has yet to announce the nominees for the world's best handball players of the year, the European Handball Federation has eased the nerves by offering supporters a chance to vote for their favorite in 2017 - and it's a Croat. 

The European Handball Championship will take place in Croatia from January 12 to 28, 2018.