US News Green light: DHB women at the start of the European Championship against Romania

The anticipation of the German handball players for the European Championship start against Romania is clouded by positive corona cases among their opponents. The situation represents an additional mental burden.

© imago images "The head is in the game": Amelie Berger.

Fear plays along. Before the European Championship opening game against Romania, almost everything in the team hotel of the German handball women revolved around the topic of Corona. Although the European handball federation gave the green light for the game on Thursday (6 p.m.) in Kolding, despite a positive case in the team of Eastern Europeans, the concern about infection remains - especially since the Romanians have already had other corona diseases before gave. "Of course we see the risk that the infections will be passed on within a team," said DHB sports director Axel Kromer on Wednesday.

DHB women: Zschocke injured, Lott jumps in

The German handball players have to cope with a failure one week before the European Championship in Denmark (December 3rd to 20th). Backcourt player Mia Zschocke (Bayer Leverkusen) injured her left ankle during training, and national coach Henk Groener called Annika Lott (Buxtehuder SV) to the 18-man squad for the 22-year-old. The 20-year-old made her debut for the selection of the German Handball Federation (DHB) just a few weeks ago.

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The German Handball Federation therefore allowed the players to participate in the opening game. "Every player has to decide for themselves whether they want to play. If someone has a bad feeling and says they don't want to be available, we will accept that," said co-trainer Alexander Koke as representative of the national trainer Henk Groener, who is still stuck at home . In the evening, the DHB announced that all players had decided to play. The basic requirement for this, however, is that all further tests with the Romanians are negative.

48 hours before the game, the EHF announced that Romania's right winger Laura Moisa was infected with the virus. Previously, it had already caught the runner Crina Pintea and two masseuses, but none of them traveled to Denmark. The corona tests that took place on Tuesday at the European Championships fourth in 2018 were all negative, as with the German players, said DHB sports director Kromer and emphasized: "The kick-off will take place as planned."

Before the start of the European Championship: six questions, six answers

At the 14th European Women's Championship in Denmark, 16 teams will fight for the title until December 20th. © imago images She wants to cause a sensation with the DHB selection in Denmark: Shenia Minveskaja. After the corona-related withdrawal of co-hosts Norway, games will only be played in the two Danish cities of Herning and Kolding. The German team plays its three preliminary round matches in Kolding. The defending champion is France.

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"I'm in good spirits that the players are mentally stable." - Assistant coach Alexander Koke

Video: Ex-national goalkeeper Carsten Lichtlein in the 2020/21 Clubchallenge of the Handball Bundesliga (glomex)

For the German team, it is now important to quickly focus on the sporting side. "The head is in the game," assured right winger Amelie Berger. However, Koke observed: "The players naturally talk to each other about it." The team will deal with the problem until the opening game.

Nevertheless, Koke is confident about the Romania game. "We'll put that aside and concentrate on our tasks. I'm in good spirits that the players are mentally stable," said the 41-year-old.

A success against Romania for world star Cristina Neagu would bring the German team of the main round - the first EM stage goal - a big step closer. Other opponents in the preliminary round are the seven-time record European champions Norway and Poland. The top three advance. "The first game always has a special meaning," said goalkeeper Dinah Eckerle. And Koke added: "A win can bring a lot of confidence for the rest of the tournament."

Groener to return soon

How long the assistant coach will be responsible for the European Championship is still open. National coach Groener is no longer contagious after his corona illness, but cannot currently show a current negative test and therefore cannot yet travel to Denmark. "He no longer has to adhere to quarantine," Kromer reported. "We expect his return relatively soon without being able to guarantee it."

Despite the national coach's abstinence and the adverse Corona circumstances, the team must keep the focus in order to take a step forward at the EM. "We want to make women's handball more present in Germany," said Kromer. "Therefore, an EM is an opportunity to present yourself successfully."