After the World Cup against France: handball legend Christian Schwarzer names two sticking points

Handball World Cup

In the end there were many disappointed faces in the Ergo Arena in Gdańsk. At the Handball World Championship, the German team around coach Alfred Gislason had to admit defeat against France by 28:35.

The DHB team kept up well for 40 minutes, then Remi Desbonnet, actually the French number two in goal, turned up – and brought Juri Knorr and Co. to despair. Nevertheless, Christian “Blacky” Schwarzer draws a positive conclusion about the quarter-finals and the world championship in general.

The ex-handball player and world champion from 2007 told watson that in the end he found the result against France clearer than the game gave it: “In the end, national coach Alfred Gislason wanted to try something with the seventh field player. Then there were technical errors and the French were able to throw at an empty goal.”

Despite everything, he added that the team had “promoted handball enormously in the last few days”. The DHB team had previously won five games out of six preliminary and main round games, only losing to Norway (26:28) and now in the quarter-finals to France.

Christian “Blacky” Schwarzer played as an active professional for Lemgo, Barcelona and the Rhein-Neckar Löwen.Image: dpa / Georg Wendt

Especially in terms of experience, the French have an advantage over Gislason’s team. The 53-year-old explains: “It makes a big difference whether you – like the French – have 30-year-old, experienced, world-class players or – like us – players like Juri Knorr or Johannes Golla, who have enormous quality, but still partially at the beginning of your career.”

Two sticking points led to the DHB defeat

Schwarzer notes two essential factors in the lost quarterfinals: “The first turning point in the game was when the national team lost a four-goal lead within a few minutes.” In a few minutes, the DHB team gave up a 11:7 lead in the first half, and the French equalized.

“The second sticking point was the outstanding French goalkeeping performance in the second half,” explains Schwarzer. Remi Desbonnet came into the French goal early in the game for the actual number one and saved 14 of 30 of the German shots. He was later voted Man of the Match.

Remi Desbonnet (r.) Despaired the DHB players around Philipp Weber.Image: dpa / Jan Woitas

After the France defeat, however, the World Cup is not over for the DHB team. Together with the other losers from the quarterfinals, the German team is still playing for places five to eight. Friday (3.30 p.m., ARD) is the game against Egypt. Schwarzer does not believe that the players could be out of breath after the bankruptcy.

He explains to watson: “Of course the disappointment is very big at first. I don’t think the motivation will suffer from it. The team still has a chance of reaching fifth place and can show that they are close to the top of the world.” After the disappointing 12th place two years ago, that would be an important sign. He also believes that disappointment can quickly turn into motivation.

“We still have a score to settle against Egypt. If Gislason addresses the lost quarter-finals at the Olympics in Tokyo, that could increase motivation even more,” says Schwarzer. In 2021, the German handball players were eliminated 26:31 without a chance, thereby squandering the chance of a medal.

Fifth place could also ensure a good mood in the national team and in the association with regard to the European Championships next year in their own country.

Alfred Gislason still wants to achieve fifth place at the World Championships with his team.Image: dpa / Jan Woitas

Schwarzer believes the DHB team can achieve an even better result at the home tournament: “It could have been enough for a medal at the World Cup. It’s just the little things that decide at this level. In addition, at a home tournament, we all know how much the spectators can carry a team. We saw that at the 2007 World Cup.” Schwarzer speaks from his own experience, was involved in the title in 2007.

He also believes that Gislason will have an even broader squad at the home European Championship: “With Timo Kastening and Julius Kühn (missed World Cup due to injury, ed.) there could be other top players in the squad at the home European Championship For this, Marcel Schiller is also a candidate for me. I’m sure Alfred Gislason will have a broader squad with more options next year – if everyone stays fit of course.”

Henrik Pekeler could also come along. The line runner had announced a “long break” in the national team after the 2021 Olympic Games. In the Rhein-Neckar Löwen podcast, the player from THW-Kiel now said that there had been a “small vote within the family” as to whether he should play in the DHB team again. “The result was 10-0 that I should play again.”

National coach Gislason also opened the door again for the 31-year-old. Schwarzer would also welcome a return from Pekeler: “Henrik Pekeler would be extremely good for the center of defence.”