Paris (AFP)
The French handball team, defending champion, inherited an affordable 1st round at Euro-2020 (December 3-20 in Norway and Denmark) with Denmark, Montenegro and Slovenia, at from the draw made on Thursday.
Crowned for the first time in their history in 2018 at home, the Blue ones will especially have to be wary of the Danes, who will evolve at home and had precipitated in 2019 the elimination of France in the 1st round of the World Cup by winning at the last group match (20-18).
Montenegro, 5th in the World Championships, will not be underestimated either.
If the Blue ones manage to get out of their group (the first three teams will be qualified and the results of the 1st round will be kept), things will get worse from the Main Round where they could rub against Russia, reigning Olympic champion and finalist of the last Euro, and Spain, vice-world champion.
"Our opponents are solid teams, reacted Olivier Krumbholz, the coach of the France team. We can expect three matches to be held and where the result will depend on very little. The small advantage for us , is that if we qualify, we will stay in Herning (central Denmark) for the second round. We want to resume our course. I think the players are in great shape, everyone is waiting to meet as soon the month of September to start again by conquering ".
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