In the 2013 World Cup, before the joy of the quarterfinals in Zaragoza and the apotheosis of the final at Palau Sant Jordi, Spain began to win the title in the first phase of Madrid with the lie of all time. It is still remembered. Deception elevated to artistic discipline. In the last match of the group stage against Croatia, the national team had the ball to finish as leader and Albert Rocas alone, more alone than ever, crashed him into the post. Defeat! Joy! That mistake allowed Spain to avoid France in the quarterfinals and travel a clear path to the final. It was a play prepared, of course, and therefore a beautiful exercise, one of those moments that give meaning to the format with groups.

That is why what happened on Wednesday in the European is incomprehensible. In a tournament crowded with teams and, therefore, unbalanced games, the organization decided to snatch all the excitement from one of the few interesting encounters. Already qualified for the semifinals, Spain and Croatia played first place in Group I, rivals were divided, but ...

His match was scheduled two hours before the match that Group II will decide for which everything was supposed. Supposedly the winner would be measured with Slovenia or Hungary; supposedly the loser would meet Norway; supposedly the Scandinavian team was more fearsome because of the excellent level of their leader, Sander Sagosen. But everything was too much to guess. First because the leader, Norway, could lose to Slovenia and give the Balkan team that privilege. Second, because Spain, by style, may be more suited to a rival like Norway than one like Slovenia.

So nobody was sure that he should win and that is why nobody won. Spain and Croatia shared a strange tie, in an even stranger match.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • European Handball

The Spain of the future dismantles Germany and approaches the semifinals

HandballThe more mature Spain aspires to everything in the European

European handball 2020Historic hit of France: eliminated in a seen and not seen