Yesterday, the European Championships ended. But the feeling is that it was actually over already after Ljubomir Vranjes maneuvered out Sweden tactically at home in Gothenburg already last Sunday.
The handball's remarkable tournament arrangement allowed Sweden to win three more matches in the home European Championship - to no avail.
Here comes a crazy fact; Sweden took more points in this failure European championship than it did at the silver two years ago.
In 2018 there were three wins, one draw (victory after extension) and four losses for blue-yellow. Thus, seven recorded points in eight matches, averaging 0.87 points / match. Still, it was the European Championship final and a great silver success.
This Euro 2020 ended in four wins and three losses. Thus, eight points in seven matches. Average 1.14 points / match. Nevertheless, the European Championship was a failure.
Win the right matches
The arrangement of main round, scored points and mutual goal difference between teams ending on the same score makes such a phenomenon a reality, not just for Sweden. It is not about winning matches. It's about winning the RIGHT matches, and then just hope that Mrs. Fortuna gives you the right result in a lot of other matches.
In 2018, Sweden was extremely lucky with all other results. The losses became meaningless as the right team then went ahead and when Sweden had dipped after thinking that they were leaving, suddenly an already semi-clear France won against the home team Croatia and took Sweden to the semi-finals.
This time it was the other way around. The frustrating loss to Slovenia last weekend made the three strong victories against Poland, Hungary and Iceland meaningless. Had Sweden not been stuck in the Vranjes-composed Slovenian midfield defense, Sweden would have played in the semi-finals in Stockholm tomorrow.
Without sporting nerve
The middle / main round is almost impossible to easily explain to non-handball savers. It means that luck with other people's results is at least as important as one's own performance if one is to reach the medal game. And it creates a lot of matches that completely or partially lack sports nerve.
These matches are not worthy of a championship. Championship should be nerve, emotion and drama.
When the European Championships were expanded to 24 teams this time there is a super simple solution to the problem. Run four six-team teams, create a straight classic playoff tree where the ones meet the fours and the two meet the three in the eighth finals. All endgame matches will then win or disappear.
The main round or the middle round? Never mind, call this handball's unruly what you want. But please IHF and EHF, make it easy for us. Put the shit down.