This weekend, semi-finals and finals await in the handball European Championships in Stockholm. The tournament is completed in Malmö and Stefan Lövgren, CEO of the Swedish Handball Association, is pleased with the event.

- I personally think it has worked really well. We think it has been good atmosphere and looked good, says Lövgren to SVT Sport.

Lower audience pressure than expected

The main round in Malmö was expected to be an audience success with both Sweden and Denmark in the same group. But Sweden's chances of advancing disappeared after two matches and Denmark did not advance from the group play. Something that was noticed on the crowd pressure.

- I think you saw a slowdown in ticket sales the last two days in Malmö. I am quite convinced that more tickets had been sold if Sweden and Denmark had gone well, says Lövgren.

As Sweden started the main round with two straight losses, the last two matches became meaningless. After the show, many voices around the organization of the championship were raised.

Among other things, SVT's Ola Brännholm wrote that it is "time to put the shit down" and aimed at the program with a main round, instead of direct knockout matches. But Lövgren is pleased with how the tournament has been played.

- There are benefits to both arrangements. I personally think it is better with two group games because if you make a mistake in a knockout match then you are out, here you can make a bad match and lose but grab it later in the tournament, says Lövgren.

"Norway impressed the most"

Tomorrow, Friday, the semi-finals will be played in Stockholm. There is Norway against Croatia first and then it is time for Spain against Slovenia. Lövgren believes that Spain will take one final place, while the meeting between Norway and Croatia will be more even.

- Croatia have been in these important matches before, but Norway has impressed most during the tournament so I believe in them. But it's always the case when you think you're wrong, says Lövgren.

CLIP: Kim Ekdahl du Rietz after Sweden's end (January 22, 2020)

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