Translate to English 34 excited for the next final against Denmark

Herning. Sadly and with bowed heads, the German national team had to watch the Danes celebrate in Herning on Sunday. The world champion and Olympic champion proved to be too strong at 27:34 (16:18), and in the end national coach Alfred Gislason’s selection ran out of strength in front of 15,000 spectators in Herning. Even the praise from Chancellor Friedrich Merz (“What a final, what a strong European Championship. We are proud of you”) could not be of any consolation.

Justus Fischer has to pass at short notice

The big day: Germany is in the European Championship final against Denmark… and almost all of the 15,000 fans in this handball hotpot Jysk Bank Boxes. A day and its twists and turns: First it comes to light that Kiel’s Rune Dahmke is said to have been sorted out into the stands by national coach Alfred Gislason. This will be corrected in the early evening. Circular Justus Fischer has caught an infection and has to pass at short notice. Mathis Häseler is also not in the squad.

Magnus Landin in the fight for the “Handball Grand Slam”

No European Championship host has been able to win gold since 2002 (Sweden). Will the Danes break their EM curse? Magnus Landin would snatch the “Handball Grand Slam”, would have won Olympic, World Cup and European Championship gold as well as the Champions League title. Denmark could become the second nation, after France in 2010 and 2015, to hold all three major titles (Olympic champion, world champion, European champion) at the same time.

THW Kiel keeper Andreas Wolff is honored as a European Championship All-Star before the game, and the fans are already fed up and are whistling their hearts out. Lukas Zerbe said before the game: “Denmark is not invincible.”

Friedrich Merz and Queen Mary are in the arena

Under the eyes of Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Denmark’s Queen Mary, things start at high speed and with great risk on both sides. Due to the lack of healthy inside block players, the Olympic champion relies on ultra-offensive coverage with Mads Hoxer and Magnus Saugstrup in the center. Are they almost at the center line? Crazy! At times the Germans do not have the ultimate consistency on the way to the goal. But Julian Köster and Juri Knorr solve the task well. Tom Kiesler, Matthes Langhoff and Johannes Golla do the hard work in defense.

Then Kiesler world handball player Mathias Gidsel, who has just recovered from a gastrointestinal infection, hits Mathias Gidsel in the face, causing this handball genius to jump over the blade – and sees red. This is a significant weakening for the Gislason gang. But she’s not aiming for the Olympics, she believes in herself and her strengths. And fights each of these micro-battles of attrition front and back to the end. Impressive!

The cheeky Knorr equalized (14:14/24th), Andreas Wolff showed a monster save against the mega-Danish Simon Pytlick on the counterattack (29th), denying the still-Flensburg player his seventh goal before the break. Denmark leads 18:16 after 30 minutes. A worthy European Championship final in which Germany still lacks the right punch.

Andi Wolff still has the punch after the break and annoys Gidsel in a “private duel”. The superstar scored seven times in 14 attempts. But Germany floundered on offense and, after various lapses in concentration and missed throws against substitute Kevin Møller in goal, they were suddenly behind 22:26 (45th). The nimble Nils Lichtlein is now pulling the strings, Gislason is looking for salvation in the numerical advantage game. Wolff with a “football parade” against Gidsel (50th). The selection of the German Handball Federation (DHB) is still in touch until 29:27 (54th).

But Denmark keeps the pressure and the pace high. Jannik Kohlbacher also sees red after an offensive foul and Germany will not score again until the final whistle. Nothing works offensively anymore.

“We are disappointed today, but tomorrow we will be even more hungry to beat the Danes. We played an excellent tournament,” says team manager Benjamin Chatton: “We will hopefully be in the final again next time against the Danes.” Captain Johannes Golla added: “I’m proud of the performance, of the whole tournament. We didn’t give up on ourselves today either. Compared to the final at the Olympics, we can leave here today with our heads held high.”

For the Danes, everything is lost in gold confetti and champagne showers as Queen Mary presents the bowl. “It will never, ever, ever be boring,” says a beaming Simon Pytlick from Flensburg after an outstanding performance.

National coach Alfred Gislason is “extremely proud”: “We were very close, I am very pleased with this development over the last four years.” Fischer’s failure and the red card against Kiesler posed major problems for his team. Denmark coach Nikolaj Jacobsen praises the opponent: “It was a tough fight until four or five minutes before the end. Germany has a very young and very talented team, like us.”

Germany missed out on its third European Championship title after 2004 and 2016. Magnus Landin from THW Kiel has added another gold to his impressive medal collection. Croatia took bronze with Veron Nacinovic from Kiel after a 34:33 win against Iceland. And so a successful European Championship, also from the perspective of the German record champions, comes to an end.

KN