The 'Guerreras' examine their strength before the hostess

The 'Guerreras' examine their strength before the hostess

The women's handball team starts the European this Saturday against Montenegro in search of an important victory

MADRID, 4 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish women's handball team will start this Saturday (6:00 p.m. / Teledeporte) its journey in the European Championship that takes place in Slovenia, North Macedonia and Montenegro, with a duel that seems key against one of the hosts, the Montenegrin team.

Almost a year after coming close to winning medals in 'their' World Cup, the team led by José Ignacio Prades will try to show that that result was not the result of chance and that they have arguments to regain their leading role in the continental championship, where He has only been to the semifinals in two editions, although in both he reached the final and won the two silver medals that shine on his record (2008 and 2014).

The last three editions of the European have not been very favorable and, despite being competitive, Spain has not been able to add too many victories and has not had many options to be in the fight for the medals. Breaking that dynamic goes mainly through signing an impeccable first phase because in the Main Round the big names will already appear.

The 'Guerreras' did not have excessive bad luck and they did not get a very demanding first group, although it is presumed quite equal. In addition to Montenegro, Germany, an old acquaintance from recent championships, and Poland complete the first list of rivals who will demand not to have a bad day, but who have not shone too well in recent major international events.

The first hurdle will be Montenegro, a team that has just finished twenty-second in the last World Cup, but that will surely grow under the warmth of its always enthusiastic fans that will go to the Moraca Sports Center in Podgorica and that can equalize things in an always complicated duel for being the debut and the appearance of possible nerves.

Milena Raicevic, third top scorer in the Champions League, midfielder Matea Pletikosic and winger Jovanka Radicevic are some of the key players in the 2012 Olympic runner-up, with whom Spain drew 26-26 in their last duel, in the Main Round of the European past.

The last time they met in a major tournament was in the first phase of the 2020 World Cup, with a Spanish victory at the buzzer thanks to a goal by Shandy Barbosa. In the global calculation, both teams have met 15 times, with only three defeats for Spain.

Starting with victory would be a morale boost for the team that José Ignacio Prades has been renewing little by little and where the leadership of the veteran goalkeeper Silvia Navarro and already very expert players such as Barbosa herself, Lara González, Alicia Fernández, Almudena Rodríguez, Jennifer Gutierrez or Soledad Lopez. Alba Spugnini, Lysa Tchaptchet, Maddi Aalla, Paula Valdivia and Esther Arrojeria are the main novelties, although they already have good experience thanks to winning gold last summer at the Mediterranean Games.

The team arrives in Montenegro with the good feelings experienced in its traditional International Tournament with clear victories over Tunisia (39-29), Egypt (34-23) and Switzerland (37-26) and hopes to have Alicia Fernández, Lara González and Maitane Etxeberria, suffering from discomfort in the back, right ankle and lower back, respectively.

MONTENEGRO: Batinovic (P), Rajcic (P), Nenezic (P); Radicevic, Bulatovic, Pavicevic, Kadovicnos, Brnovic, Alivodic, Godec, Popovic, Raicevic, Jaukovic, Pletikosic, Grbic, Malovic, Corovic y Kepic.

SPAIN: Silvia Navarro (P), Mercedes Castellanos (P), Maddi Aalla (P), Alicia Fernandez, Carmen Campos, Esther Arrojeria, Lara Gonzalez, Shandy Barbosa, Almudena Rodriguez, Irene Espinola, Paula Arcos, Jennifer Gutierrez, Soledad Lopez, Paula Valdivia, Lysa Tchaptchet and Alba Spugnini.

--PAVILLION: Moraca Sports Center in Podgorica.

--TIME: 6:00 p.m./Telesport.