European Handball Championship definitely without Drux and Wiede
Germany's handball players will definitely have to do without injured backcourt players Paul Drux and Fabian Wiede at the 2024 European Championship on home soil.
The duo from Bundesliga runners-up Füchse Berlin are not in the extended 35-man European Championship squad that the German Handball Federation submitted to the European Handball Federation (EHF) on Thursday.
National coach Alfred Gislason may only field players from this pool at the finals from January 10 to 28 next year. Also not included are circle player Hendrik Pekeler, who recently rejected a comeback in the national team for health reasons, and former European champion Julius Kühn.
On the other hand, backcourt players Philipp Weber and Luca Witzke, who are currently injured, can still hope to take part in the European Championship. They are also in the extended squad, as are five U21 world champions: David Späth, Justus Fischer, Renars Uscins, Nils Lichtlein and Max Beneke.
"This squad of 35 has potential"
"This squad of 35 has potential. Anyone who has made it into this group can dream of being part of a great handball story in January. We will see a very ambitious national team," said DHB Sports Director Axel Kromer.
Shortly before Christmas, Gislason will name the squad that will compete for medals at the European Championship. The DHB team will face Switzerland, North Macedonia and record world champions France in the preliminary round. In preparation for the tournament, the German team will take part in a short training course from December 27 to 29 in Frankfurt am Main as well as two international test matches against Portugal on January 4 in Flensburg and January 6 in Kiel.
The extended 35-man squad for the 2024 European Handball Championship:
Goal: Joel Birlehm (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Silvio Heinevetter (TVB Stuttgart), Daniel Rebmann (VfL Gummersbach), David Späth (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Andreas Wolff (Industria Kielce)
Left wing: Rune Dahmke (THW Kiel), Lukas Mertens (SC Magdeburg), Matthias Musche (SC Magdeburg), Tim Nothdurft (Bergischer HC)
Left back: Martin Hanne (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Sebastian Heymann (Frisch Auf Göppingen), Julian Köster (VfL Gummersbach), Lukas Stutzke (Bergischer HC)
Left center back: Tim Suton (TBV Lemgo Lippe), Philipp Weber (SC Magdeburg)
Center back: Simon Ernst (SC DHfK Leipzig), Juri Knorr (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Nils Lichtlein (Füchse Berlin), Marian Michalczik (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Luca Witzke (SC DHfK Leipzig)
Right back: Max Beneke (VfL Potsdam/Füchse Berlin), Kai Häfner (TVB Stuttgart), David Schmidt (Frisch Auf Göppingen), Franz Semper (SC DHfK Leipzig), Renars Uscins (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf)
Right back/right wing: Christoph Steinert (HC Erlangen)
Right wing: Patrick Groetzki (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Tim Hornke (SC Magdeburg), Timo Kastening (MT Melsungen), Lukas Zerbe (TBV Lemgo)
Circle: Sebastian Firnhaber (HC Erlangen), Justus Fischer (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Johannes Golla (SG Flensburg-Handewitt), Jannik Kohlbacher (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Tim Zechel (HC Erlangen)
The absence of Drux and Wiede from the German Men's National Handball team is a significant blow, as they were key players in the squad that ranners-up Füchse Berlin provided for the 2024 European Handball Championship (EM). Despite their absence, players like Philipp Weber and Luca Witzke, who are also in the extended 35-man squad, still have a chance to compete in the EM.
Source: www.dpa.com
