Draw Presents Challenge: Croats to Battle Hosts and Austria for Advancement

The Croatian women's national handball team faces a challenging draw for the upcoming European Championship, set to be held across Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, and Romania. Večernji List notes that Croatia has been placed in Group D, alongside hosts Czech Republic, Austria, and the Netherlands. While the team managed to avoid powerhouses like France, Denmark, Norway, and Germany in the first round, coach Ivica Obrvan acknowledges the draw could have been more favorable. He questions the seeding, particularly why Turkey and Slovakia were placed in higher pots than Croatia. Despite this, Obrvan remains focused on preparation, emphasizing the need for his players to be injury-free and in top form. The primary goal, he states, is to compete fiercely with the Czech Republic and Austria for the second qualifying spot in the next round. The inclusion of Austrian players who also play for Croatian club Podravka Vegeta adds an interesting dynamic, with Obrvan planning to leverage his knowledge of these players. Dejana Milosavljević, a player for Romanian club Braila, shares a cautiously optimistic view, believing that while the Netherlands is a strong opponent, Austria and the Czech Republic are beatable. She anticipates a tight competition, possibly decided by goal difference, and looks forward to playing in the newly opened arena in Brno.

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We avoided France, Denmark, Norway, and Germany in the first round. We will play in Brno, and the top two teams from the group will advance to the second round. We could have had an extremely bad or a bad draw. It turned out just bad. I must admit I don't understand why Turkey and Slovakia were in the third pot, and we in the fourth. Okay, they are hosts, but still, it's not right. Nothing, we can't get out of this skin. I hope we will be injury-free by the European Championship, that the players will be in good form, and that's it, let's fight, 'duke it out' with the Czech Republic and Austria for that second place.