organization in three countries, Les Bleues to bring back the gold… What you need to know about the competition

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The Women’s Handball Euro 2022 will be held from 4 to 20 November 2022, which has been postponed by a month to avoid the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. in North Macedonia, Montenegro and in Slovenia.

In 2020, two years after losing the final against Norway in the last edition of the European Championship, the French team will have to fight to win their second European gold medal. Here’s everything you need to know about the competition.

The Norwegians are still the favourites, with the French lying in wait with others

Having won the crown eight times in fourteen editions, Norway will again be the biggest favorite at this Euro. France, who finished third at the Tokyo Olympics, won the Norwegians Thorir Hergeirsson they avenged Les Bleues by defeating them in the World Cup final the year before.

2018 European champions, Olympic champions and current vice-world champions, French women are among the favorites. But there are many outsiders, starting with the Danes (4th in Euro 2020, 3rd in the last 2021 World Championship), the Dutch (2019 world champion), the Swedes (4th in the last Olympics) and even the Germans. As for the host countries, Olympic quarter-finalists Montenegro are aiming for a second European title after 2012, when North Macedonia and Slovenia hope to go one better than their 2008 and 2004 finishes.

An experienced French team, but without Pineau

France has the status of honor in the title of Olympic champion, world and European vice-champion. Having the second European gold medal in the history of Olivier Krumbholz will be able to rely on her leaders: center midfielder Grace Zaadi, right back Laura Flippes, pivot Pauletta Foppa and left back Estelle Nze Minko. On the other hand, the French coach chose to do without Allison Pineau (33), the best player in the world in 2009, world in 2017, European in 2018 and Olympic in 2021, who had 273 selections. Having been injured during Euro 2020, he will miss his second international with the Blues in more than 15 years.

Another big change regardless of the tactical choice: goalkeeper Laura Glauser’s back injury (29). Experienced Cléôpatre Darleux (33) will therefore hold the key to the French goals next to the young players. Kamil Sinet (24 years old) and Floriane André (22 years old), two novices in the tricolor cage.

In the warm-up match, the French team worked well on the machine with full cards against Germany (34-31, 30-29) and Poland (33-26, 30-19). In this Group C, the Blues will have to be wary of the Macedonian selection supported by the public and the Netherlands. The Dutch, who became the world champions in 2019, were eliminated by the Habs in the 1/4 finals (32-22) at the last Olympics and fell slightly in the world ranking (6th in Euro 2020, 9th in WC-2021). Having won the bronze medal at Euro-2015, Romania does not leave the main stage of the international competition after Euro-2018 (losing in the semi-finals).

Format: sixteen teams, four tickets for the 2023 World Cup and a quota for Paris 2024

The sixteen teams participating in the final stage are divided into four groups of four. Group A is playing Ljubljana (Slovenia), group B Celje (Slovenia), Group C (France) in Skopje (North Macedonia) and Group D in Podgorica (Montenegro).

Then the top three teams from each group qualify for the main round. The teams of groups A and B are placed in one and the same group, and the same is true for the teams of groups C (from France) and D.. As always, the results of the preliminary round are kept and these teams only face those they have not yet played.

The top two finishers from each main group qualify for the semi-finals, while the third place finishers play for fifth place. The new European champion will get a quota – a ticket – for the 2024 Paris Olympics, unless France (already qualified) wins. In this case, the quota will go to the finalist. Finally, the top four teams in the final ranking (except for Denmark, Norway, Sweden and France, who have all already qualified) will get their tickets. Ticket to the 2023 World Cup.

Bleues calendar in chickens

November 5 (18:00): France-North Macedonia
November 7 (20:30): Romania-France
November 9 (20:30): France-Netherlands

Published by novoqac.com

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