The Croats had a magnificent and surprising start to the competition by outclassing the Spaniards (39-29).
Who would have believed it ? Spain, European champion in 2018 and 2020 and still a finalist in the last edition, suffered a real correction this Friday for its entry into the running during Euro 2024 in Germany. The Spaniards suffered the law of Croats whom no one expected at such a celebration.
Penalized by the total failure of its defense and its goalkeepers – including Gonzalo Perez de Vargas, although a reference in the matter – Spain was already in great difficulty from the break, reached with a four-length advantage for Croatia ( 18-14). But the nightmare of the Iberian players was not going to end there, the second act turned into punishment under the heavy blows of the tandem Mario Sostaric-Ivan Martinovic (8 goals each).
Due to its magnitude (39-29), this defeat could already condemn Spain’s hopes of reaching the last four of the competition in Cologne. Croatia, for its part, carried out a dream operation by taking the lead of their group ahead of Austria, easy winner of Romania (31-24). In group C, note the draw between Iceland and Serbia (27-27) while Hungary dominated Montenegro with great difficulty (26-24).
