It’s time to start the main round in Malmö and group winners Sweden and Slovenia, who have faced each other in several championships in recent years, are pitted against each other. Here are statistics, lineups and statistics before the match.
MATCHINFORMATION
Lag: Slovenia–Sweden
Typ: EC, main round
Arena: Malmö Arena
Returns: Friday 23 January 20.30
Transmission: Viaplay Sport & Viaplay (the broadcast starts at 19.30)
Judge: Andrew Marine & Ignacio Garcia, Spain
Livescore
OTHER
• About Andreas Palicka plays tonight, he makes his 40th EC match and scores Thomas Svensson and Magnus Wislander like most Swedish EC players on the men’s side. Palicka played his first EC in 2012 and on Wednesday made his 39th EC match, as many as Stefan Lövgren and Staffan Olsson.
• Palicka is also the Swedish goalkeeper who scored the most goals forward. After the two goals against Croatia, he is now up to 21 national team goals for Sweden. Johanna Bundsen is second with 18 and Filippa Idehn third with 11.
• Sweden is only nine goals from reaching 3,000 EC goals. 2,991 goals in 108 EC matches means a goal average of 27.69.
• Slovenia national team captain Uros Zorman played 41 EC matches for Slovenia during his active career, the most in history. However, he will be passed during this championship by Borut Mackovsekthe left winger who plays under Michael Apelgren’s management in Pick Szeged, which is up to 39.
• Slovenia’s middle six Matic Suholeznik was suspended for two matches after the red card in the match against the Faroe Islands: Against Sweden today and against Hungary on Sunday.
SWEDEN
Goalkeepers:
12. Andreas Palicka, Kolstad Handball, 180 A international matches/21 goals – 3 WC matches/2 goals
20. Michael Appelgrue, KC Veszprem, 106/2 – 3/0
51. Fabian Norsten, Aalborg Handball, 19/0– 0/0
Left sex:
15. Hampus Wanne, High Handball, 120/471 – 3/3
43. Felix Montebovi, HK Malmö, 7/9– 3/4
My sex:
5. Max Darj, Fuchse Berlin, 137/167– 3/5
6. Felix Möller, Aalborg Handball, 40/69 – 3/3
32. Oscar Bergendahl, SC Magdeburg, 70/111 – 3/6
Right sex:
11. Daniel Pettersson, SC Magdeburg, 104/228– 3/0
13. Sebastian Karlsson, Paris Saint-Germain, 41/117 – 3/6
Left Nine:
2. Jonathan Carlsbogård, FC Barcelona, 95/185– 3/3
25. Nikola Roganovic, HK Malmö, 9/30 – 3/18
42. Eric Johansson, Thw Kiel, 57/164 – 3/13
Mittnio:
19. Felix Claar, SC Magdeburg, 89/261 – 3/18
24. Jim Gottfridsson, Pick Szeged, 181/542 – 3/5
27. Axel Månsson, IFK Kristianstad, 5/4– 0/0
Right Nine:
23. Albin Lagergren, SC Magdeburg, 136/422 – 3/9
33. Lukas Sandell, Rhein-Neckar Löwen, 83/224 – 3/12
Sweden has until 19.30 to choose which 16 players will be included in the match squad
SLOVENIA
Goalkeepers:
1. Joze Baznik, PAUC Handball, 36 A-national matches/2 goals – 3 EC matches/0 goals
16. Miljan Vujovic, TVB Stuttgart, 19/0 – 3/0
Left sex:
19. Stas Slatinek Jovicic, Grosist Slovan, 52/110 – 3/5
20. Tilen Kodrin, VFL Gummersbach, 112/199 – 3/6
24. Andraz Makuc, Celje Pivovarna Lasko, 7/25 – 3/12
My sex:
27. Kristjan Horzen, VFL Gummersbach, 71/110 – 3/9
33. Stefan Zabic, Grosist Slovan, 19/12 – 3/0
36. Lan Grbic, Trimo Trebnje, 6/3 – 0/0
Right sex:
8. Blaz Janc, FC Barcelona, 129/490 – 3/18
30. Cochan’s team, Sluvan Large, 18/37 – 3/2/2
77. Domen Novak, SG Flensburg-Handewitt, 62/128 – 3/15
Right Nine:
28. Timotej Grmsek, Trimo Trebnje, 10/10 – 3/1
Left Nine:
5. Nik Henigman, Eurofarm Pelister, 94/125 – 3/1
32. Tarik Mlivic, Grosist Slovan, 8/27 – 0/0
51. Borut Mackovsek, Pick Szeged, 161/417 – 3/8
Mittnio:
14. Domain Secretary, Eurofarm Pelister, 15/24 – 3/6
35. Domen Makuc, FC Barcelona, 41/135 – 3/25
Slovenia has until 19.30 to choose which 16 players will be included in the match squad
HISTORY: SWEDEN–SLOVENIA
Matcher: 22
Swedish wins: 12
Draws: 3
Swedish losses: 7
Goal difference: 594–578
First meeting: 1994, Swedish victory (22–17)
Greatest Swedish victory: 32–25 (2001)
Biggest Croatian win: 23–28 (2000), 24–29 (2016) and 24–29 (2024)
Recent meetings:
240731: Victory, 38–27 (Olympic, group stage, Paris)
240117: Victory, 28–22 (EC, main round, Hamburg)
210314: Victory, 32–25 (Olympic qualification, Berlin)
210122: Draw, 28–28 (World Cup, main round, Cairo)
200112: Loss, 19–21 (EC, group stage, Gothenburg)
All previous international matches
EURO HISTORY, SWEDEN
Biggest win: 41–25 vs. Slovakia in 2008 and 42–26 vs. Georgia in 2024
Biggest loss: 25–35 against Poland in 2014, 25–35 against Portugal in 2020 and 23–33 against Norway in 2024
Longest winning streak: 14 matcher 1998–2002
Longest unbeaten streak: 14 matcher 1998–2002
Longest losing streak: 3 games in 2004 and 2010
Longest Winless Streak: 4 matches 2010–2012, 2012 and 2016
Current Suite: 4 wins in 2024–2026
Most goals scored: 42 vs. Georgia (42–26) 2024
Minimum number of goals scored: 17 v France (17–23) 2018
Most goals conceded: 35 against Poland (25–35) in 2014 and against Portugal (25–35) in 2020
Minimum number of goals conceded: 14 against Hungary (22–14) in 2016
Match with the most goals: 73 v Portugal (40–33) 2024
Lowest goal match: 36 v Hungary (22–14) in 2016
EC Playoffs: 16 tournaments, 108 matches, 70 wins, 6 draws, 32 losses, goal difference 2,991–2,722
Top location: Gold 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2022, silver 2018, bronze 2024
Most EC matches: Tomas Svensson 40, Magnus Wislander 40, Andreas Palicka 39, Stefan Lövgren 39, Staffan Olsson 39
Most EC goals: Stefan Lövgren 203, Magnus Wislander 126, Jim Gottfridsson 118, Johan Petersson 111, Staffan Olsson 109
EURO HISTORY, SLOVENIA
Biggest win: 28–19 against Poland in 2018
Biggest loss: 31–36 against France 2002
Longest winning streak: 4 matcher 2020
Longest unbeaten streak: 6 matcher 2018–2020
Longest losing streak: 6 matcher 1994–1996
Longest Winless Streak: 7 games in 2002, 2010–2012 and 2012–2018
Current Suite: 3 wins in 2026
Most goals scored: 41 v Montenegro (41–40) 2026
Minimum number of goals scored: 16 against Spain (16–24) 1994 and Germany (16–25) 1996
Most goals conceded: 40 against Spain (32–40) in 2010 and Montenegro (41–40) in 2026
Minimum number of goals conceded: 19 against Denmark (19–19) in 1994, Montenegro (28–19) in 2018 and Sweden (21–19) in 2020
Match with the most goals: 81 v Montenegro (41–40) 2026
Lowest goal match: 38 against Denmark (19–19) 1994 and Hungary (17–21) 2996
EC Playoffs: 15 tournaments, 90 matches, 35 wins, 9 draws, 46 losses, goal difference 2,448–2,539
Top placements: Silver in 2004, fourth in 2020, fifth in 2000
Most EC matches: Uros Zorman 41, Renato Vugrinec 41, Borut Mackovsek 39, Ales Pajovic 39, Vid Kavticnik 36
Most EC goals: Ales Pajovic 147, Vid Kavticnik 145, Renato Vugrinec 145, Luka Zvizej 104, Uros Zorman 103
UPCOMING MATCHES
January 25, 18.00: Iceland (Malmö Arena) Tickets
January 27, 20.30: Hungary (Malmö Arena) Tickets
January 28, 20.30: Switzerland (Malmö Arena) Tickets
EM, GRUPP E
| Malmö Arena | |
| January 17: | |
| Croatia–Georgia | 32–29 |
| Sweden–Netherlands | 36–31 |
| January 19: | |
| Netherlands–Croatia | 29–35 |
| Georgia–Sweden | 29–38 |
| January 21: | |
| Netherlands–Georgia | 31–26 |
| Sweden–Croatia | 33–25 |
| Table | ||||||
| Sweden | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +22 | 6 |
| Croatia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | –6 | 2 |
| Georgia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | –17 | 0 |
MAIN ROUND, GROUP 2
| Matches in the group stage | |
| Switzerland–Slovenia | 35–38 |
| Sweden–Croatia | 33–25 |
| Ungern–Iceland | 23–24 |
| Malmö Arena | |
| January 23: | |
| Island–Croatian | 15.30 |
| Switzerland–Ungern | 18.00 |
| Slovenia–Sweden | 20.30 |
| January 25: | |
| Iceland–Sweden | 18.00 |
| Slovenia–Hungary | 15.30 |
| Switzerland–Croatia | 20.30 |
| January 27: | |
| Slovenia–Croatia | 18.00 |
| Switzerland–Iceland | 15.30 |
| Sweden–Hungary | 20.30 |
| January 28: | |
| Slovenia–Iceland | 15.30 |
| Switzerland–Sweden | 20.30 |
| Croatia–Ungern | 18.00 |
| Table | ||||||
| Sweden | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +8 | 2 |
| Slovenia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 2 |
| Island | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 2 |
| Hungary | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | –1 | 0 |
| Switzerland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | –3 | 0 |
| Croatia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | –8 | 0 |
All groups, matches and tables in the EC
Compilation: Daniel Vandor
Photo: Petter Arvidson/Bildbyrån
