Handball journeys

 Otra jornada tan genial desde el punto de vista deportivo asi como humano.  Un jugador me conmovio ayer por su gratitud y su bondad. Llego a la pista diciendo a mis companeros muy buenas tardes. Despues ayudo al miembro del equipo luso cuando parecia tocado.  Una remontada del Fraikin Granollers ante el Sporting de Lisboa ganando en los penaltis con 40 a 38. Mientras todo subia a tope con el Barcelona ganando ante Porto un nuevo titulo gracias a muchas paradas de Gonzalo. La final de la Supercopa vi el Bera Bera recortar distancia ante Malaga Costa del Sol y al final ganando en el money time por la minima. Celebrar una victoria siempre resulta dificil ya que siempre llevas celebrando mas de lo que deberias. Caben amigos y amigas en el seno de ambos equipos. Temia por una herida en el abdomen para Silvia. Se recupero y le gusto mi regalito de Navidad. Sobran pocas horas antes del viaje a Paris por Navidad. No me da tiempo como para hacer el mejor informe posible. Las madr...

Si bien los companeros de Antonio Garcia Robledo perdieron el rumbo no ha sido el caso en el secundo partido donde los del Barca estaban del tu a tu con el Sporting.  Again in the same vein as the Aalborg home outing Gonzalo outshined Emil. Much as I should be more au fait of the DHB Moly latest developments, I am sad for Emil that he is not part of the players picked for the Poland/Sweden IHF WC come mid January 2023. Jordi Ribera was in Malaga at least on Sunday and the Gonzalo show over the weekend must have pleased him.  Tanto la madre de Jennifer Guttierez rumbo a Algeciras cono Jose Ignacio Prades en la gala ubicada en un cine estuvieron el sabado pero ausentes desgraciadamente el domingo. Noelia Quero del ASOBAL estaba presente el sabado. La familia del balonmano, microcosmo tan sencillo y con much ternura. Los cules hicieron un partido sobresaliente en la secunda parte bastante emprendedora Un Ludo de lujo y tan agradable. Une photo avant de ne rentrer vers le centre e...

  Andalucia se viste de lujo navideno. Y antes de la final de la supercopa tan esperada. La All Star team tiene que estar en el cine a las 9 de la tarde.  La capital de la Costa del Sol será testigo este fin de semana del nacimiento de este atractivo torneo que reúne a los cuatro mejores equipos de España y Portugal   Tras mucha espera y expectación, llegó el momento: este fin de semana nace la  Supercopa Ibérica , el nuevo torneo fruto de la estrecha colaboración entre la  Real Federación Española de Balonmano  y la  Federação de Andebol de Portugal  que reunirá a los cuatro mejores equipos de ambos países.  Barça, Fraikin Granollers, FC Porto y Sporting CP  pelearán por el primer título en esta competición en el Polideportivo Ciudad Jardín de  Málaga , escenario sobre el que brillen las grandes estrellas del balonmano español y luso.   Dos jornadas de competición muy intensas y en las que podremos disfrutar de cuatro plantill...

Champions League week and local league quick successive matches are our bread and butter. Due to late fixture schedule release it was impossible to do a double header Chartes away and Ivry and PSG. Nantes Aalborg was a cracking match but the renewal season is also an imperative. I am still anoyed at the final result between Porto and Magdeburg.  What offence made the German outfit with their sublime kempe? A valid goal and then chalked off. I also missed a FC Barcelona - Kiel when Victor Tomas got his jersey removed. Whoever stole my WM 2013 Spanish flag from Krakow Ergo arena back in 2016 will have a Victor Tomas signed flag. He signed it on that famous Herning dancing night in 2014.   As Spain will be in group A in Krakow and the Qatar Football World Cup in Qatar very nears the last 8 stage very timely to have a quarter final Spain v Denmark image. Lets prepare for IHF2023 in Poland and Sweden. I will be flying to Poland the day after the night we play Oxfoird United aw...

Time to have a go at the good, bad and ugly of EHF 2022 Women’s EURO Ugly Empty arenas, not helped by hefty prices Media accreditations are not given on the basis that it takes out of the pot seats that could be sold. This point makes sense if the event is close to or is bound to be sold-out. These championships had all venues almost three quarters empty. The increase in prices strategy is not the right one. Add to this the very limited advertising and promotion of such event. At none of the airports did we see an advert for it. We did see Ana Gros in the street ads in Slovenia. One does not want to be brain-washed or annoyed by the campaign. There is a balance to be struck. Anyone attending the Montenegro Netherlands or the beginning of Poland – Germany would have been in shock. Inconsistent security measures: unfair, strict & zealous behaviour, unpredictable casus belli, wild open door based on trust I over-reacted to the marker incident.   The security was tight an...

Norway led by example and were a bit nore composed than France. German refs on the night were shambolic. I lost it slightly as I felt the unfair decisions stacking up. We did miss a couple of easy chances. Lessons from Granollers appear to have been forgotten. Scary how Norway got out of jail so quickly. Also France let the game slip with a 7-1 loss in the last ten minutes. Oftedal, Solhberg and Reistad were so impressive. Class exudes when it matters most. Had responded to a Montenegro fan in Skopje saying that Denmark would win the whole thing. Norway confortable winners with a 8-goal drubbing, one more than in Granollers last December.  

Rebellious teams on 0 points getting the upper hand over the two teams with 2 points. Germany confortable winners over the Netherlands. Grit, attack efficiency and balanced defensive display. Spain tactical adjustments to Romania were not very robust. Numerous saves from Nicole Wiggins avoided a first half onslaught, Spain only trailing by one at the interval (11-12). For 13 mins in the middle of the 2nd half Spain looked more likely to turn the game on its favour. One particular passive play decision would be costly and then the draw escape would be nullified by a tremendous long range shot. Tough to take this defeat but gracious in defeat. Eating and drinking with the fellow fans in a posh restaurant reduces the sadness. The mood the next morning was fairly low. And when we met 8 of the Spanish players I respectfully went separate ways doing my touristy things. I had to wave respectfully with a soft smile. I bought a couple of items at the bazaar.

DOBRE POGDORICA VUE DU CIEL !!! LE CHEMIN PLUS COURT PASSE TOUJOURS PAR BELGRADE! LE PONT MODERNE SUSPENDU ET LA MORACA ARENA IMPERTURTABLES.

Two very different matches. Poland did very well especially during the first 20 mins of the match and then Montenegro stepped up one gear.  Spain's Jenny did not get to plus four and then the defence welcomed a German goal, which satisfies both teams. I thought +3 was still ok. But obviously not ! Then I had the privilege to spend time with literally close friends of close friends and the mothers of key players. And we bonded straightaway. Also ready to mean business but will have to wait for the adequate right of action and the right moment. Skopje awaits but it is beyond belief. Literally no flight between 20h30 and 23h05 at a strategic airport.

I was far too calm during the first match and Montenegro played well to weather the German resistance.   I then went through all sorts of feelings in the second match and in the end I was distraught. I am very sad for Jose Ignacio. Met with the Poland 2023 tournament directors. Sat with the Spanish team backroom staff. Then cheered on Spain with the young ladies dressed as volunteers. After the ectasy of a 4-goal lead the 6-0 drubbing in the last ten minutes was a fatal unexpected ending. Once back at the hotel I checked the rules and Poland are through come what may on the next match unless the regulations changed again. When I got up towards the exit I saw the entrance door closed so I feared the worst au revoir to your items. I had praised security for their fairness on Day I and earlier in the day about seating etc. My moment of shame is to have stayed around in the first place and shouted that this was not fair. Even a Spanish old man was ignored when he tried to help me....

 Of course instead of watching the football I went out into the local market. And a blessing in disguise as I got to know that part of Podgorica. Stains on the football shirts or not the right size but definitely the right bazaar for everything except timbles ! Then I happened to be near the football stadium and Podgorica were playing FK Arsenal Tivat and I was weraing an Arsenal shirt as the Bud ultras were going through. I remained clam and stuck in a bizarre mud for my own safety ! On game's day and on the Monday the club shop was still closed. Partly due to COVID? I ended up going again to my favourite Indian restaurant. And then chilled out watching the other group matches and catching up on sleep. The next morning it was sunny that I had to have a stroll here and everywhere. I also found the Montenegro shirt for my boss and bumped into Jessica Alonso from the Spanish delegation. On our approach to the Podgorica hotel, facing the old bridge, there lies of the statue of native ...

On your birthday it is fun to fly somewhere you had never flown to before. Also when an airport, passengers, airline, security, baggage all is going well. What is happening? Nothing to tell until you scramble before getting your passport stamped. Or the taxi driver brings you to the wrong New Star. The rain on the first day was a nightmare. But in the end I praise the security because they did look after our property in a very rigid yet fair manner. Good on me not to take even my medium size camera. I think it is good for the true fans that the Montenegro is early throw-in then you have time and space to be yourself and on your own. I had become thirsty despite having had a blast at a superb Indian restaurant in an unfamiliar setting. Where is Laura? She's around ! Montenegro deserved their victory and I was sat behind the bench and next to the players not picked up for the match. One fan from Montenegro shook my hands and that was pure class from him.  The Ultras and their flare o...

Arsenal won 3-2 and that was special and the results in the EHF Champions Leage were a tad different from what I expected   KRIM - FTC Rail      30 - 32  result  30 - 27 guess Must have been fun Rapid Bucharest - Esjberg    34 - 32   result  32 - 33 guess Very close but wrong anticipation Bietigheim - Vipers  32 - 30 result  26 - 32  guess Vipers sadly faltered Gyori - Zagreb  32 - 16  result  35 -  28 guess Gyori definitely stepped up and the 16-goal is quite an achievement both in terms of difference and defensive display Odense - CSM Bucharest 27 - 31 result  25 - 27 guess  CSM did well Brest Bretagne - Banik  31 - 26 result  33 - 29 guess Brest did even better than expected.

EHF Group Stage Women Champions League Handball On this very sunny week-end, no time to unwind as a flurry of mouthg watering handball matches, just as we prepare for Arsenal - Liverpool with the football mates. Flowers spreading as if were in April !  Let's try to guess the match scenarios. KRIM - FTC Rail       30 - 27 It is a CRIME not to be able to watch it live  Rapid Bucharest - Esjberg  32 - 33 Rapid rise for Rapid but Esjberg probably edging it Bietigheim - Vipers 26 - 32 My second favourite game of the day. Vipers should not be troubled in this beautiful arena despite the greater footprint the German side has in this competition.  Gyori - Zagreb  35 -  28 Gyori needs to step up after their surprising loss at home.  Odense - CSM Bucharest 25 - 27 Indecisive as to where this one would go. I tend to believe CSM is to improve its away form in Europe. Odense is a tough place to go. Brest Bretagne - Banik  33 - 29 Brest buil...

LNH DAY 5  CRETEIL - USAM 20h30 7 Octobre 2022  Parti vers 12h05, c'est l'air tranquille que je passais la securite et les controles aux frontieres. Le coin des ordis, les prises ne marchent pas donc impossible de charger. Regarder Internet met du temps mais pas autant que l'impossibilite connue dans le compartiment. Quand tout le monde etait installe on vint me deloger car je m'etais curieusement mis en voiture 12 au lieu de 11 ! Charge a cause de la nourriture et ayant l'ordi dans les mains je ne savais que faire et les 2 dames ont ete cool et le petit garcon s'endormit assez vite. Ma voisine etait difficile a saisir et m'aida quand la biere fut proche de la catastrophe. Je me souvenais que la Gare du Nord n'etait pas desservie. Et la panique quand le ROPE vint au lieu de REPU. Un bus sur trois pour le remplacement a cause de manque de carburants. On croit rever. Le palais des sports est a equidistance du Vert de Maisons et de Creteil Universite. Je ra...