No one knows where to go subsequent
The world community mocks traveling handball fans
Till Erdenberger, Katowice
24.01.2023 11:32
Germany’s handball workforce faces an unsure future: the “hardest process” of the match awaits them within the quarterfinals with France. Nobody knows now what is going to occur should you win.
World Handball Championship as an journey? If you are wanting to journey to the unknown, hop on a automobile, prepare or aircraft to Gdansk on Poland’s Amber Coast. There, on the “Polish Riviera”, on the border of lovely Sopot, Klaus Kinski’s homeland, the German nationwide handball workforce will play their quarter-final in opposition to France on Wednesday at 20.30 (reside on ZDF and ntv.de) . At least one factor is evident: what occurs subsequent? Nobody knows but. A logistical trick is to blame: Poland and Sweden are co-hosting this match, with 32 groups and 112 video games too many for one nation. This makes it difficult.
About 1,500 fans have been within the corridor in Katowice on Monday, with considerably extra in opposition to the Netherlands on Saturday. Against the “hardest opponent” (nationwide coach Alfred Ghislason), the German fans can have to turn out to be a issue once more. “There is hope in each scenario”, assist from 1000’s of individuals in northern Poland there,” stated Captain Johannes Golla. “Although it’s not straightforward to dig throughout the week. We are very grateful for that.” The quarter finals can nonetheless be scheduled.
1400 kilometers on land
Then anybody following Germany via the match can have to be versatile: as a result of it will not be recognized till Wednesday night where Johannes Golla and his teammates will play on Friday: in Poland or within the Swedish capital of Stockholm. The organizers got here up with a particular trick for fans, groups, TV channels and journalists: each host international locations have been allowed to host the semi-finals. Poles play in Gdańsk (extra exactly: Sopo), in Sweden on the Tele2 Arena, within the soccer stadium in Stockholm.
In reality, in accordance to the unique match schedule, the quarter-finalists from Gdańsk also needs to play their semi-finals on the shores of the Baltic Sea. In reality. Because the Swedish nationwide workforce will mechanically get residence rights in the event that they win the match in opposition to Egypt within the quarter finals. The German workforce (and German fans and German journalists) have been due to journey to Stockholm on January 26 to play in opposition to 35,000 individuals and the favourites.
Between the 2 cities is 555 km (because the crow flies), 1400 km by land and federal roads and by sea. It takes 19 hours by ferry to Ninashamn, 60 kilometers south of Stockholm, passing the Swedish island of Gotland. Unfortunately, seats on the ferry can now not be booked on quick discover. If you need to attempt the prepare, you may have to combat your approach via three international locations for 23 hours. At the second it is attainable to fly, however sadly Sweden do not play Egypt till 20:30 on Wednesday, so at 22:30 everybody knows where to go. And the query of what is going to occur if Sweden is eradicated was the query requested within the press gallery throughout the primary stage last of the German workforce in opposition to Norway. Trend: Then we go to Stockholm.
“Should Sweden qualify…”
The plan was so opaque that the world community felt obliged to “make clear the additional course of the match.” And every part may be very easy: “If Sweden has certified, the semi-finals will likely be held in Stockholm, where they are going to meet the winner of the match between France and Germany. In this case, the winners of the 2nd quarter-final will meet Norway and Spain. – and 4 – Denmark and Hungary – in Gdańsk “, the IHF writes. “If Sweden doesn’t qualify for the semi-finals, the primary semi-final will likely be held in Gdańsk between France or Germany and Egypt. The second semi-final will likely be performed between the winners of quarter-finals 2 and 4 in Stockholm”. So: the semi-final is right here or there. Between right here and there are 555 kilometers because the snow flies, 1400 kilometers by land and ocean. Less than 48 hours between the 2 video games there may be
If Sweden advances to the semi-finals, fans of totally different nationalities will meet between Stockholm and Gdańsk. Because at the moment, the Danes or Hungarians, who have been allowed to play the quarter-finals in Sweden, had to go to Poland for the semi-finals after which return after the sport to play the ultimate or the third-place match in Stockholm.
On Tuesday morning, German fans are on the prepare from Katowice to Gdansk, satisfied that a potential semi-final involving the Germans will certainly happen in Stockholm. Everyone knows: the quarter-final in opposition to France begins on Wednesday at 20:30. It wasn’t clear when the ultimate whistle blew in opposition to Norway. When will the semi-finals begin? Somewhere on Friday.
National coach Alfred Gislason prefers to keep away from the (sporting) route via France. “I’d have most popular to win the sport in the present day and have Spain,” stated the Icelander. Jislason performs wherever planes and buses take him. A bunch victory would even be logistically simpler: the winner of the Spain-Norway conflict could be in Gdansk for the semi-finals. Regardless of what occurred in Stockholm between Sweden and Egypt. If you need to plan for security, you need to hope that the German nationwide workforce loses the sport in opposition to France: Because it’ll undoubtedly be in Stockholm for the video games for 5-8 locations.
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