Will the World Champions start the tournament with a victory?
Traditionally, the big men’s handball tournaments start in January. On Thursday, it starts with the European Championship in Hungary and Slovakia. The world champions from Denmark also get to play directly on the first day. In their opening match, the Danes will have to face the team from Montenegro, which can be regarded as a compulsory task
In the preliminary round, the 24 teams were divided into six groups. Only the first and second of each pool will advance to the main round. Denmark is certainly favoured in a group with Montenegro, Slovenia and Northern Macedonia, but it must also be said that the opponents are definitely tough for it being the preliminary round.
Perhaps Montenegro is the weakest challenger to the world champions in this pool. Anything other than a clear victory for the northern Europeans would be a big surprise. The tendency in the duel between Denmark and Montenegro is to predict a relatively high handicap victory for the Danes.
Denmark – Statistics & current form
The Danes will not think back fondly to the last European Championship two years ago, because as reigning world champions and top favourites for the title, they were already eliminated in the preliminary round. Overall, though, the Danes’ last few years have been outstanding, with both World Cup gold medals in 2019 and 2021, as well as Olympic victory in 2016 and silver last summer in Tokyo.
World champions with strong preparation
Nikolaj Jakobsen has managed to complement a strong experienced axis with numerous outstanding talents. Perhaps the Danes will therefore be even stronger at the European Championships than they were at last year’s World Championships. In any case, even before the opening match between Denmark and Montenegro, the odds on the Vikings winning the title are worth keeping an eye on.
The Danes are not satisfied with mediocre opponents. Even in test matches, the world champions always reach for the top shelf and when you then see how the results have looked recently, you can only take your hat off. In the last seven matches, there was only one defeat in the Olympic final against France. Otherwise, they have six victories to their credit, including the revenge against France and two victories against the strong Norwegians.
Despite a comprehensive hygiene concept, there will again be many infected people at the World Championships. The only Danish player currently affected is keeper Jannick Green from SC Magdeburg. He is currently in quarantine, but will be able to clear himself after five days. If there are no complications, the goalkeeper will travel to the European Championship.
The squad of Denmark:
Goal: N. Landin, Green, Möller
Back: Lauge, Mensah Larsen, Möllgaard, M. Hansen, Andersson, Mensing, Holm, Kirkelökke, Gidsel
Left wing: M. Landin, E. Jakobsen
Right wing: Svan, J. Hansen
Circle: Antonsen, Saugstrup, Toft Hansen, Hald
Coach: N. Jakobsen
Last matches of Denmark:
World Cup Qualification UEFA Grp. E
11/30 2021 – Denmark 3 – 1 Russia
11/25 2021 – Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 – 3 Denmark
10/26 2021 – Montenegro 1 – 5 Denmark
10/21 2021 – Denmark 8 – 0 Bosnia and Herzegovina
09/21 2021 – Azerbaijan 0 – 8 Denmark
Montenegro – Statistics & current form
Montenegro have always been involved in European Championships in recent years, but they have always finished in the preliminary round. Perhaps the Montenegrin team is currently the weakest team from the former Yugoslavia. A place in the main round seems almost impossible, especially if you take a look at the matches at the last continental championships.
Poor European Championship record
Of the 18 European Championship matches Montenegro have played so far, they have won just one. In addition, there has been one draw and 16 defeats. At least Zoran Roganovic’s team has won three of the last four international matches, although they were against the Cape Verde Islands or Romania, for example.
There were no more test matches in the immediate preparation for the European Championship, because the Montenegro team is badly shaken by the virus, which is why numerous substitutes are already on call. Different media report six to eight positive cases in the Montenegrin camp.
It is certain that Milos Bozovic, Nebojsa Simovic and goalkeeper Mile Mijuskovic will not play in the opening match against Denmark. Five days after the positive test, however, they can take time off with two negative tests with a 24-hour break in between. Whether coach Zoran Roganovic has left his quarantine for the first European Championship match is also still up in the air.
The Montenegro squad:
Goal: Matovic, Mijuskovic, Braunovic
Back: Glendza, Cepic, Kaluderovic, Andelic, Simic, Nikolic, Dragasevic, S. Vujovic, Sevaljevic, Bozovic, B. Vujovic, Vukicevic
Left wing: F. Vujovic, Abramovic
Right wing: M. Radovic, Cejovic, Vukic
Circle: Lazovic, Simovic, L. Vujovic, Corsovic, Grbovic
Coach: Roganovic
Last matches played by Montenegro:
Friendly match
12/18 2021 – Montenegro 1 – 0 Bosnia and Herzegovina
World Cup Qualification UEFA Grp. E
11/30 2021 – Azerbaijan 1 – 0 Montenegro
11/26 2021 – Malta 0 – 2 Montenegro
10/26 2021 – Montenegro 1 – 5 Denmark
10/21 2021 – Montenegro 2 – 0 Azerbaijan
Denmark – Montenegro Direct comparison / H2H balance
Denmark and Montenegro have only met five times so far. The direct comparison speaks with 4:1 victories for the Danes, whereby the one success of the Montenegrins came very surprisingly, because in the qualification for the European Championship 2020 the outsider defeated the reigning world champion.
The last encounter took place just three days later, and there the fired-up Danes took revenge with a clear 37:26 victory. That should probably also be the range in which Thursday’s match can take place. We firmly expect the Danes to further improve their record against Montenegro.
Denmark – Montenegro Tip
Even if both teams were at their best, Denmark would be the big favourites in this match. However, Montenegro are missing a number of players and because the quality of their squad is not very good, the absence of the players in quarantine really makes a difference.
The Danes, on the other hand, will be almost at their best, barring any unforeseen events. The world champions have already shown in their last international matches that they are ready and able to become European champions.
There are many indications that Nikolaj Jakobsen’s team will celebrate a big victory in their World Cup opener. We can even imagine that the difference between the two teams will be in double figures. We have therefore decided to play the betting odds on a handicap victory (-11.5) for the world champions between Denmark and Montenegro.
