The big final of the Men’s EHF EURO 2018 (Sunday 20.30) will be the fifth match for the gold for both teams – Spain and Sweden. However, destiny of two rivals at Zagreb Arena is totally different in terms of historical facts. Sweden won all four finals between 1994 and 2002 in Stockholm, when generation of Wislander, Lovgren, Olsson, Svensson and Vranjes, ended an handball era with EURO hat-trick which began in Italy 1998.
Since than, Sweden weren’t even close to the semis of the EURO events, while the only chance to win the title on big events was Olympic final in London 2012, when Olsson-Lindgren team lost against France.
The Spanish trauma began with home defeat against Russia in 1996, which followed defeat from Sweden two years later.
Talant Dujshebaev’s generation ended career without big title, but even world’s champions from 2005 could’t win EURO gold in Switzerand 2006, when France was better in the third Spanish final.
PHOTO: HRS
