Cologne - Review, 19 August 2008: Michael Kraus stands disconsolately on the floor of the Olympics Sports Center Gymnasium in Beijing, and stammered: "We beat ourselves."
The Off in the preliminary round at the Olympics. By the victorious Danes there was malice: "Germany, Germany - all over."
A few months later playmaker Mimi Kraus wants to make people forget this insult: "The World Cup in Croatia is our chance to make amends - this is our biggest motivation."
There's some good news yesterday by doctors for Kraus: The injury suffered at the weekend turned out to be only calf strain.
The head of the German handball players before the start on Saturday (17.30 clock against Russia, who live on RTL) is no longer the image of Beijing and the botched Euro 2008 in Norway (fourth place), but the pictures of Cologne 2007. On 4 February pasted the German handball player in the Cologne Arena, the fire of beards, crowns on their heads and marched as handball kings were celebrated in the world.
The result at that time: Germany handball in the collective frenzy. Now, promise the defending champions: "We make Germany again balla balla!"
The Leichlinger Torsten Jansen says: "There is always, anything is possible - and that applies even get it." Superstar Pascal Hens adds: "We can beat everyone, our young team is a surprise. In any event, all are very hot and horny on Croatia. "
For coach Heiner Brand, it is no easy mission. He has to compensate for the outflow of the service providers Markus Baur, Florian Kehrmann, Henning Fritz and Christian Schwarzer.
Brand: "I hope that we are able to continue a good development. Our goal is of course the best possible placement. "
What speaks for the German team: The dress rehearsal is thoroughly danebengegangen at the tournament in Spain (17:28 in the finals against Spain). And according to superstition, a failed rehearsal always follows a fantastic premiere.
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