Jevery successor has a story to tell. With Daniel Rebmann it goes like this: “The call came on Tuesday afternoon. Then the firm promise that I should fly. I then lied from Stuttgart to Vienna at 6.50 a.m. on Wednesday morning and took a shuttle to Bratislava.”
A day later, the goalkeeper from Frisch Auf Göppingen made his debut as a national handball player. At a European Championship. In the main round. Against defending champions Spain. “Everything is still unreal,” says Daniel Rebmann, 28, on Saturday morning. “I’ve never been there, not at a single course.”
The experience with two wins would have been even nicer. But the German national team only lost to Spain on Thursday at 11:29 p.m. and then to Norway at 11:28 p.m. on Friday evening. Two games in 36 hours. Hard on body and mind.
Rebmann had played when the veteran Johannes Bitter, who was also nominated, needed a break. 14 minutes against Spain, 15 minutes against Norway. And Rebmann didn’t do badly: 42 percent saved litters on Thursday. 22 percent a day later. He says: “The disappointment about the lost games is great. But for me personally, I’m looking forward to it.”
Returnees from quarantine? tendency no
The road to the semi-finals in Budapest has become long. In any case, the Germans have to win their main round games against Sweden on Sunday (6 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the European Handball Championship and on ARD) and on Tuesday at the same time against Russia. With outside help, there could then be a three-way comparison between Germany, Norway and Sweden for second place in the group.
DHB board member Axel Kromer cautiously assessed whether one of the eight people currently missing will return from quarantine – tendency no. It didn’t work out for Julius Kühn on Thursday and Friday, although he had completed the five-day quarantine; the CT value of his test was too low. A cardiological examination by the team doctor in Bratislava and an additional stress test at the University Hospital in Vienna are also pending before the possible re-deployment. “That in Vienna is a bonus program,” said Kromer. The health of the players is paramount.
With a view to Norway, Kühn’s throwing power and Kai Häfner’s allusions would certainly have helped. Without the two experienced professionals, the Germans struggled unsuccessfully to become dangerous. After 15 minutes without a goal against Spain, there were nine against the Scandinavians – too many to do anything about. After all, there was an increase in aggressiveness and will on Friday. “We learned the hard way at this level,” said national coach Alfred Gislason, “but the team showed tremendous morale.”
Despite all the joy about the first international matches, Daniel Rebmann also gave information about what life is like, alone in the single room of the team hotel “Lindner Gallery Central”. And that didn’t sound so nice. “In theory, there is a great recreation room with a dartboard and table tennis table. But of course there is nobody there. So I’m joining a new team and I’m not getting to know anyone. ”The DHB has isolated itself completely for fear of further infections.
Preparing for the opponent is also lonely: “We get sticks with shots from goalkeeping coach Mattias Andersson, which we pick up at his door. And then there’s a short meeting in the hall just before the game.” That’s not much more than emergency care.
In addition to all the impressions of this tournament, which is so unusual for the Germans, Rebmann wonders whether he has a future as a national goalkeeper. “Maybe I’ll be invited to a course again.” He wishes Till Klimpke and Andreas Wolff, who are still in quarantine, that they’ll be back soon. With the result that he would probably no longer play as number four. The DHB has given all professionals the freedom to leave the tournament if there is no longer a chance of playing. Daniel Rebmann says: “I’ll definitely stay until the end.”
