Sweden's Men's Handball Team Suffers Loss to Spain in European Championship Warm-Up

Sweden's men’s handball team commenced their preparations for the upcoming European Championship with a friendly match against Spain in Linköping, enduring a 34–30 defeat. The game initially saw Sweden trailing 19–26 with under 20 minutes remaining, but a spirited comeback narrowed the deficit to two goals before Spain secured the win. Sweden's playmaker Felix Claar expressed disappointment with the team’s defensive performance, highlighting that the defense allowed Spain many easy goals during the match. Coach Michael Apelgren emphasized the need to sharpen Sweden's defensive play ahead of the tournament, noting that conceding 34 goals required an exceptionally strong offensive effort which was difficult to achieve against Spain's elite defense and goalkeeper Sergey Hernandez. Despite the loss, young players like Nikola Roganovic and Axel Månsson showed promise. Roganovic scored four goals and was praised as a potential key asset for the European Championship squad. The match was also marked by the absence of veteran goalkeeper Andreas Palicka due to an elbow injury, with Fabian Norsten and Tobias Thulin stepping in during the game. Sweden will have another friendly encounter with Spain in Eskilstuna on Saturday as part of their ongoing buildup. The European Championship, co-hosted by Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, is scheduled from January 13 to February 1, 2026, with Sweden opening their campaign against the Netherlands in Malmö. Should Sweden meet Spain again in the tournament, it could be in the semifinal stage. A veteran, Kim Andersson, reflected poignantly on his career post-match, signaling a significant moment for the team as they prepare for the major event ahead.