Andreas Palicka was the giant back there. When Germany poured on in the second half and shrunk the Swedish lead to one goal, Felix Claar stepped forward and showed the way to both EC bronze and an Olympic place.
– They came close, but I think it was fairly controlled in the end, Claar said.
Like many of the players, he talked after Sweden’s first European Championship bronze on the men’s side that it was actually the final they should have played. Claar said that on the bus to the arena, he was still thinking about the semi-final against France, where the chance for the final disappeared in a very snowy way.
– But when we came in here with 20,000 in the stands, something happened. Then I think we all felt how much we really wanted to win, said Claar.
The Magdeburg player became Sweden’s best goalscorer with eight hits. Together with Andreas Palicka, he has been Sweden’s best player in the EC, but neither he nor Palicka make the tournament’s All Star team. Claar was not even among the six nominated in his position.
The team is chosen by 40 percent of supporters, who can vote online, and 60 percent by experts.
Among the nominees Jim Gottfridsson was found among the middle nines, but the place went to Germany’s Juri Knorr – whom Claar clearly outshined in the bronze match.
He did not seem to care about the non-nomination and was instead happy that he had made great strides as a handball player.
– I think I developed in Magdeburg and wanted to take that with me into this championship. I think I have succeeded in that, said Claar.
It was also German at the goalkeeper position. Andreas Wolff had a big part in the home team making it to the bronze medal match, but even this German was clearly outshined by a Swede in Sunday’s match.
When Andreas Palicka is this kind, he has few superiors in the world.
The championship debutant Sebastian Karlsson was also among the nominees. Here the place went to the Austrian Robert Weber.
However, Sweden got one player into the team. Hampus Wanne has, as usual, been one of Sweden’s best players and the All star jury thought that the Barcelona player was the very best left-six in the EC.
EM:s All star team
Goalkeeper: Andreas Wolff, Germany
Left six: Hampus Wanne, Sweden
Left nine: Martim Costa, Portugal
Middle nine: Juri Knorr, Germany
Right nine: Mathias Gidsel, Denmark
Right sex: Robert Weber, Austria
Middle six: Ludovic Fabregas, France
Best defensive player: Magnus Saugstrup, Denmark
Show more Show less