In the week when European national teams will play the first round of qualifications for the 2023 World Championships hosted by Sweden and Poland, the Croatia men’s senior handball team will train in Varaždin. The national team gathered on Monday at 11:00 am at the Westin Hotel and, after antigen testing, extended their trip to the Turist Hotel in Varaždin, where they will stay until Sunday, March 20.
Coach Hrvoje Horvat invited 22 players to this gathering. But, due to injuries, Marin Šipić, Ivan Martinović, and Marko Mamić dropped out of the lineup, so there will be 19 players in Varaždin. The coach has not invited anyone from the list of reserves, which includes ten players.
Several players on this list missed the European Championships in Hungary for various reasons. There are also many young talented players, some of whom we saw in significant roles at the last big competition and some that will get the opportunity to prove themselves to the coach for a potential spot on the next list before the 2023 World Championship qualifiers against Finland
In addition to the coach and his first associate Ivan Balić, there are several new professional staff members. Ivan Stevanović, or “Stivi,” is the new goalkeeper coach. Šime Tomašević has been appointed fitness trainer. The new/old physiotherapists are Željko Kercel and Filip Šimunović. Along with psychologist Sivia Juratovac, who has been working with the A national team for some time, the new doctor with Krešimir Rotim is Domagoj Gajski, who has been with the women’s team for years.
Croatia player list
- MARIN ŠEGO – MONTPELLIER HB
- MATEJ MANDIĆ – RK PPD ZAGREB
- DOMINIK KUZMANOVIĆ – RK NEXE
- DAVID MANDIĆ – RK PPD ZAGREB
- MARIN JELINIĆ – RK NEXE
- IVAN ĆUPIĆ – RK PPD ZAGREB
- VLADO MATANOVIĆ – RK PPD ZAGREB
- FILIP PERIĆ – RK PPD ZAGREB
- ŽELJKO MUSA – RK PPD ZAGREB
- MARINO MARIĆ – MT MELSUNGEN
- VERON NAČINOVIĆ – MONTPELLIER HB
- DOMAGOJ DUVNJAK – THW KIEL
- LUKA CINDRIĆ – BARCA
- IGOR KARAČIĆ – LOMZA VIVE KIELCE
- HALIL JAGANJAC – RK NEXE
- TIN LUČIN – ORLEN WISLA PLOCK
- LUKA ŠEBETIĆ – HC MOTOR
- MATEO MARAŠ – HC EUROFARM PELISTER
- LUKA LOVRE KLARICA – RK PPD ZAGREB
Reserve players
- LEON ŠUŠNJA – ORLEN WISLA PLOCK
- FILIP VISTOROP – RK PPD ZAGREB
- DAVOR ĆAVAR – RK PPD ZAGREB
- JOSIP BOŽIĆ PAVLETIĆ – HC EUROFARM PELISTER
- LOVRO MIHIĆ – ORLEN WISLA PLOCK
- JAKOV GOJUN – RK PPD ZAGREB
- IVAN PEŠIĆ – TVB 1898 STUTTGART
- MATE ŠUNJIĆ – US IVRY HANDBALL
- KRISTIAN PILIPOVIĆ – KADETTEN SCHAUFFHAUSEN
- JOSIP ŠARAC – FRISCH AUF GöPPINGEN
Coaching staff
- HRVOJE HORVAT, COACH
- IVANO BALIĆ, TRAINER
- IVAN STEVANOVIĆ, GOALKEEPER COACH
- ŠIME TOMAŠEVIĆ, CONDITIONING TRAINER
- ŽELJKO KERCEL, PHYSIO
- FILIP ŠIMUNOVIĆ, PHYSIO
- SILVIA JURATOVAC, MT THERAPIST
- KREŠIMIR ROTIM, DOCTOR
- DOMAGOJ GAJSKI, DOCTOR
- IVICA UDOVIČIĆ, NATIONAL TEAM DIRECTOR
- IVICA MARAŠ, SPOKESPERSON AND TEAM MANAGER
- ZDRAVKO MIRILOVIĆ, TECHNICAL
Source: HRS
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