BALIC JOINS BM ATLETICO MADRID

After signing Barachet, Gojun, Masachs and Romero, BM Atletico Madrid have reinforced their team through the former World Handball Player (2003, 2006) Ivano Balic. The central back signed a one year contract with the club.

Balic has already got some experience in the Liga Asobal. From 2004 to 2008, he played for the Spanish team Portland San Antonio before he went back to Croatia where he spent his last four years.

It was a shock move for 33-year old Balic, who won a haul of honours with Croatia at major tournaments, most notably the 2003 IHF World Championship as well as the 2004 Olympic gold medal in Athens. His most recent accomplishments include the bronze medal at EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia and the 2012 London Olympics.

But the ingenious playmaker, loved by fans worldwide for his unpredictable set plays which he has nurtured since taking up basketball as a youngster, has never won Europe’s premier club competition. He hopes to rectify that in the twilight of his illustrious career alongside the likes of Macedonian sharpshooter Kiril Lazarov and the upcoming Super Globe World Club Championship in Qatar should be an ideal test of Atletico’s credentials to reach the summit of Europe’s club handball.

“I have chosen a club which I believe will be competitive among Europe’s elite and given that I know most of the players very well, I expect to blend into the squad very quickly,” Balic told Croatian media.

“I am really looking forward to the Super Globe in Doha as the first opportunity to do so,” he said.

The Super Globe tournament will also include last year’s winners and European champions THW Kiel, Sydney University, Metodista Sao Bernardo of Brazil, Qatar’s Al Sadd and El Jaish, Egyptian champions Zamalek and Saudi Arabian side Mudhar.

The official presentation of the team’s newest players will take place on Friday at the Hotel Toledo NH Ribera del Manzanares in Madrid.