Germany announce team for crucial EHF EURO 2014 qualifiers

The final countdown for Germany in the qualification for the Men’s EHF EURO 2014 in Denmark has started to tick.

The 2004 European champions need two victories in their remaining matches against Montenegro in Podgorica and on home ground against Israel in order to definitely make it to the final tournament.

Nothing has been decided in group 2, as Montenegro top the table with 6 points ahead of Germany and Czech Republic (both 4), and even Israel with two point can potentially still qualify.

"We do not want to calculate, we want to win both games. That's it," said German head coach Martin Heuberger when he announced the team.

Germany had lost their home match against Montenegro 27:31 in November and therefore they now need an away victory with at least five goals difference to be able to finish ahead of them.

Right back Holger Glandorf who returned to the team after a one-year absence for the test matches against Slovenia in May, will take to the court for his first matches in the EHF EURO 2014 qualification.

Line player Christoph Theuerkauf (replaced by Evgeni Pevnov from Füchse Berlin) and centre back Steffen Fäth will miss the matches against Montenegro (12 June) and against Israel (15 June) because of injuries.

No player of VELUX EHF Champions League winners HSV Hamburg is among the 17 that were 17 nominated, only two (team captain Oliver Roggisch and right wing Patrick Groetzki) represent EHF Cup winners Rhein Neckar Löwen.

The German squad for the EHF EURO 2014 qualification matches (rounds 5 and 6):

Goalkeeper: Silvio Heinevetter (Füchse Berlin, 97 international matches/0 goals), Carsten Lichtlein (TBV Lemgo, 170/1), Jens Vortmann (GWD Minden, 8/0)

Field players: Stefan Kneer (SC Magdeburg, 39/59), Oliver Roggisch (Rhein-Neckar Löwen, 191/48), Patrick Wiencek (THW Kiel, 43/81), Tobias Reichmann (HSG Wetzlar, 22/50), Holger Glandorf (SG Flensburg-Handewitt, 157/541), Patrick Groetzki (Rhein-Neckar Löwen, 52/117), Evgeni Pevnov (Füchse Berlin, 4/1), Steffen Weinhold (SG Flensburg-Handewitt, 45/107), Martin Strobel (TBV Lemgo, 82/93), Kevin Schmidt (HSG Wetzlar, 16/64), Michael Haaß (Frisch Auf Göppingen, 109/166), Kai Häfner (HBW Balingen-Weilstetten, 11/21), Dominik Klein (THW Kiel, 173/343), Sven-Sören Christophersen (Füchse Berlin, 94/169)