Victor Tomas: "My best time is still to come"

With a bronze medal from the EHF EURO 2014 and a gold medal from the World Championship 2013 under their belt, Spain are the clear favourites when it comes to their first qualifier for the Men’s EHF EURO 2016 against Austria on 29 October.

However, right wing Victor Tomas is cautious, calling Austria "difficult opponents".

"At the EHF EURO 2014 we beat Austria by only one goal (28:27).

"I expect a tough game but I don’t know what level Austria will show. If they show the same level as they did at the last EHF EURO, it will be a complicated match."

Spain’s second qualifier will be at Finland on 1 November.

Following the EHF EURO 2014, these qualifiers are the next competitive tests for Spain and their head coach Manolo Cadenas, who took over the team from Valero Rivera after the World Championship 2013.

"This new phase could have started a tiny bit better, because we could have reached the EHF EURO Final, but not much better.

"Cadenas obtained good results from his first day. I hope it continues, first in the upcoming EHF EURO Qualification and next year at the World Championship in Qatar."

Training and improving every day

Tomas injured his right hand on 16 September. Team doctors predicted that he would need four to five weeks to recover, but it was less than four weeks later, when Tomas was back in court, playing FC Barcelona’s home game in the VELUX EHF Champions League against Besiktas on 12 October

"I'm feeling good. The hand is still not at 100 per cent  because I need to put some more strain on it and gain confidence, but I feel pretty good,” he says.

At the age of 29 Tomas is one of the most important players for both FC Barcelona and the national team – and the end of his career is by no account near.

"My best time is yet to come. I feel fine, this hand injury was a bit of a setback, but I haven’t been seriously injured for many years.

"I haven’t set a date for my retirement. That doesn’t make sense."

"Sometimes careers stop because injuries. I hope for me it’ll be the head and not the body that decided not to continue playing handball anymore.

"I will retire the day I don’t want to train and improve every day."

Besides handball, Tomas, who was born in and has never played for any other club than Barcelona, also follows the political situation in Catalonia closely.

He is one of six players who originate from Catalonia that have been nominated for the upcoming EHF EURO 2016 qualifiers.

"We talk about this political situation with in the locker room and there are different opinions.

"People who say it makes no sense to vote for the independence and play for the Spanish team don’t understand anything.

"There might come the day when Catalan athletes have to make a decision, but until this happens, my obligation is to play for Spain and so I will do.

"I try to win the as many titles as possible with Spain and I will give everything I have I've done it in the past.”

The Spanish team for the EHF EURO 2016 Qualification matches against Austria and Finland

Goalkeepers: Arpad Sterbik (HC Vardar), Gonzalo Perez de Vargas (FC Barcelona).

Centre backs: Jose Maria 'Chema' Rodriguez (MKB Veszprém), Niko Mindegia (Pick Szeged) and Raul Entrerríos (FC Barcelona).

Right backs: Alex Dujshebaev (HC Vardar), Jorge Maqueda (HBC Nantes).

Left backs: Joan Canellas (THW Kiel), Viran Morros (FC Barcelona).

Right wings: Albert Rocas (Naturhouse La Rioja) and Victor Tomas (FC Barcelona)

Left wings: Cristian Ugalde (MKB Veszprem), Valero Rivera (HBC Nantes).

Line players: Gedeon Guardiola (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Julen Aginagalde (KS Vive Targi Kielce).