Andy Schmid carries Swiss hopes on his shoulders

When you think about Switzerland at EHF EURO 2020, their top star Andy Schmid is the first name to pop into your head.

Having lead Switzerland to their first ever EHF EURO since 2006, the Rhein-Neckar Löwen playmaker is the focal point of their play.

In qualification, the victory against Serbia was crucial and it was a huge success for their coach Michael Suter, who has turned from a highly successful youth coach to strong head of the men’s team.

Three questions before the Men‘s EHF EURO 2020:

- Who else other than Schmid can make an impact at the EHF EURO?

Thanks to a strong youth programme, headed by Michael Suter, the Swiss side have some remarkable talents in their squad, such as Luka Maros, Dimitrij Küttel and Lucas Meister.

One of potential stars is line player Samuel Rötlisberger,while goalkeeper Nikola Portner is already an established name as the first and so far only Swiss VELUX EHF Champions League winner. But at the moment he doesn’t play that much at Montpellier, behind their new arrival Marin Sego.

- What is the impact of coach Michael Suter?

Since 2009, Suter has worked for the Swiss federation, he started in the youth programme and still is the director of the men’s youth academy.

In the previous ten years he was the responsible for lifting the level of performance of the Swiss Younger Age Category teams, qualifying for all major events when he was the coach.

His main job was to integrate the strong players born between 1992 and 1996 into the men’s national team, which he took over in 2016. His record speaks for itself, but with Suter’s contract recently extended until 2024, his impact is clearly appreciated.

- Is there any chance of surprising EHF EURO hosts Sweden in the openening match?

The Swiss side hope for the element of surprise and the strange things that can happen on the opening day of tournaments.

This surprise effect, plus them have nothing to lose, arriving full of confidence and the hosts being under pressure, not only because of the sold-out arena, is a deadly mix.

If it is to happen, the opener is the perfect opportunity. Sweden had already been surprised as a host of a major event, when they were defeated by Argentina at the 2011 World Championship on home court.

Under the spotlight: Andy Schmid

There is no team which counts on their top star in the way Switzerland do. Andy Schmid is the mastermind, the top scorer, the most experienced player and their only world class player.

Five years in a row, Schmid was awarded best player in German Bundesliga. His full-time comeback for the national team was the core reason for the first EHF EURO ticket since 2006, when they hosted the tournament. Schmid is the only current Swiss player, who already played in 2006, and he is the only player with more than 100 international matches in the current squad.

Self-esteem

“We want to be a tough challenge for all our opponents” said coach Michael Suter after the draw, avoiding announcing an official goal. But of course, Sweden and Slovenia are high hurdles to clear due to the lack of international experience.

But Andy Schmid and co. have proved their abilities by beating Serbia in qualification. Maybe a surprise is possible and with Schmid in top form, you never know.

Fun Fact

Goalkeeper Nikola Portner was the first Swiss player to win the VELUX EHF Champions League with Montpellier in 2018.

Some Swiss clubs before had been winners and finalists of the Challenge Cup, other players like Mark Baumgartner or Andy Schmid had won the EHF Cup or Cup Winners’ Cup, but no other than the son of former Yugoslav handball legend Zlatko Portner managed to raise the trophy so far.

What the numbers say

No other host of a Men’s EHF EURO finished on a lower position than Switzerland, 14^th ranked in 2006. But to be fair, Portugal were last on home ground in 1994, when only 12 teams competed there, while Italy fared a bit better in 1998, when they were eleventh in a tournament with 12 teams.