07.02.2008, 01:24
Spanish teams in good mood

Portland and Ciudad have good news for their fans: most of their players are healthy after the Euro. Leon are also in good form.

Spanish teams in good mood

Ales Pajovic will play in the CL after four months on loan in Kiel again. The Slovenian player will take the place of Christian Hjermind after the Danish winger left Ciudad Real. The Danish winger will be replaced by Josep Masachs, a Catalonian player from Nathrhouse Logroño.

Rutenka and Sterbik have received the Spanish citizenship. Both players were given the passport during the Euro 2008 and they will not take more place from foreign players in Ciudad Real from January.

Sterbik is ready to play for the Spanish National team as well, while Rutenka must still wait some time. It is great news for the Spanish club that might be able to sign more foreign handballers for the next seasons.

The French Luc Abalo, for example, is alleged to be targeted by Ciudad Real. The player also confirmed the possibility.

Portland: significant improvements

The team of coach Cabanas could not count on many players by the end of 2007, but now only Portuguese Ricardo Andorinho is injured.

Balic, Kjelling, Jorgensen and Ruesga have returned from Norway in good form and they will be fundamental for the two very hard months, February and March. Balic seems to have recovered and the Croatian played in great form in Norway.

Kjelling was also injured for a couple of months with muscle problems, but he is okay now. The left back did not play a lot during the Euro, but he is also in form.

Jorgensen was happy with the gold medal, obviously. He also had an operation before that, but he is healthy again.

The only problem of Cabanas will be Andorinho, who is still missing. The Portuguese winger will probably not return within short time with a very complicated injury.

Leon focus on current season

Ademar will start the Main Round in Russia against Chehovskie Medevdi. The Ribera team have resumed the Spanish league in good form with two victories. Ademar won in Antequera by 22-25 and against Algeciras at home by 37-30. These results have given some confidence to the Spanish team after a sad beginning of 2008.

The Ademar fans have known that some of the players of the current roster will leave the club next June. Important handballers such as Garralda, Aginagalde, Sigurdsson, Saric, Laluska or Urdiales would play in other teams next season. However, Ribera has worked hard to put aside these things and put the team in the right direction for the new year.

TEXT: Fernando Urra Goñi