European Handball Championship: Portugal draws with Netherlands, leaving pre-Olympic accounts open – Handball

Coach Paulo Pereira considered that Portugal far exceeded expectations, despite the defeat against Sweden, the European champions. “We almost always play away from home. It was a match against a team with the best athletes in the world, in the best teams in the world, so I am very proud of the athletes, who are performing at a European Championship even higher.” “Expectations,” the coach considered in statements to Lusa. Paulo Pereira continued his logic: “If they had told us, at the beginning of the competition, that we would go to the Lanxess Arena, in Cologne, they would probably have called us crazy. But I like it when people call me crazy a lot. Sometimes, it's a sign that I'm on a good path.” Having missed the semi-finals, Portugal has other goals, more realistic according to its situation: “Our main goal is to go to the pre-Olympic stage and we are about to get there. Only if some disaster happens, but I don't think so.” “It will happen. Let's see. Let's wait a little longer,” added the national coach. “We now have a match against the Netherlands and we will focus on it, against a team that plays every game. We have to play well, but I think we are very close to achieving this goal,” stressed the 58-year-old coach. Old coach.