Portugal makes European debut against France
The Portuguese team debut today at the handball Euro2020, when they face France in the Norwegian city of Trondheim, in the first round of Group D in the final round, after which they return after 14 years of absence.
Portugal will have no easy task against the team that won the bronze medal at the last World Cup, despite beating the French less than a year ago by 33-27 in Guimarães and then losing in Strasbourg by 33-24, in qualifying group 6 games for the European Championship.
Gilberto Duarte scored nine goals in those two games, which helped make the left-back the top scorer in the qualifying round, but the Montpellier player was injured in the service of the Gaulesa team and is the big absent among the 18 called up by coach Paulo Pereira.
The coach lamented the absence of left-back Fábio Vidrago, left-back Fábio Magalhães and midfielder Miguel Martins in training on Friday because they are recovering from the flu, which should condition the use of the three players.
The ‘corner team’ will face France at the Trondheim Spectrum pavilion from 18:15 (one hour less in Lisbon) before hosts runner-up Norway take on newcomers Bosnia-Herzegovina in the second. meeting of group D.
Portugal, who play for the sixth time in the European Championship (which has the best result in seventh place in 2000 in Croatia), will face the Bosnians on Sunday and end their participation in the opening round on Tuesday against the Norwegians, always in Trondheim.
