Talents step up as Szilagyi misses Austria's EHF EURO 2016 qualifiers

Talents step up as Szilagyi misses Austria's EHF EURO 2016 qualifiers

Austria enter the Men's EHF EURO 2016 Qualification with a squad of 18 players which includes three junior internationals but lacks injured team captain Viktor Szilagyi.

Austria, drawn to Group 7, face world champions Spain away on 29 October before they return home to play against neighbours Germany in Vienna on 2 November.

"I'm only able to train to a limited extent. My knee is inflamed and I have to give my body some rest in the upcoming weeks," said Viktor Szilagyi, who plays for Bergischer HC in the German Bundesliga.

"There is currently a lot of strain put on me and two matches every week are simply too much. I hope that I'll recover as soon as possible."

Szilagyi has taken to the court 183 times for Austria, scoring 853 goals along the way.

"Viktor has been playing on world class level for years and he's the team captain. Of course, I'd have loved to have on the team, but if he's not 100 per cent fit, it's not possible. I have to and will find a different solution," said head coach Patrekur Johannesson.

While Szilagyi is missing, there are three young player among the nominees that are dying to show their skills on the European stage.

For the upcoming two qualifiers Johannesson nominated Sebastian Frimmel, Tobias Wagner and Nikola Bilyk.

All three of them were part of Austria's 'Team 94' at the Men's 20 EHF EURO in Austria this summer.

Austria's squad for the Men's EHF EURO 2016 Qualification matches against Spain and Germany

Thomas Bauer (TBV Lemgo), Nikola Bilyk (HC Fivers WAT Margareten), Damir Djukic (SU Falkensteiner Katschberg St. Pölten), Janko Bozovic (HC Meshkov Brest), Sebastian Frimmel (Union West Wien), Alex Hermann (SG INSIGNIS Handball WESTWIEN), Max Hermann (Bergischer HC), Romas Kirveliavicius (HC Fivers WAT Margareten), Marian Klopcic (Bregenz Handball), Nikola Marinovic (Frisch Auf! Göppingen), Lucas Mayer (Bregenz Handball), Fabian Posch (SG INSIGNIS Handball WESTWIEN), Raul Santos (VfL Gummersbach), Roland Schlinger (Alpla HC Hard), Max Wagesreiter (SG INSIGNIS Handball WESTWIEN), Tobias Wagner (HC Fivers WAT Margareten), Robert Weber (SC Magdeburg), Vytautas Ziura (HC Fivers WAT Margareten)