Traditionally, the team which plays in the Palau d'Esports in Granollers, the hosts for the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, some 30 kilometres away from Barcelona, has been renowned for handing the keys of the squad to young players, developing them into future stars.
There was no surprise that some of the best players for that Granollers run last season were youngsters with plenty of potential, like right back Faruk Yusuf or centre backs Bruno Reguart Masana and Jan Gurri Aregay, who were both European champions at the M20 EHF EURO 2022 with Spain.
Gurri Aregay left for Portuguese side Sporting CP, but there is still plenty of talent for Granollers. Victor Romero Holguin and Pol Amores Hernandez are ready to take over the team after their successful campaign at the 2023 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship, where they doubled down on the gold medal from the M18 EHF EURO 2022 and sealed the trophy.
The final piece of the puzzle is Granollers’ top scorer last season in the EHF European League Men, Antonio Garcia, who scored 95 goals and helped his team secure the place in the final, with some exquisite games, turning back the clock.
At 39 years old, Garcia has delivered excellent performances and was the glue that held together the team, even though he was playing with teammates 20 years younger than him.
“I think it was the spirit of the team that really delivered this kind of performance, because it was really something special, everybody played like a team, helping each other, it could not have been so good, if it was not for this fighting spirit. It is true, we are a team which promotes young players, but we had some experience there as well,” says Rama.
“With Antonio in the squad, there was also this experience, he saw everything in handball, he felt it himself, so having him there, just calming things down, it was crucial.”
