Xavi Sabate on WCh 2025: Germany Leads, Czech Talent Rises”
The most interesting group in the preliminary round of the World Championship 2025 will be the “European group,” featuring Germany, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Poland. Who will prevail, why he decided to leave the bench of the Czech national team to focus solely on Wisla Plock, and what the future holds for Czech handball are topics Xavi Sabate discussed with Handball-Planet.com.
“Germany are the favorites, but the matches between the other three teams will be decided by small details. It will be exciting for spectators. Our clear goal is to advance to the main round,” said Sabate.
“Everything in life can be seen from different perspectives. The decision to announce my departure was transparent. It was made after the playoff against Romania. On one hand, the Czech Republic has a long-term project with the co-organization of a major event in 2030. On the other hand, I am with Wisla Plock, a big project that requires a lot of dedication and time. It’s a win-win situation for both sides. I always strive to give 120% in every job, and if I continued like this, I wouldn’t achieve success in either role. This decision was made five to six months ago—why hide it until the end of the Championship? It was the right, fair, and correct thing to do, with good intentions. The most important thing for us now is the competition. Other matters are secondary.”
Sabate also reflected on the differences between working with national teams and clubs:
“It’s clear they are different. In a national team, you don’t work with players daily. They come from different systems, and you never have enough time for adaptation. The game at the club level is much more complex. In national teams, the collective game is limited due to the short preparation time. The atmosphere and circumstances are also very different.”
Switzerland
“Switzerland is a team that may not be very well-known, but they have quality players with experience in the Bundesliga and European competitions, such as Kadetten and Kriens. Their coach, a former great player, has successfully transmitted his ideas to the team. Although they had issues with Zehnder, they’ve found replacements. That’s how it works—they play good handball and have better players than many people think.”
Similarities Between Poland and the Czech Republic
“Both countries have physically strong players. Their languages are similar, but there are differences in their playing styles. The Polish team has experienced players but struggles to find the consistency necessary for success. They are capable of playing exceptionally well and can compete with almost anyone.”
The Future of Czech Handball
“We have many talented young players, and Czech handball will become stronger in the next three to four years. The Federation has been working very effectively with young players. Since 2017, Jan Filip, the Academy Coordinator, has done an excellent job. We have several young players, some just 19–20 years old, already taking on important roles. This is the strength of Czech handball—developing youth. It’s a well-structured program with strong coordination from the grassroots level to the top. Despite being a small country with a population of 10 million and competing with football and ice hockey, the Federation is doing a great job,” commented Sabate.
The complete interview is available on Handball-Planet.com.
