Nikola Karabatic : The machine is in the Handball world Cup

Didier Dinart is a stoic, as he is in the book. The 42-year-old Frenchman next to Heiner Brand to the elite circle of those two people, who are become as a player and coach of a Handball world champion. Dinart could tell quite a few stories of the many battles that he has beaten in his career. Entertainment does not count, however, the core competencies of the French national team coach and once-feared defense specialists.

That was also observed at the weekend, as Dinart, to the surprising return of his star player, was heard to three times the World's handballers, Nikola Karabatic. Whether Karabatic ends, possibly as early as Tuesday in the trend-setting first round match in Berlin against hosts Germany, (20.15 PM, the Arena at the Ostbahnhof and live on ZDF) come, was Dinart asked. The coach only smiled mildly and said: "you will see."

toe SURGERY in October

In the French camp, they make a kind of state secret of the fact, when your most prominent and sporty-the best of the best in the world Cup will be able to get in. Since Tuesday morning is: For the game against Germany, he will not be nominated. A spokeswoman for the world Association IHF has confirmed on Tuesday morning the German press Agency.

Yet it was clear that Karabatic would be the first miss in his career, a big tournament because of an injury: In October, a long-overdue engagement, the 34-Year-old on the toe to operate. The Doctors predicted at the time of up to six months forced break. Three months later, he now stands in front of a return. "I'm not attending," said Karabatic after his arrival in Berlin. In the ears of the competition it must have sounded like a threat.

Probably scared them in the French camp after the first game in this world Cup, which ended with an extremely narrow 24:22-victory over Brazil. "I think that makes the squad, the Frenchman who is not busy is bad anyway, and certainly not weaker," says Germany's national goalkeeper Andreas Wolff. To be "alone here, is a victory for me," says Karabatic, "I'm proud of it".

team-mate of Uwe Gensheimer

The 1,96 Meter-man is the superior player of his Generation. He was employed at the best addresses in the world, hand ball, first of all, when THW Kiel, and later at FC Barcelona for four years now, Paris St. Germain, the employer of the German captain Uwe Gensheimer. Already at a young age Karabatic had won every prestigious title: the age of 24, he was Olympic champion, world champion, European champion, had won the Champions League and various national Championships and cups. It didn't take that Karabatic would have played in superior teams, which led him to the title. The opposite was the case: Karabatic lifted his teammates to another level, he was always the leader, the front marched and moved there, where it hurt. In the final of the world Cup 2015 is about to host Qatar tried, the exception-rounder with a tried and tested tactic to overcome: with extreme physical hardness. In the first attack of the final Karabatic suffered a blow that would have even knocked out the toughest dog. Karabatic played simply, without any break in treatment and led his Team with five goals, but above all with his omnipresence in attack and defence for the third world Cup title. Now a fourth is added, 2017 at the tournament in France. In one's own country Karabatic played with the reliability of a machine.

Five minutes to Berlin The world Cup in Berlin - the capital and the basketball

Now he's looking forward to returning to Germany. "It's always fun to come here," says the former professional of the THW Kiel. Anyone who has seen him once, but also is fun for Karabatic no Motivation, he's rather athletic Mission. A victory at the world Cup would be synonymous with direct qualification for the Olympic games 2020 in Tokyo. Karabatic says: "Maybe I'll finish my career." (with dpa)