Hosts Spain are hopeful home support can help propel them back to the EuroHockey U21 championship after 16-years of frustration.
They have finished in fourth spot for the past three editions, missing out in the bronze medal match on each occasion while they were in fifth place in 2014.
They are, however, the competition’s third most successful nation having won gold in 2000 (Madrid), 2004 (Nivelles) and 2008 (San Sebastian) and they are building off last December’s stunning Junior World Cup bronze last December.
And Uri Torras and his team will try to fight for a podium spot with the coaching voicing his satisfaction with the work done in training to date, declaring that the team was convinced that it could achieve great things in this tournament as a pre-event press conference.
The team will be looking to fight for medals led by a great group of players who already know what it is like to play on big stages. A large representation of players were the protagonists of the 2023 World Cup bronze medal in Malaysia.
An extra point of maturity can also be bear by the players who already made senior international debuts such as Aleix Bozal, Pablo Román, Nicolás Álvarez – brother of Olympic panelist Patricia – and Pere Amat whose grandfather won Olympic bronze in 1960.
Ton Moran, aged 18, is one to watch. He was named the best young player at the King’s Cup this season. He is among four men from nearby Club Egara along with Jan Capellades, Bruno Avila and Amat. CD Terrassa have Pau Petchamé – whose sister plays in the Spanish U21 women’s side – and Mario Mena in the panel.
And, even closer to home, Atlètic Terrassa trio Pol Cabré-Verdiell, Xavier Barutell and Guiu Corominas have a combined 51 caps at Under-21 international. Cabré-Verdiell is one who is particularly well-known, netting seven times in the Junior World Cup while he also has two goals in two EHL matches with this club.
Best performance: Winners – three times (2000, 2004, 2008)
