Croatia's women's handball team faced a harsh defeat against France in Metz, losing 34-14 in the qualifications for the European Championship. Coach Ivica Obrvan stated that the team must improve significantly after this tough loss, as they had also been defeated by the same opponent just days before in Bjelovar. He acknowledged that while the team started the match well, they experienced a sharp decline in performance as the game progressed.

Obrvan noted that the team struggled with strength, energy, and concentration, which allowed the French team to build a formidable lead by halftime. He pointed out that Croatian players were unable to match their opponents in the latter stages of the game and displayed signs of apprehension on the court. In contrast, the French team maintained a high level of play throughout the match, which highlighted the current gap in quality between the two teams.

Despite the disappointing result, Obrvan expressed his belief that Croatia can still secure qualification for the European Championship. This resilience indicates the coach's confidence in his team's potential, prompting hopes for future matches where they could demonstrate significant improvement and maybe turn around their fortunes in the ongoing qualifiers.