Andreas Palicka made another big game in the Swedish goal.
But on one occasion, Jim Gottfridsson was forced to roar at him.
– I’ll have that!, says the goalkeeper hero to Aftonbladet.
Andreas Palicka became the big hero when Sweden won the group final against the Netherlands, securing two points into the main round of the European Championship. In the first match there, against Slovenia, 37-year-old Palicka once again showed why he is one of the world’s absolute best goalkeepers.
Unexpected anger
After a sluggish and defensively oriented start to the match, Sweden made a real push at the end of the first half, and a lot could be thanked for Palicka. The Swede was a complete wall and was stable over more than half of the saved shots. But once he got his fish warm, despite the big game, by none other than Jim Gottfridsson.
Palicka was quite careless with the passes up to the center circle when Sweden wanted to go for quick attacks after conceding goals. On TV, the expert Claes Hellgren was surprised, and in the end even “Gotte” had enough, when he turned around and roared at the goalkeeper. But it wasn’t that Palicka took offense, quite the opposite.
“It’s delicious!”
For Aftonbladet, Palicka now explains why he loved that Gottfridsson got angry.
– It’s good! I will have that! I don’t know what it was today. I was able to save the ball but not hit a 20 meter pass. I don’t know when that happened last. I think it’s good that we make demands on each other. It’s little things that we must demand from each other, just as I demand that he show me. It’s a good feeling in a team. It will burn a little sometimes, he tells the newspaper.
However, Gottfridsson quickly let go of his anger, and he admits that it was too bad a pass. He also praises the level of the national team, that the requirements are only positive.
– It must be high. The first time in three years that someone screams on the track. Good that he shouted at me then, who is 37 years old, says Palicka.
Sweden plays against the great EC gold favorite Denmark on Friday evening.
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