The goalkeeper from Mataró who has switched from the Spanish national team to the Italian one

BarcelonaA save by Pau Panitti (Mataró, 2004) with thirteen seconds left in the game allowed BM Granollers to beat Baia Mare (29-28) and secure their place in the Main Round of the EHF European League. That was just a few days ago, and it allowed Antonio Rama's team to overcome a six-goal deficit. One of the key figures of the night was Panitti, who, despite admitting he didn't have a great game, was crucial with two saves in the final minutes. The last one was vital to prevent the tie. Rama has managed to build a young squad – with an average age of 22.5 – but a very ambitious one. "We're a team that goes against the grain; when things are at their worst, that's when we push the hardest," Panitti explained at ARA.

In his ninth year at the club, Panitti has taken on a more prominent role with the first team. For the first two seasons, he was the second-choice goalkeeper behind Roberto Rodríguez. Now, with the Andalusian's departure, the Mataró native shares playing time with Luka Krivokapic, on loan from TVB 1898 Stuttgart. "I'm reaping the rewards of my hard work," says the Catalan player, who recounts the effort it took to reach the elite level. "It's been a complicated process. I arrived as a youth player and went from playing in the lowest division in Catalonia with Argentona to the highest. I've always tried to make the most of every minute and every penalty to earn my place and have the opportunities I have now." He also emphasizes the importance of his family, especially his mother, who used to take him to training, and Pedro Garcia, the coach who believed in him when he arrived in Granollers and with whom he now shares a locker room on the first team.

Also noteworthy is Antonio Rama, a club man – the first team coach since 2017 – who knows the youth players perfectly. "In Spain, handball doesn't generate much money, and teams often have to make do with players who come up through the ranks. In Granollers, we're lucky to have a long tradition and a high level of play." All of this means that at just 21 years old, Panitti is already becoming one of the veterans of the group. "I've always been ambitious and I'm not content with what I have. People tell me I'm very young and that I still have many years ahead of me, but I want things now."

To be at the European Championship this January

An ambition that, in part, has led him to the Italian national team. "I think it will be good for me to play in major championships and make myself known internationally, not just with Granollers." Despite being born in Mataró, he made his debut for the Italian national team last November in a friendly against France. With a father from Bologna and a Catalan mother, Panitti was, among other accolades, a European Under-20 champion with the Spanish youth national teams. By choosing Italy, he rules out being called up by Spain. "It was a very difficult decision, but they showed me their project and what they wanted from me and for the future of the Italian national team." From January 15 to February 1, 2026, Italy, with a fairly young squad, will compete in the European Championship. It is the first time that theazzurra They qualify for that championship. Historically, they only participated once, in 1998, as hosts.

Panitti recalls that on his first day he was asked if he spoke Italian, since the other goalkeeper, Domenico Ebner—born in Germany—doesn't speak to him. "I'm not fluent, and with different accents, it was a bit more difficult at first, but I understood them quickly," he admits. Now he's studying German because "the coach—Bob Hanning—and the coaching staff are German. I studied it for four years at the institute, and now I've resumed my studies so I can communicate with them in German and not just English."

A young man in the elite

All this while juggling his journalism studies. "This year, since I only go to university in the mornings, I'm much more relaxed. When I travel with the team, I attend classes online; the professors are very accommodating." A youthful energy that also requires mental preparation. "I've always been a grounded, realistic person. I appreciate everything that comes my way, but I take it in stride and continue with my daily routine and work."

Furthermore, his position, goalkeeper, is a solitary one. "It's very eye-catching, but so is making a mistake: the error is more obvious than if it happens to an outfield player." When he signed his professional contract with Granollers in the 2023-24 season, Panitti turned down offers from other clubs to fulfill his dream. "Granollers is the club of my life, the one that has given me everything. Since I arrived as a child, my goal has been to play for the first team." With a contract until 2027, he's not closing any doors. "In the future, I'd like to play in the Bundesliga or somewhere else in Europe."