Montpellier receives Istres this Saturday at 6 p.m. for the 22nd day of Starligue.
In the race for two qualifying places for the next Champions League, we can see a little more clearly since the victory of Montpellier in Aix (27-32) on Tuesday. Behind Paris Saint-Germain, still undefeated leader of the Starligue (18 matches, 18 successes), MHB, 2nd just two points behind PSG with one game ahead, and Nantes, 3rd with 10 points and two games behind , are favorites. Everything could be resolved during the final day of the championship, scheduled for June 4 (for the moment), on the occasion of a boiling Nantes-Montpellier. Until then, both parties will be juggling a fluctuating schedule due to Covid-19 or the European cuts.
?# J22 @LidlStarligue
? @IstresHB
? Saturday 10.04 at 6:00 p.m.
? René Bougnol Sports Palace
? Live on our page #Facebook and the chain #Youtube LNHTV
more info ➡️: https://t.co/7iBoisMFEr pic.twitter.com/TaMEErC5Ae– Montpellier Handball (@mhbofficiel) April 10, 2021
As a reminder, each team must have played at least twenty-five matches for this exercise to be validated and a champion appointed. However, especially at the back of the peloton, several formations would drag their feet and multiply the postponements in order toavoid relegation. The same people who are campaigning today for a Starligue at 18 (instead of 16) from next season.
Covid and European Cups
Concerning Europe, Nantes and Montpellier navigate in the same waters. The “H” will play in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in early May against Veszprém when MHB will try to qualify for the European League Final 4 from April 13 against Berlin.
The organisms, inevitably, will suffer. This is already the case in Hérault with the current absences of Jonas Truchanovicius (back), Giorgi Tskhovrebadze (ankle) and Alexis Borges (back). They will still not be in the game (the first two) or spared (the third), this Saturday evening, during the reception of Istres (12th) at the Palais des sports René-Bougnol.
Patrice Canayer’s prudence
“The danger would be to believe that this game is going to be easy for us. Patrice Canayer, the Montpellier coach, sums up in his own way the danger that awaits the MHB before the arrival of 12th in the standings: overconfidence. Unsurprisingly, the winners of Aix on Tuesday were therefore renewed. The group: Sego, Bonnefoi, Bolzinger. Berthier, Simonet, Villeminot, Descat, Pellas, Bataille, Pettersson, A. Lenne, Richardson, Bos, Porte, Y. Lenne, Duarte.
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“Some players have been in high demand in recent weeks, confirms the coach, Patrice Canayer. I am thinking of Yanis Lenne for example, who had a lot of playing time after the injuries to Giorgi and Julien (Bos, Editor’s note).” The international right winger was at rest Thursday, when resuming training. And could be spared in favor of a favorable scenario this Saturday against the Istreans.
In Nantes, everyone is now on deck. Even Aymeric Minne, author of a sensational comeback on Wednesday in Kielce. Behind the scenes, his trainer Alberto Entrerrios has no illusions, however, and is already anticipating the worries to come.
In short, the duel promises to be close. Next week, Nantes will play in Nîmes and Montpellier at PSG. Everything will accelerate.
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