For two years they’ve been walking the floors of Starligue, they have often had their eyes behind their backs, watching their backs for maintenance. Never really in great danger, but never really quiet either. This year, for their third consecutive campaign in the tricolor elite, the Chartrains would like to offer themselves a hint of serenity and settle a little higher in the hierarchy. Ideally, in the middle of the table, as President Steeve Baron indicates:
“We have set the objective of 8th place, announces the president of the club, Steeve Baron. It is a rank that seems accessible to us, knowing that the workforce is a little more consistent. We have gained experience since 2019, even if, of course, we still have things to learn. ”
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Extended last winter for two more years, coach Toni Gerona was able to make the changes he deemed necessary to his squad. With an Olympic medalist pivot this summer (Adrian Figueras), a French international goalkeeper (Julien Meyer) and young players with potential (Gaël Tribillon, Nicolai Pedersen, Matic Groselj), the Spaniard wanted to inject new blood into a group that ‘he now considers’ more complete. “
Chartres held up well in Paris
The collective is however a little more tightened, with sixteen professionals under contract against eighteen previously. The consequence of the seven summer departures, including those of several executives, such as the former captain Zacharia N’Diaye, the Russian pivot Denis Vasilev or the Croatian shooter Nikola Jukic.
Gain in regularity
“I think we have a few more tools at our disposal,” comments Gerona. The Catalan wanted in particular to increase his strike force from afar, the idea being to encourage the opposing defenses to rise, so as to free up spaces six meters for Adrian Figueras. The Spain international has already made a name for himself in preparation and he will undoubtedly be a very sharp weapon this season.
Adrian Figueras, an Olympic medalist in Chartres
In a championship where Paris will be the big favorite to its own succession, certainly challenged by Nantes and Montpellier, the CCMHB would like to gain in regularity.
He has sometimes missed matches within his reach over the past year, and he arguably had the means to do a little better at home, where he was still beaten ten times. “I was a little left on my hunger, admits also Steeve Baron. We deserved better than this 11th place, but we haven’t been able to manage the whole of this season, with the multiple stops and resumes… ”
Back to normal
While last year, at this time, we talked more about health protocol than play, we are not very far from a return to normal today.
The Jean-Cochet hall will be sold out this Saturday evening for the resumption of the championship against Nancy, (8 p.m.) and the hunt for tickets will once again be de rigueur for non-subscribers, with only about thirty tickets on sale for each match.
A shortage whose end is scheduled for 2023, with the eagerly awaited delivery of the room at the station hub. Until then, the CCMHB still hopes to grow and climb a little higher on the bill …
Romain Leger
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