The Montpellier Handball is traveling to Nantes (kick-off at 8 p.m). The two clubs are competing for the runner-up position.
Handball is played with seven players, and Paris Saint-Germain usually wins in the end. Unless an unlikely failure happens in the second half of the season, PSG will be crowned champions again in June for the ninth consecutive time.
Even Patrice Canayer, usually a master in preserving suspense, agrees: “Paris has taken the lead and, at the moment, we are not capable of keeping up with the pace.” No one can.
Nantes and Montpellier, solid runners-up, despite a recent setback last week (defeat at home against Aix for Nantes, failure in Toulouse for the MHB), will now fight for the scraps starting tonight.
These two teams know each other very well. Since the rise of PSG, they have been fighting tooth and nail for the (unofficial) second qualifying spot in the Champions League. “Sports-wise, we are very close,” acknowledges the Montpellier manager. “One time it’s us, one time it’s them.” And anything goes. At least behind the scenes.
“Nantes has taken the lead on us in terms of infrastructure. However,” adds Patrice Canayer, “Montpellier is far ahead in the trophy cabinet. And no one will say it if I don’t say it.”
In terms of budget, it’s almost the same – just over eight million euros for both, with a slightly higher salary mass on the Nantes side.
In terms of current form, it’s the same. Nantes and Montpellier have lost their last match and need to react. For Montpellier, the frustration might be more pronounced. Not content with losing the Occitanie derby, Valentin Porte’s partners have lost another player (read below). After Skube, Hesham, Simonet, and Yanis Lenne, misfortune has now struck Villeminot’s Achilles tendon.
“There is a lot of anger (against the fate) in us,” admits Patrice Canayer. “But there’s no point in feeling sorry for ourselves. We have to fight.” A great program.
