“A true handball genius, a center half like we don't see many anymore”: MHB will be able to count on Stas Skube against Zagreb in the Champions League

Le demi-centre du MHB Stas Skube porte son équipe depuis plusieurs matches. Midi Libre – Michael Esdourrubailh

To defeat Zagreb in the Champions League return play-off, this Wednesday April 3 (8:45 p.m.) at the FDI Stadium, MHB will be able to count on its brilliant center half Stas Skube, in better shape than never this season.

He alone represents a class of players that is too often forgotten. That of inventive, majestic playmakers, who stink of handball from miles away. While full-backs are now preferred to the all-important center-half position.

Not exceeding 1.80 m, the Slovenian Stas Skube (34 years old, 1.79 m) is a fantastic Montpellier Handball player, rather small in size but if great in talent.

Also read:Patrice Canayer: "Here, we are in Montpellier, we are not fools", before the crucial match of MHB against Zagreb in the Champions League

"He's a true connoisseur, a true handball genius, describes his captain Valentin Porte.< em> He knows the game to perfection, he’s a centre-half like we don’t see a lot of today. He’s like a chess player, he’s always one step ahead. He's a great guy, he has a very big investment, he puts in all the training, and that pleasantly surprised me."

"He knows how to analyze the opponent very well, as do his partners"

All this allowing him to be both excellent in taking intervals to score where another would not have seen a mouse pass, or then showering his teammates with caviar, as during the last championship match against Chartres where he delivered 15 assists.

One of his greatest qualities, according to his trainer Patrice Canayer: "He knows how to analyze the opponent very well just like his partners. He is capable of using them well and that is very rare. He has this ability, both to know how his teammates should play and how he should behave to put them in the best conditions. And that is extremely precious".

"Handball is my life and my first love"

"Handball is my passion, my love. I started when I was seven, I'm now almost 35. It's my life and my first love", enlighten him main interested party in his thin voice.

Arriving in 2022 from Brest in Belarus after winning the Champions League with Vardar Skopje (2019), Skube wanted to get out of his comfort zone, after having competed in low-level championships in Europe the east.

"It’s good adrenaline, he explains again. You can't come to training or matches giving 50, 60 or 70%. You have to be at 100% every day to be sure to improve and win matches because in France, it's difficult."

The referees’ friend

Before continuing: "I also came because my family and I thought that we would be happy here. I am happy that my children speak French very well, much better than me in fact". It doesn't matter if he doesn't speak the language of Molière well, he knows how to speak handball and that's all the essentials.

Even if the experienced center-half does not need to be bilingual to take on his teammates vehemently when necessary… or even the referees. In a tough match against Zagreb, where each ball will carry its full weight, the MHB will also need this.

"But it’s also due to the fact that he knows the game perfectly, he knows when there is a foul", illuminates Door. "I'm not the first nor the last to do it, he laughs. It shows that I care about all of this."

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