“Already a final to play”: Montpellier (MHSC VB) launches its season against the French Super Cup champion

Il est temps que la compétition commence pour le MHSC VB. Midi Libre – LF

Ce samedi à 17h30, le MHSC VB affronte Saint-Nazaire à côté de Nantes pour tenter de remporter sa deuxième Supercoupe après 2022.

A bolt from the blue 48 hours before the start of the season. This Thursday at the end of the day, we learned that Earvin Ngapeth, superstar of the Blues elected best player of the Olympic tournament won in Paris 2024, will be the main attraction of the 2024-2025 French championship by joining Poitiers, his favorite club. Montpellier's Nicolas Le Goff will therefore not be the only Olympic gold medalist to tread the floors of the Marmara Spikeligue this season.

Once the news has been digested, it is 200km from the Vienne prefecture that the eyes of French volleyball observers must have turned. In Rezé, near Nantes, the Supercup will deliver its two winners, between Levallois and Nantes (8:30 p.m.) for the women, between Saint-Nazaire and Montpellier (5:30 p.m.) for the men.

"Prep is not the job of the guys"

Finalist of the Coupe de France, the MHSC VB was not supposed to be there but takes advantage of the disappearance of Nantes-Rezé Métropole Volley (NRMV) to invite itself to the party and try to win a trophy that it has already won in 2022 after its title of champion of France. “We did a good job during the preparation, believes the Argentinian captain of Montpellier Ezequiel Palacios. It is an important moment for us, for the club and for the city. We already have a final to play."

Word from the MHSC VB coach, Loic Le Marrec, his players are impatient to get going after a month and a half of work without an official match: "Preparation is good but it's not the guys' job. They are competitors… We start with a match in a final configuration with the TV, a big room… There are always more prestigious titles but players have the opportunity to expand their list of achievements."

"We'll discover each other"

Facing Saint-Nazaire, the reigning French champion, the test will be major even if everyone is starting a little into the unknown given the many changes in the squad: “We are relying on videos of our opponent's friendly matches to prepare for the match,” explains the Hérault coach. It's the same on their side, we'll discover ourselves as the match goes on.”

As for the certainties, MHSC will rely on its experienced players like Nicolas Le Goff, Raphaël Corre and Ezequiel Palacios who, after a season cut short by a knee injury, is back in shape and with teeth: "For me, the only way to win is to be at full speed. It can sometimes be difficult for my loved ones but I can't help it, I'm just like that (laughs)."

Behind the Argentinian, there's a whole team that will push to make an impression from the start of the season.

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