Champions League: already qualified for the rest of the competition, with what objective is the MHB going to Barcelona this Thursday ?

Skube and MHB remain in a solid match against Nîmes in the championship, before going to Barça. Midi Libre – JEAN MICHEL MART

A few days after a derby won masterfully against Nîmes (16-27), the MHB goes to Barcelona for the last day of the Champions League group stage, this Thursday (8:45 p.m.). Already assured of playing the rest of the competition, Patrice Canayer's players will have nothing to lose.

When one of the best French coaches in history pokes his players in their ego, it must hurt in the back of the head. Ask the Montpellier Handball players what they felt after talking with their long-time coach, Patrice Canayer, on Saturday on the eve of the derby against Usam Nîmes.

Rightly or wrongly, it is clear that the admonitions have borne fruit: for the first time in three years, and the ninth in 20 years, Montpellier Handball won in conceding 16 goals or less.

"Patrice stung us, he stung me too and I don’t really like being stung when I feel that it has no reason to be, reacted the man of the match Valentin Porte after the beating inflicted on the Nîmes. So I was ultra motivated, and where I am happy is that ;is that the rest of the team was too." 

"We had to shake everyone up"

Although he did not wish to give the content of his speech, even a few days later, the future ex-MHB coach pointed the finger at the attitude of his protected.

"We had to shake everyone up, we were in a routine and we had lost the flame , explains Canayer. I explained how I felt and that we needed to get our act together because it wasn’t our DNA. They answered well, even if they think that I am not always right, I must not have been very far from the truth either. The important thing is that we found something positive in attitudes and commitment."

Despite content that could undoubtedly be improved in attack, the Montpellier residents ended a series of three defeats. That's all the essentials before tackling their final match in the Champions League group stage, assured of seeing the play-offs, the illustrious name chosen by the EHF, not to say the round of 16 .

"The key match is Sunday against Limoges"

But with what idea in mind will the people of Montpellier go to the other side of the Pyrenees ? "It’s still a little early for me to see how we can play this match, he replied on Tuesday. What is clearly, it is that the key match is Sunday against Limoges. But the challenge for us will be to possibly take a point to grab this fourth place. If Barcelona is at full strength and in top form at home… But if they're not completely in on it, we'll see… hellip; »

One thing is certain, the Hérault technician will always have to do without major players (Hesham, Villeminot, Pellas, Simonet) but will be able to count on his young nuggets Prat and Guigon in the back positions. Is Canayer himself surprised by the blossoming of the two 20-year-old players in recent matches ? 

“Guigon, even though there is a lot of garbage in his game, he dares and takes shots from distance, he's a threat outside the nine meters, which is not insignificant for us, explains Canayer. I thought it was going to take longer for him to come with us because it's medicine in parallel so he had an adapted training load. But a two-metre left-hander who shoots hard isn't a common sight. For Prat, he eats, he lives, he sleeps handball so I knew it was going to come at some point."

Proof of the confidence he gives them, the two kids from the reserve team closed the shop against the Nîmes last Sunday, and will still have playing time against to the Catalans this Thursday at the Palau de Barcelona. 

The MHB group: Bolzinger, Desbonnet. Karlsson, Fernandez, Panic, A. Lenne, Skube, Prat, Konan, Cornette, Guigon, Monte, Porte, Y. Lenne, Berthier, Nacinovic, Caille, Dubois. I subscribe to read more