Euro 2024 handball: Montpellier Lenne suffering from lower back pain, Guillaume Gille recalls Kounkoud and separates from Minne and Briet

The Blues will fly to Germany on Sunday before noon. Icon Sport/FFHB – Hugo Pfeiffer

Benoît Kounkoud was recalled by the coach of the French handball team Guillaume Gille to play in the next Euro in Germany (January 10-28) while Montpellier's Yanis Lenne suffers from lower back pain. The Nantes residents Aymeric Minne and Thibaud Briet will not be on the trip.

Guillaume Gille therefore decided to leave with 19 players for the next Euro in Germany, while the rule allows him a contingent of 20 names.

From the current France group having participated in the last two friendly matches of the Blues this week, the French staff chose to part ways with the two Nantes players in the squad, center-half Aymeric Minne and # left back Thibaud Briet, as he informed in a press release this Saturday evening.

Lenne bothered by lower back pain

Gille and his assistants also had to make last minute adjustments since Montpellier Handball right winger Yanis Lenne suffers from lower back pain, i.e. say pain in his spine, even though he did not play the match against Brazil on Saturday in Nantes. 

Lenne returned a few weeks ago from a serious injury to the adductor and abdominals and therefore physically diminished, the staff called on another right winger, Benoît Kounkoud (Kielce), as reinforcement. case of major problem.

If it initially starts with a group of 19 players, the French team has until Tuesday afternoon to submit a list of 20 to the EHF. The Blues will begin their Euro on January 10 against North Macedonia before facing Switzerland then Germany, for the preliminary round.

The list of 19 players selected for the Euro

Goalkeepers: Samir Bellahcene (Kiel), Charles Bolzinger (Montpellier), Rémi Desbonnet (Montpellier).
Left wingers: Hugo Descat (Veszprém), Dylan Nahi (Kielce).
Right wingers: Yanis Lenne (Montpellier), Valentin Porte (Montpellier), Benoît Kounkoud (Kielce).
Left backs: Nikola Karabatic (Paris), Timothey N’Guessan (Barcelona), Élohim Prandi (Paris).
Right backs: Dika Mem (Barcelona), Melvyn Richardson (Barcelona).
Center halves: Kentin Mahé (Veszprém), Nedim Remili (Veszprém).
Pivots: Ludovic Fabregas (Veszprém), Luka Karabatic (Paris), Karl Konan (Montpellier), Nicolas Tournat (Kielce).