FDI Stadium rather than Sud de France Arena: why the MHB made this choice despite an enticing Champions League match against Kiel ?

Les Montpelliérains vont de nouveau jouer au FDI Stadium en Ligue des champions. MIDI LIBRE – Dorian Cayuela

Faced with THW Kiel in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League, the MHB preferred to play in its den at the FDI Stadium rather than at the Sud de France Arena for this very beautiful poster on April 24. Explanations.

It's a legendary Montpellier sports hall and more particularly the MHB. It is within the FDI Stadium – formerly the Palais des sports René-Bougnol -,  that the Montpellier club has boasted the best track record in France.

Its first national title acquired in a draw against OM-Vitrolles or its first European Cup against Pamplona… the MHB often relied on its room filled to the brim to beat the biggest teams coming to Hérault. As Patrice Canayer recently recalled before the Champions League play-off return match.  

"Here, we are in Montpellier, we are not baltringues. You are one of the three or four biggest French clubs. And MHB's performances in the Champions League at home, there are a lot of clubs who would like to have them. Sometimes we made opponents cry,” he said.

The sporting aspect favored by the MHB

It is therefore in this sense that Montpellier Handball preferred to play at the FDI Stadium (3000 seats) rather than at the Sud de France Arena (8700 seats), as during of the match won against Zagreb, therefore, on April 24 at 8:45 p.m. during the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League against Kiel.

On the side of the Hérault club, we explain that this choice was made to favor the sporting aspect of things, with a more lively atmosphere on the side of the FDI Stadium. There is no doubt that the MHB will easily manage to fill their room, in a match against Kiel which promises to be extremely attractive.