Starleague. “Potentially, it can be repeated”: after its victory in Barcelona, ​​can the MHB relive an extraordinary season like in 2018 ?

Skube, impérial en attaque à Barcelone, devra répéter la même performance contre Limoges, ce dimanche. EFE – Enric Fontcuberta

Before the international break, marked by two matches of the French team next week at the Sud de France Arena, the MHB receives Limoges at the end of the 20th day of Starligue this Sunday (5 p.m.), three days later his resounding victory against Barcelona in the Champions League.

During his team's defeat against Veszprém (31-37), Patrice Canayer was annoyed. Although the Montpellier team was in front at half-time, they ended up giving in against the XXL squad of the Hungarians. The MHB coach grumbles: "I love my players but I would like so much for them to show what they are capable of doing".&nbsp ;

A clarification with their coach and a crushing victory in the derby against Nîmes later (16-27), the Montpellier Handball players listened to Canayer. By offering him a victory in Barcelona (34-37) before his departure, the first in the history of the Hérault club.

Starligue: the ranking and results of the 20th day.

"I think this match is a benchmark in what we are capable of doing, enlightens the future ex-technician. We had a technical mastery which was very good, superior to the match against Nîmes." This masterfully acquired success, notably thanks to a Monte on another planet (ten goals) and a metronomic Skube in the lead, can it be a trigger for the Héraultais, in their ability to beat any team, despite injuries ?

"You can go from shadow to light very quickly"

Canayer has lived through too many seasons to ignite. "You can very quickly go from the shadows to the light, he tempers. At this point in the season, a lot is going on in mental toughness. It's up to us to maintain this confidence curve." 

Surely a little helped by clumsy Barcelonans and already qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Valentin Porte's teammates, excellent at the moment, still reminded all of Europe that it would be necessary to count with them during the rest of the competition. From there to recreating the feat of 2018, it is still much too early to say.

"Potentially, this can be repeated, because we have forces at least equivalent to those of the time. This is a team that is capable of doing excellent things, with its weaknesses, of course. The mystery is knowing what she is capable of in terms of consistency, Canayer analyzes.

Limoges has never beaten Montpellier

That's why this Sunday's duel against Limoges is worth its weight in gold, in order to find out if this MHB has the strength of its illustrious predecessors. A victory would put a stone in the works and allow Montpellier to finish its great week very well, all before the international break.

Capable of losing against Aix-en-Provence at home (35-38) or at Cesson-Rennes (33-29), Canayer is still wary of Limougeauds who impressed him during of their last success against Saint-Raphaël (34-31).

But the MHB coach can rest assured. Every year, the LH is announced as a team that can annoy its own. And every year he loses his teeth against Montpellier.

Pellas and Simonet return

Infirmary Patrice Canayer can finally record the return of two major players, in the person of his Swedish left winger Lucas Pellas and the Argentinian center half Diego Simonet. After training this week, Arthur Lenne will be there.

The MHB group: Bolzinger, Desbonnet. Karlsson, Fernandez, Panic, A. Lenne, Skube, Prat, Konan, Simonet, Guigon, Monte, Porte, Y. Lenne, Pellas, Nacinovic, Caille, Dubois.

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