Volleyball: Cup finalist and eliminated in the quarter-finals of the championship, did Montpellier miss its season ?

Loic Le Marrec sera l'entraîneur du MHSC VB la saison prochaine. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

In two weeks, MHSC VB lost everything: the final of the Coupe de France against Nantes and its quarter-final in Ligue A against Tours.

The people of Montpellier came so close to experiencing a historic season that they can only be frustrated by its outcome. Largely beaten in the final of the Coupe de France by Nantes (3-0), Sunday March 31, and eliminated in three games during the quarter-final of the championship by Tours (3-2, 3-1, 3-2 ), they did not fulfill the objectives set by President Jean-Charles Caylar: to win a title.

The fault lies in a bizarre schedule (the Cup final organized between two play-off matches) which hastened the end of the adventure in just two weeks. The fault above all is the fact that the MHSC VB concluded the regular season in fifth position. Thus, they were unable to benefit from home advantage in the quarter-finals of the championship.

Le Marrec: "I am proud of the players"

However, the MHSC VB has made its return to the forefront. And it was not won since he had to deal at the start of the season with long-term injuries to Argentine captain Ezequiel Palacios and rookie Raphaël Corre.

The transplant with new coach Lorenze Tubertini did not work and when Loic Le Marrec took over the reins in January, the Héraultais signed a high-level second half of the season. "It’s complicated to stop so quickly… comments the assistant who became head coach. I still remember the qualification for the final of the Coupe de France and a great series of invincibility at home. I'm frustrated, that means we haven't come far from doing better. As a coach, I am proud of what the players showed, they gave their all."

Corre: "The end of the season is a little bitter"

Despite everything, the Héraultais keep this feeling of unfinished business: "The end of the season is a little bitter, believes French international smuggler Raphaël Corre. We missed the opportunity to extend the adventure against Tours. The schedule was not well done with this final between two play-off matches. The proof: Nantes and Montpellier exited in the quarter-finals of the championship. We fought to get a place in the top 4 in the regular season but we missed two points, that could have changed the situation."

Which players for next season ?

They stay:On the bench of the MHSC VB, Loic Le Marrec wasé confirmed as coach in 2024-2025. He will be able to count on Nicolas Le Goff and Ezequiel Palacios, still under contract with the club. Smuggler Raphaël Corre should also be part of the squad even if he has not confirmed the move. information. Highly sought after, the future star of French volleyball, center Joris Seddik will be in Montpellier next season.

They leave: The young smuggler Amir Tizi-Oualou s’is hiredé &agrav; Tourcoing, German international Moritz Reichert will join the Berlin club and Finnish Luka Marttila is in high demand. by foreign clubs. The Canadian Danny Demyanenko, 2022 French champion with MHSC VB, should not be retained. at the end of his fourth season at the club. As a libero, Spaniard Daniel Ruiz Posadas will not wear the colors of MHSC VB next season. He will be replaced, according to our information, by Corentin Phelut (23 years old, Saint-Jean-d’Illac), who passed away by Montpellier between 2018 and 2021.

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