The favorite PSG of a Starligue full of uncertainties

Sextuple reigning French champions, the Parisian handball players advance as favorites of the LIDL Starligue, for a 2020/21 version which begins Thursday under a double uncertainty linked to the Covid-19: which teams can be aligned and especially after which formula of competition will the title be awarded?

Certainly, Paris SG has seen several of its best players leave for new adventures abroad: the Norwegian center-half Sander Sagosen has set sail for northern Germany in Kiel, Luc Abalo has opted for Scandinavia to Elverum (Norway) and the Spanish goalkeeper Rodrigo Corrales are established on the shores of Lake Balaton, in Vezsprem (Hungary).

But the summer reinforcements, in particular Elohim Prandi and the Latvian Dainis Kristopans on the back base, as well as Yann Genty in goals, partly offset the departures and the capital club remains the big favorite for a seventh consecutive coronation.

“I'm happy to resume the championship, with a little curiosity to see how it will go, with the public spaced, masks in the rooms.

I just hope that it will go well and that we will nevertheless manage to experience great emotions, ”slips Parisian captain Luka Karabatic.

The Covid-19 pandemic could however upset the hierarchy, for two reasons.

First at the level of the aligned staff: the protocol authorizes a club to request the postponement of a meeting, if it cannot line up 12 players including a goalkeeper and a coach (principal or assistant), "due to related disabilities. to Covid-19. ”

It is according to this protocol that the LNH announced the postponement of the match between Créteil and Dunkirk, the Cristoliens being unable to present this "minimum competitive squad" Some teams, if they are not placed in quarantine when a player is tested positive for Covid-19, could thus be private for a few meetings of some of their best players, thus reshuffling the cards.

“You have to realize that the Covid-19 equation is there.

It's a real uncertainty. ”

Valentine Door

“You have to realize that the Covid-19 equation is there.

It is a real uncertainty.

There are plenty of things like these to take into account too, ”emphasizes Montpellier captain Valentin Porte.

In addition, the formula of the competition could change during the season: if on December 21 the sixteen Starligue teams have not played a minimum of ten games (out of fourteen on the program), the League has decided that it will switch the Championship into a new phase of four groups of four teams, divided by drawing lots, taking into account the classification of December 21.

The final classification will then be decided at the end of the final phases (semi-finals, match for 3rd place, and final) between the first, second, third and fourth in each group.

Montpellier, Nantes and Nîmes as outsiders

In this uncertain context, Montpellier will want to redeem itself from a 2019/20 season ended in 4th place in the Starligue at the time of the final shutdown.

“If we take the results of the last few years, we are not the favorites for the title, but we are part of the teams that can play the leading roles.

This is clearly our objective, ”emphasizes Valentin Porte, who hopes his team will have learned from their mistakes.

Nantes, which tried to keep up with the breakneck pace of the Parisians (17 wins and a draw) last season, was the only team to force Nikola Karabatic's teammates to leave the field with a score of parity (29-29 to Nantes, for the penultimate match played).

And the performance at the opening of the Champions League against the Hungarian superpower represented by Veszprem (defeat 28-24) gives grounds for hope on the side of the "H".

Finally, 3rd and very nice surprise of last season, Usam Nîmes lost its prodigy Elohim Prandi, left to harden up in Paris, but hopes to confirm its new status as a team which counts in French handball.

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