We will still have to wait.
Coming to Cologne to end its year 2020 with a Final Four of the Champions League offset by the pandemic, PSG Handball once again saw its claims of European coronation shattered in the final tournament.
And as in 2016 and 2018, Paris comes out in the semi-finals, this time the fault of a Barcelona too strong for him, winner without trembling from the shock, this Monday (37-32).
Already deprived of its playmaker Nikola Karabatic, away from the field since October by an injury to the right knee, PSG had to deal with the sidelines of his replacement Luc Steins and pivot Henrik Toft Hansen, tested positive for Covid -19 during the weekend.
Already outsider of the opposition against Catalans, winners of their 25 meetings this season, Raul Gonzalez's men approached the meeting with a bench less provided than the best attack on the continent.
Big defensive concerns
After a first quarter of an hour to make Barcelona doubt, even taking three points ahead thanks to the activity of Nedim Remili, Paris fell into line.
Finally, was forced to do so by two supercharged men: French international back Dika Mem, ruffling power and scorer of six of his team's 18 goals at the break and Danish goalkeeper Kevin Möller.
Usual replacement, the latter was responsible for sucking up the Parisians' attempts by blocking eight of their twelve attempts in the first act, making them even miss easy shots.
WATCH: @DikaMem gives @FCBhandbol the lead! # Ehffinal4 #ehfcl pic.twitter.com/QmGXLrOVEi
- EHF Champions League (@ehfcl) December 28, 2020
Led by four goals (18-14) at halftime, the Parisians have never shown the face of a team that felt capable of overturning the table.
The fault of an opponent who never let him return to less than three points after having grabbed him by the throat, but also his defensive concerns and the lack of players able to relay offensively Mikkel Hansen, Nedim Remili or the 21-year-old left winger Dylan Nahi.
In short, it will not be for this year, but maybe for this season.
PSG, which will face for third place on Tuesday (6 p.m.) the loser of the other semi-final between Kiel and Veszprem, will plunge back after the World Cup in Egypt in a championship that it largely dominates but especially in a League of 2020-2021 vintage champions where he looks up after a failed debut.
To try to see Cologne again in June 2021.
BARCELONA-PSG: 37-32
Half-time:
18-14
Referees:
Matija Gubica and Boris Milosevic (Croatia)
Barcelona:
Entrerrios, Sorhaindo (1 goal), Ariño (1), Janc (5), N'Guessan (4), Gomez (2), Thiagus Petrus, Mem (8), Cindric (4), Pascual, Palmarsson (6 ), Makuc, Fabregas (5), Frade.
Goalkeepers:
Perez de Vargas (1/11), Möller (1 goal and 14/36).
Coach:
Xavier Pascual.
PSG:
Keita, Kristopans (4), Kounkound, Solé (3), Remili (5), Grébille, Syprzak (1), L. Karabatic (2), Morros, Hansen (7), Prandi (1), Nahi (9 ).
Goalkeepers:
Gérard (14/51), Genty.
Coach:
Raul Gonzalez.
