This Wednesday evening (8:30 p.m.), the French team will face Hungary in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Egypt.
The opposition is within the reach of the players of Guillaume Gille who gradually find color over the competition.
But this is not necessarily the opinion of the Magyar delegation which has chosen to face France rather than Norway at this stage of the competition.
Monday evening in fact, the Blues were waiting to know their opponent at the end of the Spain-Hungary match.
They were promised the loser and the Spaniards won 36-28.
Spain therefore inherits Sander Sagosen from Norway in quarterfinal and Hungary falls on France: “I expected a great handball match between two great nations, slips Valentin Porte.
I wanted to see him and, finally, I skipped.
It was bad!
"
A more accessible part of the table
Hungary in fact dropped the match by leaving its executive players at rest and presenting a B team. It is therefore impossible for the staff of the Blues to learn the slightest lesson from this handball porridge.
But that's not what bothers the most: "Hungary made a choice of calculation, saying to themselves that it was better to play us in the quarter-finals rather than Norway," said coach Guillaume Gille.
It's a shame in the preparation for our quarter-final because we didn't have the opportunity to see a real match.
It's disappointing.
"
The Blues will face Hungary for a place in the last four of this World Cup # Egypt2021 🌩🇫🇷
📺 Wednesday January 27 - 8:30 p.m. to follow on @beinsports_FR and @tfx #BleuetFier #FRAHON pic.twitter.com/PJcUOz9xtq
- France Hand teams (@FRAHandball) January 26, 2021
The Hungarian staff, however, did not make this choice solely on the basis of France or Norway.
The game that Hungary and France are in now looks easier than the other with Spain, Denmark and Norway, the tournament's three favorites.
In the semi-final, the winner of France-Hungary will face either Sweden or Qatar.
On paper, the journey to go to the final appears easier: “Even if we may regret it, we can also put ourselves in the place of the Hungarians, admits Dika Mem.
Since the start of the tournament, we've played every other day and, even before playing Spain, they had qualified for the quarter-finals.
They put their important players to rest, now was the moment.
It can also be understood.
"
"It is an additional source of motivation"
Still, for Guillaume Gille, the strategy of losing a match to hope to win the next is never the right one: “We don't know their problems, concedes the coach.
But it is seldom a calculation that pays off in a big competition to lose a game.
I hope we will be able to show them that they were wrong not to play against Spain until the end.
"
The Blues, quite upset by this choice, intend to make the Hungarians pay Wednesday night: "Yeah, it stings a bit," continues Valentin Porte.
It is an additional source of motivation to show them that they made a bad calculation and that we want to go as far as possible.
"
