Under the eyes of Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, just returned from Barcelona and surrounded at regulatory distance in the stands by Thierry Omeyer, Daniel Narcisse and Nikola Karabatic, the PSG handball players continued their road to success in the Champions League.
Winners of Belarusians Meshkov Brest (33-26), this Wednesday, February 17, here they are with a fourth victory in a row in the competition.
After a complicated start in the fall, the Parisians of world champion Mikkel Hansen have found their cruising speed.
With the objective of moving up the classification of group A.
Finish as high as possible to avoid Kiel
Indeed, since last week and the reform imposed by the European federation to erase the effects of matches postponed because of Covid-19, the group stage of the Champions League has lost its essence.
All teams from both groups qualify for the knockout stages of the competition.
It is now necessary to be the best ranked possible in the group to face the weakest possible opponent of the other pool.
The winner of group A will face the eighth in pool B and so on.
At this stage, what awaits PSG is not easy.
The Germans of Kiel thus stand in their way.
Kiel?
This is the team of former Parisian Sander Sagosen.
It is above all the reigning European champion formation.
So not a gift at all.
4th success in a row for Parisians.
@benileven regaled with 7 goals within hours of celebrating his 24th birthday.
Thank you Benoit 😅👏 #PSGBREST pic.twitter.com/wzDGzJCKR8
- PSG Handball (@psghand) February 17, 2021
Fortunately, that can still change.
Few of the teams have their calendar up to date and the current standings are not very revealing.
Brest resisted
To climb the standings, it was therefore necessary to beat this team of Meshkov Brest from Belarus and who had won the first leg.
Deprived of the Karabatic brothers, the Parisians got there, not without drawing a little on their resources.
The Belarusians have been tough.
But faced with Parisians who have not lost in their home since the end of 2019 in the Champions League and who, in the Starligue, have been undefeated at Coubertin for 42 games, we had to be stronger than that again.
Led by an efficient Benoît Kounkoud, PSG took a long time to outrun their rival.
At halftime (15-12), the Parisians had only three goals ahead.
“It was a difficult match,” sums up the Parisian coach Raul Gonzalez.
Brest played well both in attack and defense.
They were a little less good in the second half and we played better.
"
Behind closed doors, it was not until the last 20 minutes to see Paris stand out.
“Yes, it was complicated,” continues Benoît Kounkoud.
We had to take revenge for our defeat in the first leg (32-31).
We still have a chance to finish first in our group if we win everything so we will try to do it.
"
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After a trip to Chartres on Saturday, Paris will return to the Champions League next Tuesday with the reception of the Poles from Kielce, leaders of the pool.
The Parisians will continue four games until the end of next week with a trip to Flensburg and Istres in the wake.
