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Handball: PSG not favorite, Barça in scarecrow ... Who will win the Champions League?

2021-04-01T12:34:26.792Z


The handball players of PSG play this Thursday, the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League for the Slovenes of Celje. We have


In a season turned upside down by the Covid-19, for the moment, it's like in "The school of fans": everyone has won.

All the clubs involved in the competition meet this week in the round of 16 of the Champions League.

But from now on, that changes.

The round of 16 are cleaver games and it is time.

Let us quickly recall the formula: after the round of 16 and the quarterfinals, the four best clubs will meet in Cologne for the Final Four.

The objective of the PSG, which challenges the Slovenes of Celje, this Thursday evening, before the return match on April 8 at Coubertin, is to finally win this Champions League after which the champions of France have been running for almost 10 years.

"Barcelona is our favorite"

The concern is that in the event of qualification for the quarter-finals, Paris could find the Germans of Kiel, winners of the trophy last December.

“That's why I don't make Paris my favorite.

Their journey to the final is difficult, ”said Talant Dujshebaev, the coaching benchmark who leads the Poles from Kielce, PSG scorers in the quarterfinals two years ago.

In general, the managers and players of European clubs, whom we have interviewed in recent days, do not think that 2021 is still the year of PSG.

“No, warns David Razgor, captain of the Hungarians from Veszprem, for me the big favorite is Barcelona.

"

Talant Dujshebaev, mentor of Raul Gonzalez his Parisian counterpart, said the same thing: "Despite all my respect for all the teams involved, my favors go to Barcelona," confides the 1992 Olympic champion with the former USSR and quadruple European champion (2006, 2008, 2009, 2016) as a coach.

For me, their qualification for the Final Four is a formality.

"

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Not for others.

“Barcelona are the big favorites”, insists Robin Borsos, for the Hungarians of Szeged.

“Yes Barcelona, ​​confirms Stefen Madsen, the Danish coach of Aalborg, the future club of Mikkel Hansen in 2022. It is the most complete team in all positions.

"

What about the Final Four?

Well, for the succession of the Germans from Kiel to the prize list, everyone seems to agree.

But for the Final Four?

“For me, resumes Talant Dujshebaev, apart from Porto, Aalborg, Szeged and Nantes which are a little below, everyone can claim it.

Stefen Madsen agrees: "I would like Aalborg to be there, but I think we will find the same four in Cologne as in December, namely Barcelona, ​​Veszprem and Paris or Kiel.

"

David Razgor, the captain of Veszprem is not of the same opinion: "Veszprem will be there with Barça and Porto and the winner of the round of 16 between Paris and Celje", he promises.

His coach, Tomaz Ocvirk, says the same, replacing Porto with Aalborg.

The Hungarian Robin Borsos, potentially opponent of PSG in the quarter, does not think that Paris will return to Cologne: "Szeged, Kielce will accompany Barcelona there" he notes.

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“Paris, resumes Stefen Madsen, has built a remarkable defense and has the players who can alone reverse the outcome of a match.

In December, they had played the Final Four, without Henrik Toft-Hansen.

If they go back there with Henrik and maybe Nikola Karabatic, to whom I wish the best, then anything is possible for PSG.

"Talant Dujshebaev concludes for his part:" The hardest part for Paris is to go to the Final Four.

Once there, with talented players like Nahi, Remili or Steins, anything will be possible.

"

Source: leparis

All sports articles on 2021-04-01

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