The beautiful French team parenthesis over, with qualification for the next Euro in hand, Grace Zaadi must return to a much less pleasant daily life in the club.
And for good reason, the center half of Les Bleues is under contract with the Russian club of Rostov, a city near the border with Ukraine.
Obviously, the recent geopolitical events with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia have turned its immediate prospects upside down.
“I am very happy to have been able to return to France in time.
I'm very, very positive because I know I'm here and not stuck there.
It will be difficult to return to Rostov for the end of the season.
The French government advises us not to go to Russia (...) In the end, you are in a situation where you do not really know how it will happen, "she said on Sunday after the victory of the France over Croatia (27-19) which qualified Les Bleues for Euro 2022.
“The priority is for Grace to find a club for the next four months”
Faced with this situation, she will first contact her club to find out the official position of her current employer.
But she already has leads to bounce back.
“Clubs, in France and abroad, have started to contact me”, specified the one who was recently named for the title of best world player of the year 2021. An almost immediate rebound which will depend all the same of Rostov's attitude.
A situation that does not seem to worry Olivier Krumbholz.
“The priority is for Grace to find a club for the next four months.
I have no fear, ”he assures, confirming the intentions of his player.
By the way, the national coach would like the last qualifying meeting for Euro 2022, scheduled for April 23 against Ukraine to take place.
“If we can play a match in a full hall.
I do not know if the president will agree, but part of the recipe which would go to the Ukrainians, that would be great, ”he pleads.
The message is launched.
The nominees for 2021 IHF Female World Player of the Year 🙌
🇳🇴 Stine Oftedal
🇩🇰 Sandra Toft
🇫🇷 Pauletta Foppa
🇳🇴 Kari Brattset Dale
🇫🇷 Grace Zaadi
Voting starts March 7 on https://t.co/lYxJ8E2S0G ⭐ Read more ➡️ https://t.co/JCsseg8QT2#bestofhandball pic.twitter.com/RN1HHOwl35
— International Handball Federation (@ihf_info) March 1, 2022