Forty-six days after the European coronation in Cologne, the Blues are back.
They play two matches counting for the continental trophy this March 14 in Montpellier against Argentina (9:10 p.m.) and Egypt two days later (4:15 p.m.).
These two nations have also already qualified for the Games.
The qualifying tournaments (TQO) are taking place this weekend and on Sunday evening, we will know the final field for Paris 2024 (July 25-August 11 for the handball tournaments).
THE LIST REDUCED TO 20 PLAYERS 🇫🇷
24 players from the French team have gathered since Monday morning at the Maison du handball to prepare for the Trophée des Continents in Montpellier.
4 players are not fit to continue preparation and will leave the training course this Tuesday evening:… pic.twitter.com/Q9idskQV5O
— French Handball Teams (@FRAHandball) March 12, 2024
For the occasion, Guillaume Gille selected 24 players.
Four have already returned home for minor injuries requiring rest: Luka Karabatic, Nikola Karabatic, Samir Bellahcene and Nicolas Tournat.
They therefore left with 20 in Hérault and in the absence of the usual captain and vice-captain, the Karabatic brothers, it is Ludovic Fabregas who wears the armband.
“I know I don’t know”
First evidence: the fourteen who will make the Games are in this initial list of twenty-four.
But ten of them will therefore not be part of the adventure and the rare players in the balance may be playing their place in Montpellier.
“Knowing if I already have in mind the list of 14 or the list of fourteen for the Games is the question I am asked most often at the moment,” smiles the coach.
My only answer is “I know I don’t know”.
Knowing who the 20 or 21 players will be that we will call for preparation (it will start on June 20 in Tignes), I could tell you today even if I won't.
I just don't know what's going to happen.
I just hope to have the biggest headache possible at the end of the season.
This will mean that everything is fine.
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Except for the pivots (3), there will only be two lucky people elected to each position.
This week, all positions are at least tripled, if not quadrupled.
Among the goalkeepers, Vincent Gérard, absent from the Euro, found playing time in Istres in the second division and returned to the race.
He plays big in Montpellier to convince Guillaume Gille that even playing in D2, he has the level.
The coach has little doubt.
Gérard, Grebille, Minne, Briet hope to prepare
Left out at the last moment from the list of future European champions, Aymeric Minne, the center half of Nantes, Mathieu Grebille, the left winger of PSG, Thibaud Briet the left back of the “H” in Nantes must show that they may be in the expanded list.
Little used in Germany, Benoît Kounkoud, the right winger of Kielce and Timothey N'Guessan the left back of Barcelona are in the same situation.
They are nevertheless in positions where the captains, from Dika Mem to Valentin Porte via Elohim Prandi, are well established.
These too, in passing, must show that they have lost none of their desire.
Because if the final list should not hold any big surprises, no one is assured of anything.
“It’s the coach who will make the decision,” confirms Dika Mem.
We came to training with 24 players, we will have to remove ten for the Games.
If we all stay in shape and we all perform as well at club as at the moment, his choice will be very difficult in all positions.
We just know that the fourteen chosen will be the best.
Personally, I cannot deny what I bring to the field but my place is not certain.
If you think so, that's when those behind you pass you by.
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The other objective is obviously to avoid injury because before the end of the season, the internationals of the French Championship for example still have around twenty matches to play, with a risk each time.
“We shouldn't think about the glitches,” continues Ludovic Fabregas who is playing in the Champions League with Veszprem.
Of course, we all want to make the Olympic Games but we also have to be mentally capable of saying to ourselves that the most important thing is that the French team shines.
Even if it's hard to think that it could possibly be without us.
Lots of things can still happen, that's part of the hazards.
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