Among everything he accomplished in his immense career (double Olympic champion, 379 caps), Didier Dinart also left his mark on the history of PSG. In 2012, the former triple world champion pivot was the first French star to believe in this project and Paris was, in 2012-2013, the last club of the future coach (2016-2020) of the Blues.
He returns this Sunday (5 p.m., BeIN Sports) to Coubertin in the shoes of the Ivry coach. He has held the position since February 2023 and so far, the former Saudi Arabia coach has succeeded in his mission: to maintain the dean club of French handball among the Elite. He achieved the challenge a year ago and he is about to repeat the performance. “A successful season would already be about having fun on the pitch, without stress, without a state of emergency and without arriving at the penultimate day doing calculations. The objective is to ensure maintenance as quickly as possible,” confided Didier Dinart at the start of the financial year.
“We take a deep breath in the quest to maintain”
He also slipped, while the coincidence of the calendar offered him the reception of PSG at the opening of the championship: “It is not by playing against PSG that we can hope to take points to ensure this maintenance. »
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A trip to the Parisian leader ⚔️
🆚 @psghand
🗓 Sunday March 31
⏱ 1 7:00 a.m.
🏆 J22 Liqui Moly StarLigue
📺 Live on @beinsports_FR 3️⃣#usivryhb #lesrougeetnoir pic.twitter.com/XHm55PQ03x
— US Ivry Handball (@USIvryHB) March 28, 2024
That’s good: there is (almost) no need for it anymore. With 9 days to go, Ivry is almost saved. The red and black team has a good lead over Dijon, the red lantern, practically doomed. By winning 10 days ago in a direct face-to-face match (33-23), Ivry almost plunged the Burgundian club into the Proligue.
“By winning, we put Dijon on seven points and we take a good breath in the quest to maintain,” breathes right winger Lucas Petit. The troop of former Parisian Dylan Garain is also 5 points ahead of its neighbor Cristolian, first relegated, and in great difficulty. This corresponds to two victories in advance: a sufficient margin which allows the Ivryens to calmly consider the final straight.
Relegated two years ago, saved on the penultimate day 12 months ago, Ivry can benefit. It is therefore without fear that the commuters cross the ring road this Sunday to challenge the very probable future champions of France. The first leg (43-29) was a formality for PSG. Ivry will try to make this one more indecisive. It will already be very good.