Handball

LNH DIVISION 1 – Round 30

Lao Stand

May 28, 2024 • 12 min read

CESSON RENNES MÉTROPOLE HB VS US CRÉTEIL HANDBALL 31/05/2024 - 8:30 PM

Get out the calculators
Currently, Créteil is no longer in the relegation zone. However, they could still be in significant danger. They are playing against Cesson in a challenging match, even though Cesson has nothing left to play for. Créteil controls their destiny and needs a win to secure their stay in the league. Meanwhile, there's a crucial match between Saran and Ivry. A ranking reminder: Ivry is currently 15th and the first team in the relegation zone with 14 points. Créteil is one place and one point above, tied in points with Saran. However, the head-to-head goal difference favors Saran and also Ivry over Créteil.

As mentioned, a victory is enough for Créteil. The adrenaline of fighting to stay in the league should drive them against a team that's coasting. Every loose ball or opportunity should end up in their hands. This energy will be essential to win at the Glaz Arena. The pace set by the suburban team should overwhelm a Cesson team that unconsciously puts in less effort.
We should see Valentin Aman, who is always exemplary in battle. He wasn't chosen as captain by his teammates for no reason. With their attack oriented around cross movements involving him, Aman should find many opportunities inside against Cesson. He should be well supported by Bruno Butorac, the right back in great form at the end of the season. Butorac will shoot from long range but close to defenders before making contact or being impacted by the opposing defenders.

The expected X factor for this match is none other than the coach’s son, Alejandro Barbeito. He plays at full speed and can engage in tight spaces and push through even when touched. He should be one of the team's top scorers and will relieve his team.

Cesson should regularly find Axel Oppedisano inside, but it's mainly the young Michal Baran who should stand out. He is not there to rest or drop intensity. He aims to prove to everyone that he can be a relevant, regular element in the Breton rotation for next season. However, he might be a bit alone in leading against a hungry team fighting for survival.
Créteil is expected to save themselves in this final match with a score around 36-30. A well-deserved rest for both teams, aiming for a better season next year.

CHAMBÉRY SAVOIE HB VS DUNKERQUE HANDBALL GRAND LITTORAL - 31/05/2024 - 8:30 PM

End of cycle
Chambéry must be very frustrated with their match against Toulouse. They had the chance to secure a win and get within 2 points of fifth place, but they lost harshly and remain 7th with 30 points. Now, they face the in-form team of the moment, Dunkerque, who are ending their year strong with only one loss in their last five games. Dunkerque hopes to pull off another upset on Savoyard soil.

However, the objectives differ slightly. The northerners are looking to climb in the standings and overtake Saint-Raphaël for ninth place. Chambéry, on the other hand, hopes for a slip-up by Nîmes in Nantes to reclaim the 6th place, which could be important for European qualification. Despite their frustration and slight feeling of injustice, the Savoyards will do everything to win in front of their home crowd and celebrate the end of the season properly.

This week, it was announced that Alexandre Tritta, the right-back, will be leaving after 10 years at Chambéry. However, his future destination is still unknown. After two difficult seasons, he hopes to restart his career and find happiness at another club. He likely won't be present due to a muscle injury from the last match, leaving Chambéry without a left-handed right-back.
Erick Mathé is thus forced to give playing time to his young center-back, Noa Tremey, who uses his dueling and speed skills to try to pose a threat even in an unfamiliar position. He doesn't have the impact of the regular Gustavo Rodriguez but fights with his own strengths. The play style won't change significantly, but substantial playing time might be given to Lucas Vanegue as Sebastian Skube seems very fatigued and not physically strong enough to make his usual impactful changes of pace. However, Vanegue should make a difference against Kornel Nagy in his last match before retirement.

Chambéry is expected to create enough offensive differences to win with a score around 33 to 28. Dunkerque’s center-back, Jean Loup Faustin, will give his all against his former club, but it likely won't be enough against Chambéry's defensive quality. This match will be the last chapter for many players and the coach before significant changes in the squad. Therefore, there will be a lot of farewells to celebrate at the Phare this Friday night.

LIMOGES HAND 87 VS DIJON MÉTROPOLE HB
31/05/2024 - 8:30 PM

For your pleasure
Finally, Limoges is assured of finishing fifth, securing a European spot for next season, which will continue their development and progress. They will play their last match at Beaublanc against Dijon, who are certain to finish last. Therefore, this will be a pressure-free match with one objective: to enjoy themselves. This should result in a great spectacle with less defensive commitment.

Dragan Gajic, in his final game, is expected to have fun. The Slovenian right-winger, who has been a phenomenal scorer, will play his last 60 minutes on the field. He has scored so many goals that they are difficult to count, and he might add 10 more to his tally against Dijon. Dijon, who struggled defensively all season, leaves too many openings for their opponents. Their roster will undergo significant changes with many departures announced and few arrivals. The only confirmed new player is center- back Alexandre Ayhan from Frontignan. Despite this, Dijon aims to bounce back immediately and return to the Liqui Moly Starligue next season. But for now, their goal is to finish well.

Dijon should also be comfortable offensively, with many movements that will challenge Limoges. Messaoud Berkous, the Algerian left-back, should feel at ease. As an impact player, he can score 4 or 5 goals in quick succession. Dijon is expected to exceed 30 goals.
However, Limoges will likely do the same. Ihor Turchenko and David Estepa will compete for the top scorer position at left- back. Turchenko, with more power, and Estepa, with better game reading, will both pose significant threats whenever they are on the field.

Limoges is expected to win and give Dragan Gajic a farewell worthy of his career. The score could be around 38-34 for a very open final match.

MONTPELLIER HANDBALL VS FENIX TOULOUSE HANDBALL
31/05/2024 - 8PM

Thank you, Sir
Another emotional moment for the retirement of a great figure in handball, and in a match without any stakes. It’s time to celebrate the great Patrice Canayer. Born in the Gard region near Nîmes, he built the most impressive club record in France over 30 years as coach and manager of Montpellier Handball.

He notably won two Champions League titles in 2003 and 2018, along with fourteen French championships. But that’s not all. He also has thirteen French Cups, ten League Cups, and three Champions Trophies in his bag. A very accomplished career. He stirred up passions, being either loved or hated. He is a strict, workaholic man who transferred this ethic to his players. He imposed a very demanding workload on his players, which led to success. There was no room for emotions, only for winning, and he excelled at that. As a brilliant tactician, he was able to stand up to the best European teams. His forward-oriented game philosophy always made a difference. Even today, every small mistake by opponents in attack is often punished by a counter- attack.

He also showed resilience and love for his club when it hit rock bottom due to the betting scandal. He stayed the course, though visibly exhausted at the time. His work kept Montpellier at a high level and allowed the club to experience more glorious moments.
The heavy task of succeeding him falls to Erik Mathé, his former assistant and current coach of Chambéry.

In this match without stakes against a Toulouse team that has slowed down in recent weeks, Patrice Canayer should be celebrated properly. We even expect a timeout in the final seconds, even if the game is already decided, his signature move that often infuriated opponents.
Montpellier is expected to win with a high score of 38 to 34, finishing 3rd with a few points ahead of their opponents of the evening.

An end to his coaching career before transitioning perhaps to a role within the federation or even politics, who knows? A big thank you to a Great Man.

HBC NANTES VS USAM NÎMES GARD
31/05/2024 - 8:30 PM

Hold-up?
This is what the people of Nantes are hoping for: to edge out the Parisians at the last moment and become French champions for the first time in their history. But the outcome is not in their hands. They must win and hope for a miracle at Bercy in Nikola Karabatic’s final game. All eyes will be on the screens. In the tight-knit world of handball, some Nantes players are likely calling former teammates now playing for Aix, urging them to give it their all. Baptiste Bonnefond, who was with them until very recently, might have psychologically rallied them to create an upset.

In any case, at Beaulieu, HBC Nantes should get the job done. Facing a team that sometimes troubles them with aggressive defense and fast play, Nantes have stepped up their game this year in terms of control.
It’s the Nantes defense that should make the difference this time. The Nîmes team would need to combine strong moments with lots of inward movements, but that’s not really their game. They tend to play from a distance to set up their backcourt players for good shooting positions. This approach is not well-suited against Nantes. And since Nîmes has nothing left to play for, their defensive intensity will likely be lower than usual.

Nantes, led by Aymeric Minne, should make the difference. With Alexandre Cavalcanti, who might, in his last game with the club, deliver some beautiful hip shots as he is known for. The Portuguese left-back, heavily utilized in defense, will be heading to Melsungen next season. A significant step for him in the highly competitive German league.
HBC Nantes will likely surpass 35 goals once again. Boasting the second-best offense in the league, they will demonstrate their offensive power once more. Even Paris couldn’t resist.

Having done their part, Nantes will eagerly watch the BeIN Sports broadcast to see how PSG performs. Unfortunately for them, we believe that in Karabatic’s final game, PSG will succeed and ensure a full celebration. Nantes might have some regrets, but they can feel confident about their strength moving forward.

They will be a very serious contender for the title next season. The Beaulieu Arena will continue to witness great moments in the future.

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN HANDBALL VS PROVENCE AIX UNIVERSITÉ CLUB HANDBALL 31/05/2024 - 8:30 PM

The title for the end of a legend
Paris, currently leading with 53 points, faces Pays d'Aix in their final match. But caution is necessary as Nantes is right behind with 52 points. The Parisians cannot afford any mistakes in this particularly special match. The entire handball community wishes for Nikola Karabatic to exit on a high note, ideally with a title on the last day of the championship. His club has organized a grand celebration of his career, with the match relocated to the Accor Arena in Bercy. This will be the occasion to celebrate Karabatic’s final match in PSG colors before he concludes his career at the Paris Olympics.

This recognition is well-deserved for someone with such an extensive list of achievements. At 40 years old, he has played for Europe's top clubs. Following his father’s footsteps, he was born in Niš, Serbia, and trained at Frontignan Handball before completing his development at Montpellier Handball’s training center. From there, his career was a series of successes. He is a 21-time champion in his leagues, having won titles in France with Montpellier and PSG, in Germany with Kiel, and in Spain with Barcelona, all within 22 professional seasons.

But that's not all. He also holds three Champions League titles with Montpellier (2003), Kiel (2007), and Barcelona (2015). With the French national team, Karabatic is a three-time Olympic champion, four-time World champion, and four-time European champion. He is the most decorated international player, across all nationalities, with eleven gold medals in major championships.

Named World Handball Player of the Year in 2007, 2014, and 2016, he is regarded as the greatest player in the sport’s history. His physical prowess, technical skill, and tactical intelligence make him a complete and versatile player. Over the years, he has evolved his playing style to become a true playmaker, facilitating the game for his teammates.
His club career will conclude on Friday, May 31, 2024, on the same ground where he celebrated many successes with the French team. We can only say thank you for his contributions to French and global handball. We hope for a grand celebration, ideally culminating in a title, brought by his teammates. They want to achieve this for him.

Given the context, we believe PSG will unleash their full potential against Aix, who may subconsciously not want to spoil this historic moment. The match is expected to end with a margin exceeding 10 goals, officially crowning Paris as French champions for the eleventh time, potentially setting a record for spectators in the Liqui Moly Starligue.

SAINT RAPHAËL VHB VS C’CHARTRES MÉTROPOLE HANDBALL
31/05/2024 - 8:45PM

A sad ending?
Here’s what could happen to tonight's loser. Two teams that achieved their objectives early and are now ending the season poorly. Chartres has won only once in their last nine games. The exact same record applies to Saint-Raphaël. It’s safe to say they are eager for the season to end. A rather sad outcome following a mostly successful year. So, beware the losers, who might head into the off-season with the grim feeling of unfinished business.

As we know, on the Saint-Raphaël side, the injury absence of Nick Enigman has severely impacted their defense. They are, in fact, one of the worst defenses in the league now. For Chartres, it’s the injury of their right back Matic Groselj that has hurt them. Sergyi Onufryenko is now mostly on the bench, rotating with a defender, and Yassine Ben Salem brings a lot of impact but also a lot of turnovers. He struggles to control his game and manage the ball.

Moreover, there is true inconsistency in the performances of both teams' goalkeepers. Milan Bomastar has had a very good season but in a very choppy manner. The experience he gained this year should help him grow in the future, especially with a coach who is a former goalkeeper. Nebosja Stojinovic can provide him with the little extra he needs, particularly in reading long-distance shots.

And that is likely to be the case again this Friday night. Micke Brasseleur should finish as his team's top scorer with numerous long-range shots. For once, he will support his backline, which needs his impact. However, he is a very streaky player. He needs to be used sparingly and at the right moments, which is very complex to manage. Additionally, he might have an increasingly significant role next season with the departure of their starter Adrien Di Panda. After many seasons in the Var region and having been trained in Montpellier, he has decided to hang up his cleats. This former international has always had a significant impact in defense with his aggressive style. He will certainly be missed by his club in the coming years.

But to celebrate his departure properly, since he has done a lot for the club, his teammates should give him a victory on a silver platter. A win that could be around 38 to 31. A fitting finale for a career that lived up to its potential. The end of the season for Chartres, however, looks to be very bleak.

SARAN LOIRET HB VS US IVRY HANDBALL
31/05/2024 - 8PM

Match of a lifetime
If there’s one match to watch, it’s this one. Saran, 13th with 15 points, faces Ivry, 15th with 14 points and the first team in the relegation zone. This is the survival match for the winner. In the middle is Créteil with 15 points. The winner will be saved. If Saran loses, they will have to look to Cesson and hope for a Créteil defeat. If the match ends in a draw, Saran will be mathematically safe, and Ivry will be safe if Créteil does not take points from Cesson, thanks to a favorable head-to-head goal average. So, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Experience is crucial in such high-stakes games, and Saran seems to have the edge with players like William Accambray, Florian Delecroix, and Mohamed Mamdouh. This experience is a real advantage for mentally approaching this kind of game. On the other hand, Ivry relies primarily on Mate Sunjic, but as a goalkeeper, his impact is limited to his performance in goal. In the first leg, Ivry won by two goals.
However, Ivry is missing their two left backs, Aymeric Zaepfel and Dylan Garain, due to injuries. Coach Didier Dinart has to rely on Milos Bozovic, the third left back, who hasn’t had much playtime this season. It’s challenging to step up for the most important match of the year, but he did score six goals the previous week, demonstrating real professionalism.
This could be detrimental to Ivry, as they might circle around Saran’s defense without drawing them out. Due to the lack of long-range threats, Saran could stay compact and dominate the opponent’s attack, especially with the outstanding performance of Ivan Panjan. This young Croatian goalkeeper has outperformed the initial starter, former international Yann Gentil. In such matches, defense wins the game, giving Saran a slight advantage with their defender Théo Clarac.
In attack, Saran has developed an effective game under Jérémy Roussel’s leadership, exploiting each player’s strengths. This is evident in the increasingly decisive performances of Pau Oliveras, who should be sharp again against defender Gauthier Loredon, who might struggle to keep up with the Spanish playmaker.

Thanks to their experience, Saran should stay up, relying on their solid defense to hold Ivry to fewer than 26 goals. The score might be around 28 to 26. A one-goal margin is also possible, continuing Ivry’s recent streak of bad luck. Ivry will be relegated, surprising everyone after being well-placed in the mid-table. This downfall follows the non-renewal of most key players who graduated from their academy, suggesting that a major team overhaul likely impacted their end-of-season results significantly.

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