Handball World Cup: Blues aim for seventh star in Royal final against Denmark
The Blues can clinch a seventh world crown against Denmark this Sunday, January 29 (9pm).
The final step to climb is undoubtedly the highest. After the coronation in Bercy in 2017, waiting six years, “a little scratchy” Although the Blues won, according to Federation President Philippe BanaOlympic gold In Tokyo in the summer of 2021. Facing Denmark, exactly (25-23), their best enemy for ten years.
The group that lost in the 2011 World Cup final and then Euro 2014 Mikkel Hansenthe man with the headband avenged Nikola Karabatic by denying him his third consecutive Olympic title in Rio 2016. Therefore, Japan has a year and a half before its coin is returned.
Where are we?
Finally! ??❤️#BleuetProud pic.twitter.com/veIU4HCdH8– French Handball teams (@FRAHandball) January 28, 2023
A new episode of this thriller series will be broadcast this Sunday (21:00) on Tele 2 Arena where the Blues lost.Swedish host (31-26), already after Spain (at the end of the main round) and Germany (quarterfinals) faced each other. Spain, Germany, Sweden and now Denmark: this is a real obstacle course on offer to Guillaume Gille and his men. “We had the impression of progress, playing better and better since the start of the competition” Vincent Gerard notes.
And yet many injuries appeared in the path of the goalkeeper and teammates. Faced with seven withdrawals (Pardin, Minne, Villeminot, Kounkoud, Conan, Nguessan, Descat) before the start of the competition, Gille has not been able to count on all his manpower since he started on January 11. Katowice (Poland). France advance in the final with the position of left-back suffering, the only specialist Romain Lagarde, who has played hungry with 100% opportunities in the Blue of late.
Face off with Landin and Hansen
Will Thibaud Briet (right hand), Elohim Prandi (right wrist) and Nikola Karabatic (left foot) make at least a partial recovery at the age of 38 in their tenth and final World Cup? Gille knew nothing about it on Saturday and praised it “a strong ability to adapt to various events thrown into the corner of the figure” of the team. Which was also able to draw deeply tank French handball bagged eight victories in as many matches. Still to be sought, according to Gille. “make this fixed idea, this ambition concrete” is displayed from the beginning.
According to Nedim Remili, the first world champion title since 2017 will also come. “Concrete that this group, in addition to the individual abilities they have shown at the club, once again has that collective power to get to the top and stay there.”. The Danes sat at the top of this world summit and want to stay there after 2019 and 2021 to achieve an achievement. missed triplet – France and Romania won the title of world champion twice, and Sweden twice.
They can always count on their goalkeepers, two-time World Player of the Year Niklas Landin and three-time winner of the award, Nikola Karabatic (2011, 2015 and 2018). At 35, the former PSG player is now used more as a leader, alongside left-handed Matias Gidsel and right-handed Simon Pytlick, who has become one of the world’s best in the back-base position. revelation Tournament winner since age 22. A new challenge for the French defense, the empire on Friday, on the way to the seventh crown.
Nikola Karabatic is uncertain
Nikola Karabatic, who has a left leg injury, remains doubtful for the final given Elohim Prandini’s right wrist. “getting a little better”, head coach Guillaume Gille said on Saturday. The left guard was on the scoresheet in Saturday’s semifinal against Sweden (31-26), but did not play. He played the first twenty minutes of the quarter against Germany (35-28) on Wednesday after missing the previous two meetings. At left back base, Thibaud Briet was pulled against Sweden with a right hand injury, while Elohim Prandi was hit in the right wrist. “(Prandi) didn’t get the ball in his hands again. We know things were going a little bit better this morning (Saturday), it’s more reassuring, but it’s the pitch and training that allows us to assess where he is and where he is in the final tomorrow.” , Gilles said.
