PSG Handball: what future after still missing a march in the Champions League?

The European dream turns to frustration. This year again, PSG Handball will not win the Champions League, a major goal on which they broke their teeth again in 2020 with this Final Four in Cologne marked by a logical and expected defeat in the semi-final against Barcelona ( 32-37) Monday. A failure for a club champion of France without interruption since 2015, which ended on a good note by winning the match for third place against the Hungarians of Veszprem on Tuesday (31-26).

“This year, they had a good excuse, defends former Blues coach Daniel Costantini. When Nikola Karabatic was injured in October, we already knew it would be very complicated. But in addition with the package of his replacement Luc Steins ( Editor’s note: tested positive for Covid-19 before leaving for Germany ), beating Barça would have been quite a feat. “

Overwhelmed by circumstances, the Parisians also seem less strong than the previous seasons. Evidenced by their three losses in six matches already suffered in the 2020-2021 vintage of the Champions League. “They are limited in the rotation to certain positions, points the former back of the Blues Jérôme Fernandez. Sander Sagosen’s departure this summer penalized them. That he left to reinforce Kiel and that the top Parisian scorer against Barcelona Dylan Nahi leaves at the end of the season ( Editor’s note: in Kielce ), it is problematic as a message. We have the feeling that PSG is less able to weigh economically. “

“Paris will have to strengthen itself in certain positions”

For two years, PSG has seen its locker room empty of several heavyweights with the retirement of Thierry Omeyer and Daniel Narcisse or the departures of Uwe Gensheimer and therefore Sagosen. “Some young people like Elohim Prandi, who nevertheless had the balls to shine against Barcelona, ​​still need time,” said Costantini. “This team has two big stars, Niko Karabatic and Mikkel Hansen, who are rather towards the end of their career,” describes Fernandez. PSG must ask themselves the question of the team they want in the near future. There are a lot of sites. “

Internally, a change has already been made: that of the general manager. Appointed when Qatari investors arrived in 2012, Bruno Martini will leave his post in January without winning the European Grail. His right hand, the current sports coordinator Thierry Omeyer, could succeed him. On the bench, it’s still the unknown. Arrived in 2018, the Spanish coach Raul Gonzalez is almost at the end of his contract which ends at the end of the season. While players hail his action, his future is unclear.

“The first thing to do now is to confirm the staff, underlines Jérôme Fernandez, trained by the Iberian technician in Ciudad Real from 2008 to 2010. Change for change, I do not see the point. Paris will not find better than him elsewhere. Then, Paris will have to strengthen itself in certain positions. They are behind some clubs, they will have to fix it. The unknown is the impact of the economic crisis on its ambitions. That, only they can say what they still want to invest or not to strengthen. “