The Primera Nacional will have Banyoles, Sarrià and Bordils for the first time. Although all three teams have played there for several seasons, they had never matched the same exercise in the third category of state handball.
The last campaign, the Primera Nacional had only the duel in the demarcation between Banyoles and Bordils. The team, then coached by Pau Campos, adapted to the category after relegation from the Silver Honor Division, where it spent eight seasons. In the end, eighth position, at the equator of the standings with 29 points (fourteen wins, one draw and fifteen defeats). Just one place below was Banyoles. The Pla de l’Estany team had its best season in the division. Overall, 26 points (twelve wins, two draws and sixteen defeats).
The third team in the category will be Sarrià. Josep Espar will continue to lead the project for another year, both on the court and as a coach, in the offices and as sports director. The Sarrians return to the category after playing three seasons in the Silver Honor Division, which the club describes as “extraordinary”.
The last time the derby between Bordils and Sarrià, one of the most exciting and intense in the state, could be experienced in the Primera Nacional, was in 2013. Then it was Sarrià who won the match (28-27 ). For now, we already had the first taste in the Copa Catalunya two weeks ago. Sarrià beat Bordils by 30 to 23.
Although it is still early, all three clubs are already immersed in the design of the season. They share a common goal, training grassroots players to nurture first teams.
EU president Sarrià, Jordi Paretas, explains that the club will not change its philosophy in the return to the Primera Nacional: “We will do the same as playing in Plata: play well, train players and try to stay as high as we can. We don’t set ourselves a goal in the rankings. We want to train players, which is what we have always done. In this sense, Paretas assures that the team will maintain the young base with which the season ended: “The base of the team will be all the young boys of 18 and 19 years who finished the season and some more veteran player of 23 and 24 years ». Sarrià will have the casualties of Mauro, Teixidor, Aleix Toro and Josep Ballester, who is retiring.
With a similar goal, the Bordils season is set. It will be the first year on the bench of Gerard Farrarons, former player of the club. “The main thing, and that’s how I put it at the club, is the desire to train players. I wish they were a little better after going through my hands and those of Josep Mitjà, my second. I hope they learn things and I want to convey enthusiasm and competitiveness to them. Then the results will be seen “says the technician.
In Banyoles, the president of the entity, Anton Figueras, hopes to be able to keep the team in the category: “The goal is to keep the team in Nacional and get players from the base to come up. The team will not change much.
