With Strasbourg, we are in the presence of a very serious outsider in the Top 4. Qualified for the playoffs for the last ten seasons, having passed to a possession to bring down Monaco 2-0 during the last quarter-finals, the SIG of Lassi Tuovi, just back from the Euro where he led his Finland in the quarterfinals, is formatted to take an additional step.
“Strasbourg is already very dense in quantity, with eleven professional players, who will also do Europe in our place. The SIG is one of the big teams in the championship. They are very well equipped in all positions, with real quality, a base (Maille, Cavalière, Mitchell, Udanoh, Lansdowne) still in place and very strong new players like Keene the playmaker, Sanders who is a hell of a shooter. , assesses Eric Bartechky.
Defense, a key to the game
Faced with an opponent that Elan dominated twice last year (already) in the position of outsider, in the final of the Coupe de France then at the Palace in the regular season, the coach of Elan will have a first glimpse of the potential of his group. “This match will allow us to discover what we are capable of facing a team formatted to play at the top of the table”, validates Bartecheky, who, before thinking about the opponent, appreciates this comeback under the lanterns of the Palace.
“We are happy to start the competition because what interests us is to get to the heart of the matter, to play for a challenge in front of an audience”, he says full of envy at the end of a minimal preparation with a staff in the state for barely two weeks.
“We always have the feeling of not being ready enough, but on the other hand when we have to go, we have to go, without asking too many questions, to fight with our current form because we will need a few matches to optimize our game”, positive the technician. “We will see how we will be able to hold the duels without being too affected by the faults and our short rotation. »
