After almost three months of interruption since the last match against Barcelona (28-28) on December 9, PSG returned to the Champions League on Thursday evening. In the coming days, the competition will accelerate for the Parisians who will play on Tuesday 1st in Slovakia on neutral ground against the Ukrainians of Zaporozhye. Despite the war in Ukraine, the match at this time is maintained. Forty-eight hours later, without passing through the capital, Nikola Karabatic and his family will play in Bucharest in Romania.
They will approach these next matches with a little less pressure. By beating Flensburg, Paris is already officially qualified for the next round. PSG will at least go to the play-offs, the equivalent of the round of 16. But this is not enough. Paris wants and must qualify directly for the quarter-finals, the last obstacle before the Final Four in Cologne in June. For this, he must finish in the first two of his pool. It is doable if PSG, now 3rd in Group B, wins its last four games by adding a final shock on March 10 against the Hungarians of Veszprem defeated this Thursday evening against Barcelona (30-35). A flawless shot is probably mandatory for PSG to finish in the first two currently occupied by the Poles of Kielce and Barca.
Pascal Obispo in the front row
Under the eyes of Pascal Obispo, the Parisians have a little trouble entering the match (4-3, 10th). Handball is a sport invented by the Germans and you should never underestimate a team from there even if Flensburg is struggling in this group stage. The Germans, winners of this Champions League in 2014, are not yet certain of qualifying for the round of 16. They have, however, largely the level. It took a quarter of an hour before the Parisian steamroller got under way. And when it’s really hot, it takes a lot of power to stop it. This strength, Flensburg did not have it in the first half and PSG broke away, little by little (10-6, 20th).
Without Nedim Remili and Elohim Prandi still recovering but with a twirling Luc Steins, Paris left in the second half in the same way, keeping a sufficient lead to normally not be scared (23-19, 40th). Yes, but Flensburg resisted, remaining mostly 3 or 4 goals behind Paris, well on the lookout. Paris has mastered but Paris has not taken shelter for good. PSG even had a good scare when casually, Flensburg picked up in the last 5 minutes (31-30, 56th) just to offer an interesting money-time to Coubertin’s public. The last minute was enticing, sometimes more than the rest of the game. But strength remained at PSG which won on the wire 33-30. “It’s a big victory, reacts Benoît Kounkoud. We had a little weak time at the end of the match which allowed them to come back. It’s the Champions League, all the teams are strong and you have to be constantly careful. Fortunately, we stayed together, united to impose ourselves all the same. »
