Handball – European League: Fenix Toulouse against the Berlin Wall
Ten weeks after their last European outing, Toulouse return to the continental event on Tuesday February 15 by claiming Füchse Berlin, the undefeated leader of their group.
The European League is back. After their brilliant success obtained on the ground of Tatran Presov (31-19), last December 7, in Slovakia, the Toulousains intervene from this Tuesday evening the last straight line of the group phase against the best team of their group A: the Füchse Berlin, finalist of the last edition. Issues, perspectives, forces present, we take stock of this European League.
> The Fenix fears the lack of rhythm
The report from the championship meeting in Chambéry last Friday somewhat upset Toulouse’s plans. “What bothers me is that we are going to lack rhythm,” fears Danijel Andjelkovic, whose team has played only one official match since the winter break: against Istres, on February 5. Quite the opposite of the Berliners who have just chained three meetings in the space of six days and all won (see below). And if the Toulouse are surfing in the league on a series of nine matches without defeat (6 wins, 3 draws) which give them a lot of confidence, they are aware that restarting the machine is never easy after the (long) international break.
> Sokolic uncertain
Toulouse, which has recovered its two left-handers on the back base after a long absence (Abdi and Marmier), should present itself in full this evening. However, defense boss Luka Sokolic didn’t train yesterday. The Croatian defender, ill, remains very uncertain this evening. Which would therefore force Maxime Gilbert or Erwin Feuchtmann to support Fredric Pettersson in the central sector.
> Berlin is solid
Six games, six wins, best attack, best defense, the Füchse Berlin dominates Group A of the European League. A complete, balanced, powerful team, the Berlin formation also plays the leading roles in the Bundesliga (4th but with a game late compared to Kiel, 2nd, who is three points ahead). In six days, the Berliners have just signed two successes in the league (23-20 against Rhein-Neckar and 30-27 in Hamburg) plus one in the European League on the ground of the Swiss in Winterthur (30-27). Suffice to say that Dejan Peric’s men will be on the pace against Toulouse.
> Toulouse: qualifying objective
With 3 successes and 3 defeats, Toulouse occupy third place in group A behind Berlin and Wisla Plock and ahead of Irun, Winterthur and Presov. Clearly, Pierrick Chelle’s teammates are aiming for third place (the first four are qualified for the eighth). “That’s the goal we’ve set,” confirms Danijel Andjelkovic. More than the confrontation against Berlin, it is the next three (Winterthur twice and Irun to finish) that will determine the future of Fenix. “But I am interested in a feat against Berlin,” laughs the Fenix coach who assists his players in this confrontation “want to have fun against one of the best European teams. »