By Kevin Domas INTERVIEW – Along with most of her teammates of Metz Handball, Xenia Smits will travel to Budapest to play the FINAL4 of the Women’s DELO EHF Champions League, for the first time. After winning by five in Romania, the French side succeeded again at home, on Saturday evening. A few moments after the final buzzer, the 24 …
“It seems like every player is playing her best handball, right now”
By Kevin Domas INTERVIEW – Could it be the year for Metz? Metz Handball have been chasing the Women’s EHF Champions League FINAL4 for the past two seasons. In their previous attempts they were stopped in the quarterfinals by Györ and Bucuresti. If the 2017 loss against the Hungarian handball powerhouse appeared to be logical, you can’t stop but think …
“In 2016, I said I’d stop after EURO’18…and here I am”
By Kevin Domas INTERVIEW – We shouldn’t be talking to Amandine Leynaud right now, as the French goalkeeper had one thought in mind after Olivier Krumbholz took over the French national handball team back in 2016. “I told him I would stop after the European championship at home,” she smiles. Today, it seems that she has changed her mind, as …
“When Györ knocks on your door, you can’t say no”
By Kevin Domas INTERVIEW – She is a World- and European champion with France, a nominee for the IHF Player of the Year 2018 and she just signed with the Hungarian handball powerhouse Györ, after three seasons in Siofok. Life for Estelle Nze Minko must be quite something, right now. “It’s pretty cool,” she laughs after listening to the introduction. …
“The bad times are behind us”
By Kevin Domas INTERVIEW – In Nantes, the last couple of weeks have been nerve wrecking and that’s an understatement. It has been one of the worst periods ever since the club was promoted to first division in France, ten seasons ago. Nicolas Claire, the center-back, who wears the club’s jersey since 2013 and Thierry Anti, the coach who brought …
What’s up in Brest?
By Kevin Domas Did you follow the news? Some Romanian media outlets have been speculating that French side, Brest Bretagne Handball, have offered a significant amount of money to attract the services of CSM star, Cristina Neagu, for next season. It’s not the first time the French club has made moves to attract some of handball’s biggest names. First, Allison …
“Records are great but we have to look ahead”
By Kevin Domas INTERVIEW – Is Paris Saint-Germain the best team ever competing in the Champions League? If you look at some of the stats there’s hardly any doubt. The club from theFrench capital just beat two records that speak volumes about the team’s potential, even though no title has been won, yet. Of the fourteen games in the Group …
“Maybe I needed to push myself to the limit”
By Kevin Domas INTERVIEW – It’s been a month since Emmanuel Mayonnade accepted the job as coach of the Dutch women’s national team, following the departure of Helle Thomsen. At age 35 the new engagement will be his first as national team leader, although he gained plenty of experience since October 2015, when he signed with French side, Metz Handball. …
“We don’t lack motivation”
By Kevin Domas INTERVIEW – Is it crisis time in Montpellier? Not yet. But, it’s do-or-die for the reigning champion of the VELUX EHF Champions League. If a crisis results, it will have to wait until next week. For now, the club still has every chance to qualify for the Round of Last 16 of the competition. Every chance? Not …
Where is Valentin Porte?
By Kevin Domas Have you seen Valentin Porte recently? If you haven’t, it might be because you have been looking in the wrong places. The captain of Montpellier, who in his club usually plays in the right back court, has seen a change when playing for the French national team. He now finds himself on right wing, a position he …