PSG’s Final Four handball operation in the Champions League took a hit on Thursday evening. And not just a little. Diminished by several major absences, the Parisians shattered against FC Barcelona (30-22), at home, in the quarter-final first leg. They will need more than one exploit in a week in Catalonia to see the last four, and offer a royal exit to Nikola Karabatic.
After a good first period (14-11), PSG hand “exploded” upon returning from the locker room, admitted the veteran tricolor, who is playing his last season. Center half Luc Steins was very uplifted by his performance and that of his teammates: “With a slightly better end to the match we could have had a gap of four or five goals and there would be a lot more hope left. for the return. We did some shit there. On certain actions we always want to go faster, we are stupid…”
Five days after the slap received in the Coupe de France final against Nantes (31-23), the Parisians were unable to raise their heads. “We were not at all good in attack collectively and individually,” explains Karabatic. It’s messy, we rush, and there’s a lack of confidence too. It’s been a little latent for a while. »
Paris has never won in Catalonia…
Paris was not spared from the blows of fate either, with in particular Elohim Prandi, who had taken a blow to the left knee against Nantes on Saturday, forced to leave permanently after only a few minutes of play due to an injury to his ankle.
The eight goals behind today seem like an inaccessible mountain, especially since PSG have never won in Catalonia. ” There is always hope. In sport you must never give up, even if it will be complicated,” professes Luka Karabatic. They can always draw inspiration from their football friends, but at this level, for them, we can say that it would be a miracle.