After nearly a month of preparation in Capbreton, the French team returns to the courts this weekend, for a double confrontation against Norway. In Pau, Thursday (7:30 p.m., live on La Chaine l’Equipe, beIN Sports 3 and HandballTV) and Saturday (6:15 p.m., live on La Chaine l’Equipe, beIN Sports 3 and HandballTV)the Blues will benefit from two full-scale tests to prove themselves and try to convince Olivier Krumbholz to include them in the list of seventeen players (including three substitutes) who will participate in the Olympic Games.
Three years ago, almost to the day, the French women’s team faced Norway twice in friendly matches in Bayonne, before climbing to the top step of the Olympic podium in Tokyo a few weeks later. Is it a wink from history that Olivier Krumbholz chose the same opponent, in the same region, to begin his series of preparation matches before the Paris Olympic Games? “I don’t think so, I hadn’t even thought about it!” smiles the blue coach, before deciphering the reasons which pushed him to invite the vice world champion selection: “We like to compete against the best, and Norway is one of the three or four best nations in the world. Playing against them seemed natural to us. Angola, who we will face next, will give us problems with the physical challenge. »
The two matches against Norway will be the last opportunities for the players of the France team to show themselves. Indeed, the list of fourteen players and three substitutes chosen by Olivier Krumbholz will be revealed on July 8. Of the twenty-one players summoned by the staff to Capbreton, in Landes, four will not be at the event. “Everyone is working, the girls are motivated, but how could we not be with such a deadline at the end? » continues the coach. “It’s rare, we had the opportunity to train fully, with few minor injuries. We work on all sectors, because we know that as reigning world champions, our opponents will all want to beat us. And we will have to be even better than at the World Cup to be able to keep our Olympic title.”
Krumbhholz, Olympic champion in 2021 and silver medalist in 2016, undoubtedly has an idea of the players he is counting on to make up his group. Some, like captain Estelle Nze Minko or left winger Chloé Valentini, recently voted best left winger of the EHF season, should be there. How many places does his reflection focus on, a few days before the fateful moment? “Nothing is set in stone, even if it’s true that some, thanks to their experience, have a head start. But be careful! It’s not because you’re a manager that you’ll be at the Games by training 50%!” And while one might think that the players could take a mental hit by focusing on the Olympic goal since June 12, Olivier Krumbholz is categorical: “If we are exhausted just by fighting to be on the list, I think the pressure to get a medal will be difficult to bear. »
It is on the goalkeeper position that Olivier Krumbholz will have a very difficult choice to make. Laura Glauser and Hatadou Sako made up the world champion pair in Denmark last December, but Cléopatre Darleux, Olympic champion in 2021, returned to the group after almost a year away from the field. “And she’s all in!” rejoices the coach, who was able to judge for himself the return to form of the 2017 world champion with the Blues. “She is very aggressive, very good in her goal and has no more apprehension about the ball. I am lucky to have four very efficient goalkeepers, if we add Floriane André. It will not be easy to decide, but it is better to have too much choice than not enough.” Krumbholz finishes. Who is impatient to finally be able to evaluate the progress of his collective on the 40×20. Before making the final choices.
THE LIST
Guardians: Floriane ANDRÉ (Neptunes de Nantes) – Cléopatre DARLEUX (Brest Bretagne Handball) – Laura GLAUSER (CSM Bucharest) – Hatadou SAKO (Metz Handball)
Left wingers: Coralie LASSOURCE (Brest Bretagne Handball) – Chloé VALENTINI (Metz Handball)
Left backs: Orlane KANOR (Rapid Bucarest) – Estelle NZE MINKO (c) (Gyor Audi ETO KC)
Center halves: Tamara HORACEK (Neptunes de Nantes) – Méline NOCANDY (Paris 92) – Grace ZAADI DEUNA (CSM Bucharest)
Pivots : Sarah BOUKTIT (Metz Handball) – Pauletta FOPPA (Brest Bretagne Handball) – Oriane ONDONO (Neptunes de Nantes)
Right backs: Laura FLIPPES (CSM Bucharest) – Léna GRANDVEAU (Neptunes de Nantes) – Déborah LASSOURCE (Right back – Paris 92) – Océane SERCIEN-UGOLIN (Vipers Kristiansand)
Right Wings: Lucie GRANIER (Metz Handball) – Alicia TOUBLANC (Brest Bretagne Handball) – Pauline COATANEA (Brest Bretagne Handball)
OLYMPIC PREPARATION PROGRAMME
From June 12 to July 2: Gathering in Capbreton
* Thursday July 4 at 7:30 p.m. in Pau (Palais des Sports) : France -Norway
* Saturday July 6 at 6:15 p.m. in Pau (Palais des Sports) : France -Norway
From July 11 to 18: Gathering in Rennes
* Saturday July 13 at 9:10 p.m. in Cesson-Rennes (Glaz Arena) : France -Angola
From July 18 to 20: Gathering at the Handball House in Créteil
OLYMPIC PROGRAM
Preliminary round at Arena Paris Sud
* Thursday July 25 at 7 p.m.: Hungary vs. France
* Sunday July 28 at 9 p.m.: France vs. Pays-Bas
* Tuesday July 30 at 7 p.m.: France vs. Brazil
* Thursday 1is August at 4 p.m.: Angola vs. France
* Saturday August 3 at 11 a.m.: Spain vs. France
If France qualifies:
* Tuesday August 6 in Lille (Stade Pierre Mauroy): Quarterfinal (time to be determined)
* Thursday August 8 in Lille (Pierre Mauroy Stadium) : Semi final (time to be determined)
* Saturday August 10 in Lille (Pierre Mauroy Stadium) : Finale (time to be determined)
