French Championship 22/23

So. I had to make this topic because my Celles-sur-Belle with Pontoppidan are storming the league. 3 out of 3 victories!

Pontoppidan on Team of the Week

Besançon had 7 wins in a row in January. Then playmaker Alizée Frécon got injured, and Besançon didn't win 9 out of its next 10 games. Yesterday Frécon finally came back - and Besançon finally won! Big win away at Chambray, and Frécon wasn't even that good. It's rare to see someone who has such effect on her team just with her mere presence. So she is my avatar now.

Also good were Norwegian gk Tonje Lerstad, with crucial saves in the end, and LW Kiara Tshimanga, who replaced the mistakes-prone Camille Aoustin in the last 10 minutes and was simply brilliant in both sides of the court. Tshimanga is only 20 y.o., so remember her name. And her picture:

masch1 wrote:So does anyone know how Offendal is doing? It looks to me like she hasn't scored as much as last season, and I was wondering if she had been injured or something like that?

You had to wait six months for an answer, now the patience will pay off Offendal still scores less than her dominant teammates, at least in the games I watched. She usually doesn't need to score more, as she has good goal scorers around her like Stoiljkovic and Van der Heijden, so she can focus on managing the game. Chambray was doing great in the beginning of the season, but lately they lose all their important games, and it seems to me that Offendal doesn't step up and take more responsibility as she should do. I'm not a chambray's expert though.

I am also surprised about her fast evolution because she was a permanent danger when playing in Paris.

Two questions:

1. In case Paris 92 losses in the Cup Final to Metz, do they still qualify for Europe as Cup finalists, or do they need to qualify through the league?

2. If Brest and Metz play in the Champions League next season, how many French teams will play in the European League?

Dofer wrote:Two questions:

1. In case Paris 92 losses in the Cup Final to Metz, do they still qualify for Europe as Cup finalists, or do they need to qualify through the league?

2. If Brest and Metz play in the Champions League next season, how many French teams will play in the European League?

1- According to our rules, Paris 92 need to qualify with the league even though Metz has already a spot for the Champions League.

2- Two in fact (3th and 4th) but we can apply a Wild Card.

Thanks Anol and MiniV for your answers, and welcome MiniV to the forum!

So we have a great fight for a place in Europe:

3. Nantes 51
4. Paris 47
5. chambray 47
6. Dijon 45
7. Besançon 44

This is going to be interesting.

French championship is done. Metz Handball in undefeated with the last victory against Chambray.
Metz, Brest, Nantes and Chambray will play CL + EHL. Now, we're waiting for Dijon (5th so they can apply for a Wild card) and Paris 92 (out with the championship but they play French Cup).
Mérignac will play the second division ; Stella Saint-Maur and Achenheim Truchtersheim Handball climbed in the Ligue Butagaz Energie. If everything's Okey of course.

Well done girls for this battle at any time.

It was a very interesting season, and a dramatic finish for the European places.

Bruna de Paula was selected as the MVP of the season. The team of the season:

Left winger: Chloé Valentini (Metz)
Right winger: Nathalie Hagman (Nantes)
Left-back: Bruna de Paula (Metz)
Right back: Louise Burgaard (Metz)
Centre-half: Kristina Jorgensen (Metz)
Pivot: Pauletta Foppa (Brest)
Goalkeeper: Hatadou Sako (Metz)
Best defender: Pauletta Foppa (Brest)
Best young player: Coura Kanoute (Paris 92)
Best coach: Emmanuel Mayonnade (Metz)

French cup final Metz Handball 37 - 24 Paris92. After 15 minutes, the match was almost over. Very great season for Metz, as they ended with 24 vicotries in championship. The only very disappointing defeat in European quarters was the second leg at home versus FTC. Many turnover next season : Bruna de Paula will leave for Györ, but Mette Hansen, Alina Grijseels and Djazz Chambertin will come.

Paris 92 DEP