Paris (AFP)

Dominators in France for five years, handballers in Paris remain the grand favorites of the Championship which begins Wednesday, with a staff that will absorb the departure of the legendary goalkeeper Thierry Omeyer (retired) and the German winger Uwe Gensheimer.

"It's always the same debate: titillating PSG, we are able to do it on a match.It's my fourth year, the last three years we always beat them once," said Valentin Porte, captain of Montpellier .

"Now, on a season, we must remain realistic, beat the PSG which has been reinforced, it remains very complicated," he adds.

With only one draw in Nîmes at the start of the Starligue, and only one defeat (in Saint-Raphaël), conceded once the fifth consecutive consecration ensured, the Paris SG version 2018/19 left only crumbs to the competition. last year, validating his title four days before the end.

In the offseason, PSG recorded the arrival of international goalkeeper Vincent Gerard, to replace Thierry Omeyer retired with one of the finest palmares of world handball. And the Icelandic Gudjon Sigurdsson came to compensate for the departure of Uwe Gensheimer (returned home to Rhein-Neckar Löwen) to the left wing.

"The focus is a little more on the pivot Kamil Syprzak (substitute of the Croatian Luka Stepancic, left in Szeged), a very important role in the game that practices Raul Gonzalez (the coach of the PSG, Ed) The work is more about him on those who have replaced post for position, "says Bruno Martini, the general manager of PSG.

- Chambéry "more expected" -

Facing the Paris armada led by new captain Luka Karabatic, the competitors are legion and have strengthened in one of the best championships in the world.

"We are all there to win the competition that is the hardest possible.It does not make sense and it is not rewarding to ride on everyone," said the general manager Paris.

Montpellier will want to go in search of a hexagonal title that has eluded him since 2012. With five arrivals for seven starts, the staff of Patrice Canayer has changed a lot, with automatisms to find quickly.

Pleasant surprise from last season, Chambéry has regained its former glory by climbing the podium of the championship, which has not happened to him since 2012.

"We know we'll be more expected, but that's what we wanted, too." It's not that we were surprised last year, but the years before, we were not not in our place, "said Captain Pierre Paturel, for whom the goal will be to seek a new qualification in the European Cup.

To get on the podium, Chambéry took advantage at the end of the season of the air hole known by Nantes, in contact with Parisians up to six days of the term before chaining the counter-performances.

A page of ten seasons was turned with the departure of the coach Thierry Anti, replaced by the Spaniard Alberto Entrerrios, whereas several executives like Nicolas Claire or Kévin Bonnefoi left.

"We try to integrate the best possible new players to create the best possible chemistry," said Rock Feliho, captain of the H.

© 2019 AFP