Cologne (Germany) (AFP)

Decreased by injuries and Covid-19, the Parisian handball players failed to reach the final of the "Final Four" of the 2019/2020 edition of the Champions League, after their defeat against Barcelona 37 to 32, Monday in Cologne (Germany).

In the match for third place, the Parisians, virgins of this European title, will face the losing team of the second semi-final (8:30 p.m.), which opposes the Hungarians from Veszprem to the Germans from Kiel on Monday evening.

The match will take place on Tuesday, with a kick-off at 6 p.m.

The PSG players considered themselves before the meeting as "outsiders" against a team that had dominated them twice in the group stage last season.

To these sports results was added the injury in mid-October of Nikola Karabatic, winner of three Champions League and playing master of Paris, victim of a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee and away from the field for about six months.

Then the Covid came to disrupt Parisian plans, just a few hours before the meeting.

Luc Steins, first, tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, and remained in Paris, leaving his teammates without a training center.

It was Nedim Remili who took up this key position.

On arrival in Cologne, Danish pivot Henrik Toft Hansen tested positive.

Monday, in a Lanxess-Arena behind closed doors, Raul Gonzalez's players were impeccable both in defense and in attack during the first quarter of an hour of the first period, counting up to three goals in advance.

But the Parisians then quickly stumbled over Barcelona goalkeeper Kevin Moller, formidable efficiency in the first period, with 8 saves at 67% (14/36 in total).

The Barcelonans went on, taking advantage of seven minutes without scoring the Parisians, repeatedly reaching five lengths in advance, in particular thanks to the individual performance of the French back Dika Mem (6/6 in the first period).

At 18-14 at the break, the Parisians knew that we should not let go, not spoil anything.

- Go get a third 3rd place -

Returning from the locker room, Vincent Gérard kept the ship afloat, stopping three shots in less than four minutes, including two 7m jets in quick succession.

"We tried to fight thoroughly with the weapons we had. What was our best weapon, the 7 against 6 (field players) did not work as we wanted, neither did our defense. worked ", analyzed after the meeting Nedim Remili, assuring that the team had" given everything ".

Too many ball losses in the second half got the better of the Parisians, like the one lost by Dainis Kristopans, which would have made it possible to return to two goals (43rd).

Despite the efforts of 21-year-old Dylan Nahi on his left wing with nine goals scored, the game's top scorer, and Mikkel Hansen perfect at 7m (5/5, 7/9 in total), Luka Karabatic's teammates did not have never managed to catch up.

Now in sight, the small final, to grab a third place.

"This is not a match that we will harm (...) In the history of PSG, two small finals were played (in 2016 and 2018, note), twice we went to look for them (.. .) We have to go get this 3rd place, it's not nothing. It's the most beautiful of competitions, we will do our best to get it ", certified Remili.

The Spanish club is on its way to a tenth title in C1.

© 2020 AFP