With 716 goals conceded after 27 league games, no team in France's top flight is more solid defensively than Montpellier. Coach Erick Mathé can count on the solidity of Rémi Desbonnet, who has a save percentage of 34% this season. No other goalkeeper has done better in the league so far this season. He forms a formidable duo with Charles Bolzinger, his club and France teammate.
In defence, another French international is the boss: Karl Konan. A true tower of strength in the Montpellier defence, the 29-year-old left-back is not only preparing to bid farewell to his fans in the MHB's last home game of the season, but also to challenge his future teammates, as he will be joining Paris next season. His replacement has already been found, as Montpellier have announced that they have reached an agreement with Zvonimir Srna. The Zagreb left-back will thus be competing with two young talents who are constantly improving in the blue and white jersey: Brazilian international Bryan Monte (22) and French hopeful Kylian Prat (21).
On the other side, the arrival on loan of Spanish gem Djordje Cikusa from Barcelona has proven to be a real success. With 50 goals and 46 assists in the league, the 19-year-old right-back will return to Catalonia this summer and be replaced by Jack Thurin, a Swedish international playing for Aalborg. Thurin, who has much more experience than Cikusa, will have the difficult task of trying to establish himself ahead of Valentin Porte, Montpellier's iconic captain who, at 34, is still unbeatable and could reach 1,600 league goals in his career against Paris on Saturday, provided he finds the back of the net six times.
Handicapped by a string of injuries throughout the season, Montpellier have been forced to react by signing several medical wildcards, particularly at centre-half. Among them is Sindre Aho, who played for Esbjerg before coming in to fill in for the injured Stas Skube and Killian Villeminot. Signed until the end of the season, the Norwegian is now well integrated alongside the tireless Diego Simonet and the unbeatable Ahmed Hesham. Montpellier's top scorer this season (102 goals), the Egyptian international will bid farewell to his fans on Saturday before joining Veszprém in the summer.
It's not just in defence that Montpellier have had to deal with injuries this season. Lucas Pellas, who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in February, has left a gap on the left wing. The club's management once again had to look for a replacement, and Dagur Gautason, voted best left winger in the Norwegian league last season, joined Montpellier until the end of the season.
At 25, the Iceland international quickly settled into the French league and has clocked a 75% shooting success rate in his first 12 games (34 goals). In recent weeks, the former Arendal player has been getting more and more playing time ahead of Jaime Fernandez, who will play his last match at the Sud de France Arena on Saturday before leaving Montpellier this summer to make way for Léo Plantin.
Our youth academy graduate will not be the only member of the capital club playing under Erick Mathé next season. On the right wing, David Balaguer will replace Sebastian Karlsson, who is preparing to make the reverse move. The Swedish international is set to conclude another successful season in the Hérault region, as he is three points away from 100 goals and ranks as the MHB's second-highest scorer this season behind Hesham.
Yanis Lenne, who also recently suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, will not be playing on Saturday. The injury to the French international, who will join Ahmed Hesham at Veszprém this summer, has brought forward the arrival of Benjamin Richert, initially planned for this summer. The Chambéry right winger joined Montpellier last month and has already won over the Montpellier fans, notably notching a ten-goal haul against Dunkerque in just his second game in his new colours.
Finally, in the pivot position, the arrival of Erick Mathé has enabled Arthur Lenne and Veron Nacinovic to enjoy the best season of their careers. However, the latter will not be continuing his career in the south-west of France, as he will be joining Kiel this summer. To compensate for this major departure, club management has managed to sign the experienced Rogerio Moraes, winner of the EHF Champions League with Raul Gonzalez's Vardar in 2017 and also the capital club's nemesis two years later.
(Credits: L. Valroff/PSG)