One more effort. Paris-SG only needs a small point to secure its place among the top two in Group A of the Champions League, directly qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Thursday evening in Plock, Poland, and next Thursday against Veszprem (Hungary), Raul Gonzalez, the Parisian coach, will undoubtedly need to tinker less than in recent weeks, with the scheduled return of the injured Luka Karabatic (ischios), Dainis Kristopans (calf) and Kamil Syprzak (fibula), after that of Elohim Prandi (ankle). Only Nikola Karabatic (phlebitis) is still absent, for several months.
Gonzalez, however, handled the shortage as usual, unfazed. This season, not much will have been spared the Spanish technician (53), in office since 2018. Last summer, he saw two of the best players in the world leave (Mikkel Hansen in Aalborg [DAN] and Nedim Remili in Kielce [POL]*), including replacements Yoann Gibelin and Dominik Mathé (ex-Créteil and Hilverum [DAN]) arrived injured. His team started the season with three losses in their first seven matches. In the fall, his hierarchy told him that his contract would not be extended at the end of the season.
“Having been able to keep Raul is the best thing that could have happened in Paris. »
Jérôme Fernandez, his former player at Ciudad Real
But everything goes very quickly in handball too. The Spaniard Xavi Pascual, whom PSG was targeting to succeed him, got tired of waiting for confirmation of the Parisian offer, blocked by the upheavals in the club’s organization chart, and extended with Dinamo Bucharest. Finally, the Parisian leaders returned to Gonzalez, who returned last month until 2025, without resentment. “I waited because I wanted to continue here, he explains. There is everything you need to work and my family is very happy in Paris. Why change? »
At the same time, his team recovered in the Championship, where it is joint leader with Montpellier after 17 days.
“Having been able to keep Raul is the best thing that could have happened in Paris, believes Eurosport consultant Jérôme Fernandez, who played under him at Ciudad Real (2008-2010). He is doing very well considering the context. »
And his tactical knowledge remains impressive. In Zagreb, a fortnight ago (30-33 victory), he was able to compensate for the physical deficit of his team with a staggered defense in “1-5”. He also repositioned right winger Ferran Solé as right-back, where his support and vision of the game worked wonders (12 goals).
“It’s in his philosophy. Already as a player (silver medalist at Euro 1996 and 1998, bronze medalist at the 1996 Olympics with Spain), he was a very clever playmaker, who always found solutions when faced with difficulties, observe Fernandez. He orchestrates the collective so that it remains efficient despite the vagaries. »
The rest of his Parisian adventure risks being written without his deputy and namesake Jota Gonzalez, who could take over as head of the Portuguese club Benfica. But there again, it will take more to destabilize “Raul the resourcefulness”.