Nantes went to draw 28-28 at Szeged (Hungary) early Wednesday evening, during the 14th and final day of the Champions League group stage. With this third place, retained after their draw combined with that of the Germans of Kiel, fourth, the Nantes residents offer themselves a table a priori more favorable for the play-offs and possible quarter-finals.
The “H” will be opposed during the play-offs, which act as the round of 16 for the teams ranked from third to sixth place, to the formation which will finish sixth in pool A, namely the Croatians of Zagreb or the Poles of Wisla Plock.
Solid performance
The 2018 Champions League finalist had already made sure to finish in the top four and thus benefit from home advantage in the return play-off. Third place also allows him to avoid facing the first of one of the pools in the event of qualification for the quarterfinals.
Nantes delivered a solid performance in the hall of Szeged and could even have won after spending most of the meeting in the lead. The teammates of French international Thibaud Briet took control of the game at the end of the first period, thanks to an impressive entry from their Portuguese goalkeeper Manuel Gaspar in the 25th, when the score was 13-13.
The doorman repelled six of the first nine shots attempted by the Hungarians, allowing his team to soar to the score, to lead by four goals (24-20, 46th). But a double numerical inferiority created breaches in the Nantes defense, which Szeged was able to take advantage of to pick up. Briet (three goals) thought he had given his side a definitive advantage one minute from time, but the Hungarian champion equalized a few seconds from time.
Without consequence for the “H”, whose players were kept informed of the final result between their pursuer, Kiel and the Norwegians of Elverum (26-26), synonymous with guaranteed third place. Nantes, third in the French championship, will challenge their opponent in the play-off on March 22 or 23 before receiving him for the return match on March 29 or 30.