“A difficult and exciting trip”, Montpellier to Toulouse to stay at the top of the Ligue A standings

Corentin Phelut va avoir du boulot sur le parquet toulousain. Midi Libre – Michael Esdourrubailh

Le MHSC VB se déplace à Toulouse pour un nouveau derby occitan, vendredi à partir de 20h, avec la volonté de prendre sa revanche.

On Saturday in Nice, Corentin Phelut was voted best player of the match during Montpellier's 3-1 victory. A distinction rarely awarded to a libero who already stands out for his jersey that is different from his teammates: “It's gratifying since I play in a shadow position,” he said. “I'm used to being in the background, not being in the spotlight. I had a good match but not the best either since I didn't have to do much defensive work. I think I attracted attention with my positive attitude from my teammates, especially at the end of the first set lost. At the end, the guys were happy for me.”

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For his third season as a professional, his second at the highest national level, his first with the jersey of his training club, the 24-year-old native of Montpellier prefers not to stay focused for long on his individual performance: “The important thing in all this is the collective and the victory which was crucial after the home defeat against Paris where we came through (3-0 defeat). This can arrive, the seasons are long. In Nice, it was not a match to get back on track but rather to be in the continuity of what we have been doing well for several weeks. We regained confidence before the big matches that will arrive very quickly.”

Corentin Phelut explains this reaction on the Côte d’Azur by the maturity of the Montpellier group: “Our team is made up of experienced players, several guys are internationals, he emphasizes. They bring us serenity. When we take a slap, I tend to put pressure on myself because of my lack of experience. They, Raphaël (Corre), Ezequiel (Palacios), Tomas (Lopez) and Nico (Le Goff) manage to move on very quickly. I rely on them when I'm not doing so well.”

A busy month of February

Friday, at the start of the 19th day, MHSC VB must face a new major challenge. Beaten at home in the first leg (2-3, on November 30), Phelut and his friends are going to take their revenge in Toulouse. “It's really a team that I fear,” says the Montpellier player. I know a lot of players, some are friends. It will be a difficult trip but also exciting because I love the stadium.”

A victory would be welcome for the co-leader of the championship, tied with Chaumont, before a month of February that promises to be breathtaking. Tuesday, Montpellier hosts Tours in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France and follows with four league matches including three at home (Plessis-Robinson, Saint-Nazaire, Tourcoing) but also a trip to Chaumont.