France – Portugal in the small final of the Handball World Cup: at what time and on which channel to watch the match this Sunday

Nedim Remili et les Bleus se doivent une revanche. MAXPPP – Laurent Lairys

Flinguée par la Croatie en demie, la France espère rafler le bronze pour redorer son blason.

The French handball team will try to go and get the bronze medal of the World Championships on Sunday (3pm) in Oslo against Portugal to alleviate a little the impression of failure that emerges from a competition that they came to win. The Blues lost about fifteen degrees from Zagreb to the Norwegian capital, a breath of fresh air that could oxygenate their brains still marked by the disillusionment in the semi-finals, against Croatia (31-28).

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Discussions and redemption

“We need to chat, talk. It needs to be evacuated, to be shared and put to the service of what comes next”to bounce back, coach Guillaume Gille stressed on Saturday. However, he did not want to return to the tactical, technical and mental shortcomings that would explain the debacle in the first half in Zagreb, leaving the balance sheet to the end of the competition.

“Our job is to ensure that heads remain clear about what we still have to do, and it is not to open the semi-final file, to get splashed by things that are not beautiful. But to concentrate our energies to play a great match tomorrow”, he explained.

I hope that it is from this epic that we will build even better ones in the future

Portugal is waiting for them to win the first medal in its history, which would reward its progress over several years and would enhance an almost impeccable run: only one defeat (Denmark in the semi-finals) and several European heavyweights hanging on to the scoreboard (Sweden, Norway, Spain, Germany). Bronze would also have a flavor according to the Blues after the silver gleaned in 2023 and the Olympic fiasco.

Portugal over-motivated

“This has a very important meaning for us. It would be the realization of a month that was not perfect, obviously, but positive for this new group”, underlines Nedim Remili, after the departure of the old ones (Nikola Karabatic, Valentin Porte, Vincent Gérard and even Timothey Nguessan). “I hope that it is from this epic that we will build even more beautiful ones in the future”, he added. Guillaume Gille, for his part, “never cheapens this type of consecration”, even though “French handball has very often been accustomed to foie gras with the gold medal”.

It will not be made of the finest metal for Portugal either, but its coach Paulo Pereira has promised that he will have “his medal before he dies”. “Ok, very well, it's good to say it. We'll see if he can do it. I hope so, but not tomorrow”, replied Gille.

A match to follow this Sunday at 3pm on BeIN Sport 1.