“How to motivate people to come and watch the match ?”: BLMA hosts a well-known opponent in the first leg of the Eurocup round of 16

Nell Angloma performe cette saison en coupe d’Europe. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

Lattes-Montpellier reçoit les Lituaniennes de Klaipedos Neptunas, ce jeudi (20 h) pour le 16e de finale aller d’Eurocoupe. Un adversaire que l’équipe héraultaise connaît bien.

Things are getting serious for the Gazelles. After a perfectly controlled group stage and six wins in as many games, the Latto-Montpellier team begins the elimination matches, at home, this Thursday, December 12, against the Lithuanians of Klaipedos Neptunas.

An opponent that the BLMA knows perfectly well since they were in the same group as the Hérault team. Strangely enough, Romane Berniès and her teammates find this opponent very quickly. “We're a bit disgusted to be playing the same team again. But hey, that's how it is. At least it's a team we know. We'll have a few fewer surprises maybe”, thinks the captain of the Gazelles.

“They could have thought that the teams in the same group would avoid playing each other… It's annoying! It's not for us but for the public. We're playing a team that we've beaten twice. How can we motivate people to come and see the match?”, fumes Valéry Demory, coach of the Héraultaises.

A future trip “far to be simple”

The latter had imposed themselves rather easily there (62-74) and at home (74-53). Not that the Demory players take the match lightly. “We have to be serious and do what is necessary. We know where we want to go and that already involves this next round. We are going to approach it seriously”, explains Romane Berniès.

The objective will be to take a cushion of points in advance, before the return match in Lithuania, “A trip far from simple and fun.”