It is indeed incomprehensible that the 7th is facing the leader, while logic argues for the 8th against the 1st, as was the case last season when Burdis (8th) played against Levallois (1st). And the fact that the Alsace team convincingly won their French Cup victory against Vandœuvre (3-1) on Saturday, does not make them any more vulnerable. But it is essential not to make any mistakes on Tuesday, which could compromise everything. “We have taken the lead,” retorts Guillaume Condamin, who, encouraged by his team’s victory (3-1) in the first leg, is calmly anticipating the return match.
“Beware of counterattacks from Évreux”
Nevertheless, the BMV coach intends to ensure that no one falls victim to overconfidence. The difference in the Évreux match was too slim, with just 7 points (96 to 89), to boast. The Panthers played a solid game, managing an impressive 17 blocks! Never, apart from the return match against Saint-Dié (18), had Nielson and his teammates been so blocked. In contrast, the Burdis lacked efficiency against their opponents’ attacks. Condamin acknowledges a weakness in his team in this area. “We lacked aggressiveness, timing,” he admits. Several of his players (Svobodova, Chase) were ill before the match.
“We expected a close game… It was the case because Évreux took all the risks”
The Burdis will need to correct this on Tuesday, especially since they probably noticed that the Évreux team have had two impressive away victories, winning 3-2 against Terville (10th) and even 3-0 against Marcq-en-Barœul (15th), where they were previously defeated in a tie-break.
Hence, a certain level of confidence from the coach: “We need to be prepared for all situations. We must avoid assuming that it will be an easy match. If it is, great. But we are preparing the players for all eventualities, particularly for when things do not go well. But if we are serious and rigorous, there is no reason to fail.”
“The Match”
