# Metz Handball

Metz Handball is a French handball club from Metz, France. Founded in 1965 under the name ASPTT Metz, the club has an exceptional track record with some 40 titles won, which is the all-time record for a French women's team sport. Chaired by Thierry Weizman since 2005, the club is becoming increasingly professional and now aims to play a leading role in Europe.
The men's team also played in 1st League between 1971 and 1983, and nowadays plays in Nationale 1 (3rd division) since 2020.

## History

Over the past few decades, Metz Handball has become the most prestigious women's handball club in France. It is also one of the oldest institutions playing in the French elite.
The club was created in 1965 under the name of ASPTT Metz, but it wasn't until 1968, with the creation of the women's team, that the club became well-known in the sport.
Second-place finishers in France and semi-finalists in the Cup of Cups in 1977, the men's team gave ASPTT Metz its first prestige on a major stage. But in the shadow of the men's team, the women's team progressed year after year until being promoted in 1986 to France's top tier, without being relegated since. The coach of the team at that time was Frenchman Olivier Krumbholz, who later became the successful national manager for France. Since the promotion, Metz HB has had overwhelming success with 24 National Championships from 1989 to 2022, which is the all-time record in the French Women's First League Championship.
Metz Handball is progressively establishing itself as a strong place in European handball. A first epic saw the Dragonnes reach the semi-final of the Cup Winners Cup in 1999. They then became famous in the EHF Cup where, after several quarter finals, they played a first European final in 2013 but did not manage to win the title. The following seasons, the club gains momentum and shines in the Champions League. Unlucky quarter-finalists in 2017 and 2018, Metz participated for the first time in the Final 4 of Europe's most prestigious competition in 2019, where they finished fourth.
After a season without any trophy in 2021, Metz Handball realizes the most beautiful season of its history. The club won a 24th French Championship title, a 10th French Cup, and became famous in the Ligue Butagaz Énergie with a flawless record: 26 victories in 26 games. For the second time in its history, the Dragonnes participated in the Final 4 of the Women's EHF Champions League and won their first European medal by finishing third.

### Name

* 1967–2002: ASPTT Metz
* 2002–2005: Handball Metz Métropole
* 2005–2009: Handball Metz Moselle Lorraine
* 2009–: Metz Handball

## Results
### National competitions

* French Championship:
** Winners (26): 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
** Runners-up (7): 1991, 1992, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2012, 2015, 2021
* French Cup:
** Winners (12): 1990, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
** Runners-up (7): 1987, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2018
* French League Cup:
** Winners (7): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014
** Runners-up (1): 2004

### International competitions

* EHF Cup (C3):
** Silver: 2013
* EHF Cup Winners' Cup (C2):
** Semi-finalist: 1999, 2004, 2010, 2011
* EHF Champions League (C1):
** Bronze: 2022
** Fourth place: 2019, 2024
** Quarterfinalists: 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023

## European record

Record :
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 2024–25 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria | 24–19 | 23–26 | 1st |
| 2024–25 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | CSM București | 27–24 | 31–32 | 1st |
| 2024–25 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | RK Krim | 34–30 | 25–34 | 1st |
| 2024–25 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | Storhamar HE | 24–20 | 29–29 | 1st |
| 2024–25 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | Nykøbing Falster Håndboldklub | 30–22 | 27–28 | 1st |
| 2024–25 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | RK Podravka Vegeta | 35–31 | 26–28 | 1st |
| 2024–25 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | CS Gloria Bistrița | 28–26 | 28–34 | 1st |
| 2024–25 | EHF Champions League | Quarterfinals | | | |

## Team
### Current squad

    Squad for the 2024-25 season
Information of players out on loan :
| No. | Nat. | Player | Position | Date of Birth | Since | Loan until | Current club |
| 71 | | Mélanie Halter | Goalkeeper | 17 June 2002 | 1 July 2024 | 30 June 2025 | Mosonmagyaróvári KC SE |
| 11 | | Mia Brkic | Line Player | 11 May 2003 | 1 July 2024 | 30 June 2026 | RK Podravka Koprivnica |
Squad information :
| No. | Player | Position | Date of Birth | In | Contract until | Previous club |
| 1 | Camille Depuiset | Goalkeeper | 19 October 1998 | 2022 | 2025 | Bourg-de-Péage Drôme Handball |
| 6 | Chloé Valentini | Left Wing | 19 April 1995 | 2021 | 2027 | ESBF Besançon |
| 7 | Allison Pineau | Centre Back | 2 May 1989 | 2024 | 2025 | RK Krim |
| 8 | Anne Mette Hansen | Left Back | 25 August 1994 | 2023 | 2025 | Győri ETO KC |
| 9 | Tyra Axnér | Left Back | 18 March 2002 | 2024 | 2027 | Nykøbing Falster Håndboldklub |
| 15 | Anne-Emmanuelle Augustine | Line Player | 10 July 2001 | 2024 | 2026 | OGC Nice Handball |
| 16 | Cléopatre Darleux | Goalkeeper | 1 July 1989 | 2024 | 2025 | Brest Bretagne Handball |
| 20 | Laura Flippes | Right Back | 13 December 1994 | 2024 | 2027 | CSM București |
| 23 | Zaliata Mlamali | Left Wing | 23 February 2003 | 2023 | 2025 |
| 24 | Emma Jacques | Right Back | 29 November 2001 | 2021 | 2025 |
| 27 | Sarah Bouktit | Line Player | 27 August 2002 | 2021 | 2027 | Fleury Loiret HB |
| 28 | Lucie Granier | Right Wing | 11 June 1999 | 2023 | 2027 | ESBF Besançon |
| 29 | Léna Grandveau | Centre Back | 21 January 2003 | 2024 | 2027 | Neptunes de Nantes |
| 31 | Djazz Chambertin | Left Back | 24 May 1997 | 2023 | 2025 | OGC Nice Handball |
| 37 | Zsófi Szemerey | Goolkeeper | 2 June 1994 | 2024 | 2026 | Mosonmagyaróvári KC SE |
| 38 | Petra Vámos | Centre Back | 14 September 2000 | 2024 | 2027 | Debreceni VSC |
| 66 | Nadine Szöllősi-Schatzl | Left Wing | 19 November 1993 | 2025 | 2025 | Moyra-Budaörs Handball |
| 98 | Manon Errard | Right Wing | 9 February 2005 | 2024 | 2028 |

### Transfers

    Transfers for the 2025–26 season

### Technical staff

    Staff for the 2024–25 season
* Head coach: Emmanuel Mayonnade
* Assistant coach: Yekaterina Andryushina
* Physical coach: Samuel Breton
* Goalkeeping coach: None
* Physiotherapist: Alexandre Pawlowski
* Physiotherapist: Pierre Gillet
* Physiotherapist: Charles Balanger
* Doctor: Thierry Weizman

## Academy
### Training Center

    As of the 2024–25 season

### Men's team

    As of the 2024–25 season

## Notable former players

* Camille Ayglon
* Paule Baudouin
* Isabelle Cendier Ajaguin
* Chloé Bulleux
* Cléopatre Darleux
* Béatrice Edwige
* Laura Flippes
* Laura Glauser
* Astride N'Gouan
* Nathalie Selambarom
* Gervaise Pierson
* Orlane Kanor
* Tamara Horacek
* Méline Nocandy
* Leila Lejeune
* Manon Houette
* / Melinda Jacques-Szabó
* Nina Kamto Njitam
* Corinne Krumbholz [fr]
* Laurisa Landre
* Amandine Leynaud
* Marion Limal
* Stéphanie Ludwig
* Nodjialem Myaro
* Claudine Mendy
* Gnonsiane Niombla
* Allison Pineau
* Katty Piejos
* Estelle Vogein
* Linda Pradel
* Sophie Remiatte
* Maakan Tounkara
* Delphine Guehl
* Isabelle Wendling
* Grâce Zaadi
* Hatadou Sako
* Justina Praça
* Bruna de Paula
* Klaudija Bubalo
* Kristina Franić (Elez)
* Ivana Kapitanović
* Ćamila Mičijević
* Ivana Lovric
* Vesna Horaček [fr]
* Lenka Černá
* Pavla Poznarová
* Lenka Kysučanová
* Louise Burgaard
* Kristina Jørgensen
* Lara González
* Xenia Smits
* Alina Grijseels
* Andrea Farkas
* Viktória Csáki
* Marina Vukčević (Rajčić)
* Debbie Bont
* Yvette Broch
* Jurswailly Luciano
* Ekaterina Andryushina
* Valeriia Maslova
* / Irina Popova [fr]
* Zita Galic
* Kristina Liščević
* Tatjana Medved
* Svetlana Ognjenović
* Slađana Pop-Lazić
* Ana Gros
* Olga Peredery
* Carmen Nițescu

## Head coach history

| Claude Guillois | 1980–1985 |
| Olivier Krumbholz | 1985–1995 |
| Joël Monasso | 1995–1996 |
| Patrick Passemard | 2003 |
| Bertrand François | 1996–2003; 2004–2006; 2009–2010 |
| Dragan Majstrorovic | 2010 |
| Sébastien Gardillou | 2010–2012 |
| Sandor Rac | 2006–2009; 2012–2014 |
| Jérémy Roussel | 2014–2015 |
| Emmanuel Mayonnade | 2015– |

## Stadium

* Name: Les Arènes
* City: Metz
* Capacity: 4,500 / 5,000
* Address: 5 avenue Louis-le-Débonnaire 57000
* Played in the arena since: 2001-

## Kit manufacturers

* Kempa