Luka, how do you feel as you approach a new season which promises to be very rich, both with Paris SG and with the French team? Luka Karabatic: It’s going well, thank you. I still feel a little tired because I have just finished a fairly intense preparation. And then the more the seasons go by, the older you get and the more you feel them going through these preparations (smile). But I feel pretty good. I think we worked well with Paris. We had this first objective of winning the Champions Trophy and we achieved it by having a great match (35-25 victory against Nantes), so I am very happy to start the season in this way. It makes us want to see what happens next and see how we can build on this good foundation.
Was this preparation, on a more personal level, different because of the length of a season that will end with the Olympic Games in Paris next summer (July 26-August 11)? Frankly, I try not to think about it too much. In my preparation, I was more in Paris SG mode and the coming season than my mind was already turned towards the Games. Especially since I know how demanding it is to play all the competitions trying to win them. Afterwards, of course, I also know that everything I’m working on today, whether physically or handballistically, will serve me for the French team and perhaps the Olympic Games. These are in the back of my mind, but the focus as I speak to you is more on my season with Paris.
It must not be easy to put the Games in Paris, which will be the competition of a career, aside… Obviously. I had the opportunity to experience it before and what I experienced there was so incredible. So living them in your country should only increase this feeling even more, even if I’ve never experienced it. But in the two Games in which I participated, I saw that it was a notch above for the athletes of the host country. I imagine that emotionally, he must have nothing to compare. Also in terms of pressure and expectation, it’s going to be huge. Everything will be at its peak. And I hope that in this context, the France team will manage to sublimate itself to go to the end. It’s something huge that is being prepared in any case.
You speak of paroxysm. Just today, how many people talk to you about Paris 2024 every day? I’ve lost count (laughs). Almost every day I am confronted with it. Monday morning, I made my daughter’s return to school and on all the tables, there were the Olympic rings above. I already know that they have lots of small events throughout the year that will revolve around the Games, and I think that will be the case in all primary schools. You have to be mentally ready for this to stay focused on everyday life, with your head calm and away from noise.
For you, the emotional impact will be all the stronger as it will be the last season of your brother, Nikola…Yes, clearly. It will also be a special year for this reason. Now, I have been preparing for this eventuality for some time, which I knew would eventually happen. But I don’t want to look too far ahead and I want to enjoy day after day all these moments that we are going to experience together, whether with Paris or with the French team. We will try to have as much fun as possible.
Have you ever wondered, even if you’re younger, to quit at the same time as him? No, I didn’t think about it. I am four years younger than him. In my mind, I had always told myself that when he stopped, I would still have a few years left. I always calculated 4 more, telling myself that I could still play four more years (smile). Even if I am also aware that Niko is a legend, and a machine, and that I don’t know if I would be able to do that. And then you know, Niko has to have his moment, because he’s a unique player and he deserved the best outing.
When he told you his decision, what was your first reaction? I wasn’t surprised to be honest. I knew very well that with these 2024 Olympics, the date coincided perfectly. It had almost gone unsaid between us as it seemed obvious to me that he was going, and in a certain way that he had to, stop there. So I was prepared for it.
Are all these upcoming emotions likely to cause excess stress? For example, are you going to fear more all season an injury, for you and even for him, which would prevent him from being able to fully choose his ending? Personally, I like this sentence: fear does not remove danger . I try to think like that and you have to get the hurt out of your head. You really have to enjoy the present moment, live in the moment. It is the most important. And it’s the best way to move forward by having a great season. The more you try to avoid the injury, somewhere, the more likely it is to occur. Of course, you are aware that this can happen but if you think about it every day, it’s too much negative stress.
