Cesson-Rennes - Paris preview: Crucial points in a match of extremes
Paris Saint-Germain Handball will travel to Rennes for Liqui Moly Starligue Matchday 24. Currently 15th in the league, the Brittany side desperately need points, while Paris will be looking to maintain their three-point lead at the top.
A better start
Cesson, who suffered seven consecutive league defeats at one point this season, seem to have regained some momentum. After a last-minute draw at home to Nîmes (26-26), the side from Rennes rediscovered the taste of victory away from home with a narrow win in Dunkerque (31-32).
Points are the name of the game
As Edgar Dentz said a few days ago on the club's official website, "Every match is now a final!". In 15th place, Cesson sit just inside the relegation zone, one point behind direct rivals Chartres and Créteil, both on 14 points. While Créteil will host Saint-Raphaël and Chartres will see Dunkerque travel to its Colisée, Cesson-Rennes will have to give their all to try to take hte points from Les Rouge et Bleu.
Our Parisians remain firmly atop the standings, with Nantes and Montpellier three and four points behind respectively. This gap could widen when The H play host to Nîmes and MHB travel to Le Phare in Chambéry for a classic French handball fixture.
Cesson know how to defend
Although Rennes are only 15th on the Liqui Moly StarLigue attack table, they are much more at home when it comes to keeping goals out. The 10th best defence in the league has an inspired Mate Sunjic to rely on in the Breton goal. Having played for Créteil and Ivry, the 38-year-old Croatian is sixth on the saves chart with 191 saves at a rate of almost 27%.
In the reverse fixture at Coubertin, the Rennes keeper was once again in fine form with 11 saves at 32%, despite his side's 35-29 defeat. This was perhaps due to a well-inspired Luc Steins, who fired a 5 from 5. However, the head-to-head record between the sides has always been heavily in favour of Les Rouge et Bleu: 23 wins, 1 draw and 3 wins for Cesson.
Liqui Moly StarLigue Matchday 23 fixtures
Thursday 17 April
20:30: Ivry - Limoges
20:00: Cesson-Rennes - Paris match broadcast on beIN Sports 2 and to be followed in full on our live tweet.
20:00: Chambéry - Montpellier
20:30: Créteil - Saint-Raphaël
20:30: Tremblay - Aix
Saturday 19 April
20:00: Toulouse - Istres
Sunday 20 April
16:00: Chartres - Dunkerque
17:00: Nantes - Nîmes