Five things on Celje - PSG Handball

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After a week and a half off, Paris Saint-Germain Handball get back to the competition with an EHF Champions League clash on Thursday night. For this last 16 first-leg tie, they travel to Slovenia to take on familiar foes Celje.

1 - A look back at the group stage
After a difficult start (one win and three defeats in their first four games), Les Rouge et Bleu finished the group stage very strongly. They gradually clawed their way up the table and took the second place in Group A from Kielce on the final day (thanks to a prolific 37-26 victory over the Poles at Coubertin). They now face the seventh-placed side from Group B - Celje. The Slovenians had a more complicated first phase, with ten defeats for four successes and would have been in the red zone without the reform (which qualified all teams for the next round). Despite this, they managed some big results, notably winning at Nantes (28-30).

2 - Big history
While recent European campaigns have been more difficult- this is their first qualification for the last 16 since 2014 - Celje have enjoyed many highlights in the Champions League. The Yellow and Blue won the 2004 edition after a two-legged final saw them trump Flensburg (34-28; 30-28). At that time, the Slovenian team had in their ranks such key players as Siarhei Rutenka (six-time winner of the competition) and Uros Zorman. But there are other iconic players who came through the club, such as former Parisians Gorazd Skof and William Accambray, French international Igor Anic, and Barcelona right-winger Blaz Janc. Considered a breeding ground for young talent, the squad still has only three players in their thirties (average age of 22).

3 - Key stats
While it is difficult to make statistical conclusions after the group stage this season, with so many matches ending yup not taking place, we can nonetheless see that the Parisian attack scored a lot of goals! With 388 strikes, they boast the second-best record in Group A, behind Kielce (442) who, unlike Paris, played all their matches. The duel between these two teams was also fought on the individual level: between Mikkel Hansen, second-top scorer in the competition with 72 goals in 11 matches and Alex Dujshebaev (80 goals in 14 appearances). Celje's most prolific player (from an offensive line that totalled 372 goals) is Slovenian left-back, Ziga Mlakar (39 goals).

4 - Head-to-head
This round of 16 will serve as the ninth and tenth clashes between Paris and Celje. The very first European duel between these two teams dates back to October 18, 2015. At that time, Nikola Karabatic turned in a great performance by scoring nine times (30-32). Last season, Kamil Syprzak matched that feat to help Paris to another win (29-33). But while the capital club has always managed to win against its direct opponent, be it at home or on the road, the games have not always been easy and could often have turned the other way. It will be necessary to be solid during this double confrontation to punch their ticket for the quarters - a stage Paris have qualified for every season since 2013-2014!

5 - To follow the game (kickoff at 20:45):
• Television: Eurosport Player
• Live tweet: our official page

(Credits: J. Azouze/PSG)