Five things on PSG Handball - Chambéry

News

On Tuesday evening Paris Saint-Germain Handball will get back on track with their Lidl Starligue schedule, playing their rescheduled Round 15 clash with Chambéry at Le Phare - with the objective of continuing their perfect record this season.

1 - Chambéry are getting better...
Chambéry have been running hot and cold since the beginning of the season, and this is reflected in their current ranking of eighth (17 points). However, they have several postponed matches in hand and would in any case be higher up the table had they been able to produce a bit more consistency (seven wins, three draws and five losses). However, things have been going much better in 2021 and - apart from a narrow defeat against Tremblay (25-27) - they have achieved good results, like a draw in Dunkirk (21-21) and away winds over Nîmes (28-32), Toulouse (25-26) and Limoges (33-34). Note that, like Paris, Chambéry have not played in the championship since March 20, following several postponed matches.

2 - ... while Paris roll on
For their part, Les Rouge et Bleu are still flawless in the championship, with 17 wins in as many games. In their last Lidl StarLigue outing, our team continued their winning run by disposing of an excellent Ivry side, in a hotly contested derby (34-25). Thus, Raul Gonzalez' men remain alone at the top of the Lidl StarLigue table with 34 points, two points clear of nearest rivals Montpellier, who have played one game more, but also eight ahead of the third-placed Nantes. 

3 - Danger at both ends
But in France, ranking is not necessarily an predictor of success. The Yellow and Black also have the advantage of having many talented players. One thinks in particular of their goalkeeping duo, composed of Julien Meyer and Nikola Portner. The Swiss international, who arrived in Chambéry last summer, is having an excellent season and sits ninth pom the saves chart (135). Vincent Gérard is not far ahead with 141 saves. Offensively, Benjamin Richert (22-year-old right winger) is the competition's third-highest scorer, with 92 goals (his previous record was 19, last season).

4 - Head-to-head
This duel has become a Lidl Starligue classic! This 30th confrontation between the sides, should have taken place last week, at Le Phare, but the match was in the end postponed following several cases of COVID among the Parisian coaching staff. For the moment, the capital club dominates the historical record with 17 victories, one draw and 11 defeats - and have prevailed in the last ten on the bounce. Paris Saint-Germain Handball's last defeat in the fixture was on October 16, 2014 (33-32). Despite seven goals of Fahrudin Melic and five from Samuel Honrubia, it was a current Parisian - Yann Genty - who did his future club the most damage, stopping 18 shots.

5 - To follow the match (kick-off at 17:00):
• Television: live on our Facebook page and on our official website
• At the Stade Pierre de Coubertin: Behind closed doors

(Credits: J. Azouze/PSG)