Paris-Limoges preview: The final sprint begins

Avant-match

On Sunday, Paris Saint-Germain Handball take on Limoges at Coubertin in Liqui Moly StarLigue Matchday 26 action. This exciting clash will be followed by a tribute to an eternal legend: Nikola Karabatic.

High stakes at all levels

With five games to go in an exciting season, the capital club are still atop the Liqui Moly StarLigue standings. Les Rouge et Bleu currently hold a four-point lead over second-placed Montpellier while Nantes, who rested last weekend in preparation for their EHF Champions League quarter-final return leg against Sporting CP (a 29-30 victory that secured their place in the Final4), could still regain second place if they win their postponed match against Saint-Raphaël on 16 May. For our Parisians, this match also serves as a final test before the Coupe de France final against Montpellier, which will take place at the AccorArena after the international break, at 17:00 on Sunday 18 May.

For Limoges, the European fairy tale came to an end this week. After two intense matches, they fell to giants Kiel in the quarter-finals of the EHF European League (61-56). However, Les Bleu et Blanc have nothing to be ashamed of, having achieved the feat of holding Imre Bence's side to a draw at Beaublanc in the first leg (26-26). Leaving the competition with the best attacking record, Limoges have made a name for themselves on the European stage. Now, the team from Nouvelle-Aquitaine is ready to refocus on the championship. While the quest for another continental qualification looks complicated, it is not impossible. Currently seventh in the Liqui Moly StarLigue, Alberto Entrerrios' men are four points behind the top five.

Talent in all areas of the game

Limoges' impressive performance in their first ever European campaign owes much to their wealth of talent. Despite their having been eliminated, Ihor Turchenko still tops the EHF European League scoring charts with 89 goals. The 24-year-old left-back is also doing well in the league, where he is seventh with 132 goals. However, Raul Gonzalez's men would be wrong to focus solely on the Ukrainian talent this Sunday, as Limoges have solutions in every position, particularly in the centre.

In domestic action and on the continental stage, Seif El Deera has been shining brightly in recent months. The Egyptian centre-half excels both in finishing (116 goals scored in the league) and in playmaking (93 assists). Undoubtedly enjoying the best season of his career, the player who will join Barcelona this summer is sure to be one of Limoges' main threats.

Nikola Karabatic: a tribute worthy of a legend

There are moments in a career that you never forget. Even though his career came to an end last summer, a final tribute is in order to bring things full circle. Almost a year after watching his last match in the Rouge et Bleu colours at the AccorArena, Paris Saint-Germain Handball and its fans will have the honour of saying a final goodbye to Nikola Karabatic in his home at Coubertin. A pillar of the capital club for nine seasons (2015-2024), our iconic number 44 will see his jersey retired and hoisted high at Coubertin alongside three players and a personality dear to the Rouge et Bleu family: Luc Abalo, Mikkel Hansen, Patrice Annonay, and Christophe Dubois. This is an event not to be missed for all fans of the capital club.

Key stats

9. The capital club has won all nine of its league matches against Limoges.

16. Last September, in his second match wearing Rouge et Bleu, Yahia Omar dazzled the Limoges defence. The Egyptian international was instrumental in 16 of Paris's 30 goals (nine goals and seven assists), playing a key role in Les Rouge et Bleu's narrow victory (29-30). This performance remains his best for Paris to date.

21. Last week, Jannick Green set a new personal best for saves with Paris, stopping 22 attempts against Tremblay (30-26). His previous record was set against Limoges on the first day of the 2023-2024 season, when he denied the Limousins 19 times.

14. Kamil Syprzak is closing in on another milestone, as he is now just 14 goals away from reaching the 900-goal mark in the league.

8. David Balaguer is also approaching a significant point with the capital club. If he finds the back of the net eight times, the Spanish left winger will reach the 200-goal mark in the league for Les Rouge et Bleu.

Liqui Moly StarLigue Matchday 26 fixtures

Friday 2 May, 20:00

Chartres - Créteil

Istres - Nîmes

Toulouse - Montpellier 

Saturday 3 May, 20:00

Dunkerque - Pays d’Aix

Tremblay - Saint-Raphaël

Saturday 3 May, 20:30

Nantes - Ivry 

Sunday 4 May, 17:00

Paris - Limoges, broadcast on BeIn Sports 3 and to be followed on our live tweet.

Sunday 4 May, 18:00

Cesson Rennes - Chambéry

(Credits: L. Valroff/PSG)