Paris Saint-Germain's EHFCL opponents: Veszprém

News

Paris Saint-Germain Handball are particularly familiar with some of their seven opponents in the upcoming EHF Champions League group stage, notably Veszprém one of the clubs Les Rouge et Bleu have faced the most.

History

Veszprém did not wait long to make a name for themselves in the world of handball. Founded in 1977, the Hungarian club is relatively young, but it already boasts an impressive track record. In fact, their stamnding in Hungary is based on an incredible 28 league titles, well ahead of their main rivals Szeged, who have five league titles. For the time being, all Veszprém need is a Champions League title to add to their impressive trophy cabinet. Despite having contested four finals since 2002, Veszprém are yet to land at the top of European handball.

Season 23-24

As is so often the case, the Red and Whites once again won the national championship last season. But not just any old way! Momir Ilic's men ended the regular season with 26 wins from as many games. They were six points clear of Szeged, whom they met again in the final. The double-header was perfectly controlled, with two wins (35-28; 30-34) for a new title. Veszprém also beat Szeged in the Hungarian Cup final (30-33).

In the EHF Champions League, the Hungarians had to contend with a tough group that included defending champions Madgeburg and eventual winners Barcelona. They finished third at the end of the group phase, and in the last 16 had to face an opponent they know perfectly well: Szeged. This duel between Hungarian teams again went in Veszprém's favour (76-62 over the two legs). Their adventure finally came to an end at the gates of Cologne, against eventual runners-up Aalborg (60-64).

Key players

It would take a long time to list all the key players in the squad, but even if some stand out from the crowd, there is absolutely no dead wood. Among the club's stars, several are particularly well known in France: French internationals Ludovic Fabregas and Hugo Descat, as well as former Parisians Rodrigo Corrales (119 saves in the Champions League last season) and Nedim Remili (the club's top scorer in Europe last season with 86 goals).

TRANSFERS

A number of Veszprém players have decided to move on this summer. Kentin Mahé is one of them; the French international is heading back to Germany to play for Gummersbach. Benedek Nagy has joined HBW Balingen-Weilstetten, while the emblematic Andreas Nilsson has signed for Önnered. Last but not least, Egyptian right-back Yahia Omar (83 goals in the 2021-2022 Champions League campaign) is moving to the French capital to join Paris Saint-Germain Handball.

HEAD TO HEAD

The clash between Veszprém and Paris is now a classic in European handball. This season, the two teams will be meeting for the 17th and 18th times on the European stage. The battle has often been epic, both in the group phase and in Cologne. The capital club currently lead by one victory, with eight wins to seven defeats and one draw. One of their most historic victories came in 2017, when Les Rouge et Bleu put an end to their opponents' three-year unbeaten run in the Veszprém Arena (a 5,000-capacity venue with a supercharged atmosphere).

 

(Credits: J. Azouze/PSG)