Preview: 5 things about Cesson-Rennes - Paris

Avant-match

Les Rouge et Bleu travel to the Glaz Arena in Rennes on Wednesday to take on Cesson-Rennes. Find out all you need to know about this Liqui Moly StarLigue Round 25 fixture.

1 - THE TABLE

After a particularly testing first half of the season, which saw them relegated to the bottom of the standings, Cesson-Rennes have managed to build momentum since resuming the league campaign after the Euros. Now in tenth place, the Bretons have conceded just one defeat in the last seven Liqui Moly StarLigue matches - against Nantes (26-36). Last week, Sébastien Leriche's men pulled off a surprise victory in Toulouse (29-31).

Meanwhile, the capital club got back to winning ways in the league thanks to a perfectly controlled 37-29 win over Saint-Raphaël. The win keeps Raul Gonzalez's men three points clear at the top of the standings.

2 - DEFENCES FACE OFF

Against Cesson-Rennes, the Les Rouge et Bleu will have to work hard to find the space in a Breton rearguard that is becoming increasingly solid as the weeks go by. The fifth-best defence in the league with 723 goals conceded - just nine more than third-placed Paris - Les Irréductibles can rely on their last line of defence, Arnaud Tabarand. The former Parisian has established himself as one of the leaders of the team, passing on all his experience since his arrival in 2022. This season, the 38-year-old goalkeeper has become one of the Liqui Moly StarLigue's specialists when it comes to making saves from the penalty line, with ten such saves to his name.

3 - A DECISIVE MONTH OF APRIL

As we enter the second half of April, Les Rouge et Bleu begin the final sprint of an incredible season. In the space of just a few days, Raul Gonzalez's men face one major fixture after another. In addition to the important trip to the Glaz Arena in the battle for the Liqui Moly StarLigue title, Paris will have the opportunity to win a second trophy of the season on Saturday. After winning the Trophée des Champions against Nantes at the start of the season, Paris face the same opponents in the Coupe de France final. It's shaping up as a thrilling match at the iconic Accor Arena, just a few days before the eagerly-awaited clash with Barcelona in the EHF Champions League quarter-finals at a Stade Pierre de Coubertin that's already close to sold out.

4 - HEAD TO HEAD

Cesson-Rennes are a team that Raul Gonzalez has enjoyed particular success against since taking over at the capital club; the Spanish coach has won all nine of his meetings with Les Irréductibles. That run of victories extends even further for Les Rouge et Bleu, who have now won 21 consecutive league games against Cesson-Rennes since 2012. Earlier this season, the Parisians put in a solid performance against their Breton counterparts, winning comfortably at Coubertin (34-26).

5 - TO FOLLOW THE MATCH

Throw-off: 20:00

Television: BeIn Sports 3

Social networks: Live-tweet

(Credits: L. Valroff/Team Pics/PSG)