Preview: 5 things about Kolstad - Paris

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Paris Saint-Germain Handball travel to Norway on Wednesday to take on Kolstad EHF Champions League Matchday 7. Currently second in their group, Les Rouge et Bleu will be looking to round off the first half of the group stage with a precious win.

1 - THE TABLE

Kolstad, who have qualified for the EHF Champions League for the first time in their history, are off to a flying start and look like a surprise danger team in Group A. Recently beaten by a narrow margin in Aalborg, the Norwegians lie sixth, two points behind the capital club. The Trondheim-based outfit are particularly formidable at home, having already beaten Szeged (37-24) and even Kiel (34-30), the group leaders. In the league, Christian Berge's men are ahead of Elverum.

Les Rouge et Bleu are in second place, two points behind Kiel. Beaten 28-34 by the Germans last time out, the capital club will be keen to get back to winning ways in order to avoid falling behind. It promises to be a perilous trip for Raul Gonzalez's men, who will have to be at their best against a particularly tough opponent.

2 - SYPRZAK AT THE TOP

Kamil Syprzak has looked unstoppable in recent weeks. The Polish international, who scored ten goals in the 34-26 win over Chambéry before the international break, excelled again against Dijon (40-32), netting nine times. With 71 goals in nine games, our pivot has extended his lead at the top of the scoring chart, now five lengths ahead of Dunkirk's Tom Pelayo.

Kamil is also top scorer in the EHF Champions League, with 42 goals in the first six matches. Faced with a tough opponent who can rely on a number of individual talents and an ironclad team spirit, Kamil will be keen to continue his good form and lead Les Rouge et Bleu to an important win.

3 - KOLSTAD: NOT SO SURPRISING

Kolstad may be competing in the EHF Champions League for the first time in their history, but they have big ambitions and have given themselves the means to play spoilsport. The Norwegians can count on a name that is well known to Les Rouge et Bleu: Sander Sagosen, who played for the capital club between 2017 and 2020. Having arrived in Kolstad from Kiel this summer, the Norwegian international is back in his hometown and at the club where he started out. Kolstad's star recruit, Sagosen immediately established himself as one of his team's major assets, and is currently the EHF Champions League assists leader with 42 goals laid on for his teammates.

The former Parisian is not the club's only attacking force. The Norwegians can also count on Goran Sogard Johannessen, who arrived from Flensburg this summer and who sits third on the assists chart with 28. With Kamil Syprzak the current top scorer in the EHF Champions League, his duel with Sigvaldi Gudjonsson, fourth-top scorer with 38 goals, will also be exciting to watch.

Effective in front of goal, Kolstad can also rely on their defensive solidity. With 79 saves, Tobjorn Sittrup Bergerud rivals Barcelona's Emil Nielsen at the top of the EHF Champions League saves chart.

4 - THE OTHER MATCHES

Among the other Group A fixtures, Kielce travel to Croatia to take on Zagreb. Last week, the Poles played in the Super Globe in Saudi Arabia, losing to Magdeburg in the semi-final before falling to Barcelona in the third-place play-off. Zagreb, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back after losing to Szeged in their most recent EHF Champions League outing.

The Parisians, however, will surely have their eyes firmly fixed on the clash between Kiel and Aalborg, who sit in third, just one point behind the capital club. Finally, Pelister will be looking to open their points account at Szeged, who are currently in seventh.

5 - TO FOLLOW THE MATCH

Throw-off: 18:45
Television: Eurosport
Social networks:  Live-tweet

(Credits: J. Azouze/PSG)