Preview: 5 things about Nantes - Paris

Avant-match

Paris Saint-Germain handball travel to Nantes on Sunday for their Liqui Moly StarLigue Matchday 14 clash. Find out everything you need to know ahead of this final away game of 2024.

1 - Form

Nantes are hot on the heels of the capital club! With a record of twelve wins and just one defeat (away to Toulouse, 35-29), The H are just two points behind Les Rouge et Bleu. Grégory Cojean's men are thus in the upper reaches of the table in this first half of the season and will be looking to maintain their unbeaten record on home turf. Their form extends beyond France's borders too, with a number of notable home performances on the European stage. These include a draw with Barcelona (31-31), as well as wins over Magdeburg (29-28) and Kielce (23-20). Nantes are now getting ready to host their first top-of-the-table league clash of the season, and they have gone all out by moving from The H Arena to the Halle XXL.

Les Rouge et Bleu are well aware that this trip to Nantes could prove to be one of the turning points of the season. After reaching the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France against Saran on Wednesday (32-36), Raul Gonzalez underlined the importance of this match, which he described as "a small final". The Parisians will be keen to continue their perfect record in the Liqui Moly StarLigue, which would enable them to extend their lead over Nantes to four points. So this final trip of 2024 promises to be a thrilling one in every respect.

2 - Duels in every area

This clash between the leaders and their nearest chasers will also provide an opportunity to enjoy a number of fascinating duels across all areas of the game. In terms of attacking play, two of the Liqui Moly StarLigue's top scorers this season will be facing off: Aymeric Minne and Kamil Syprzak. The league's second-top scorer behind Dunkerque's Tom Pelayo, our Polish pivot (82 goals) is just one ahead of the Nantes centre-half (81). However, the two marksmen will be up against two imposing 'keepers. For Nantes, Ivan Pesic continues to discourage opposition attacks, with 115 saves to his name. The Croatian also boasts one of the division's best save rates after 13 games (31.51%). However, that's well below our Jannick Green (32.14%), who has made an excellent start to the season and forms an exceptional duo with Andreas Palicka (95 saves).

3 - Goals galore?

It's not just in the standings that Paris and Nantes occupy the top two places. This Sunday, spectators at the Halle XXL will be treated to a clash between the two best attacking sides in the league. Les Rouge et Bleu (459 goals scored) are slightly ahead of The H, with a ten-goal cushion. Nantes, however, have more to offer defensively. As well as being the most disciplined team after 13 rounds, Grégory Cojean's side have the third-best defensive record in the league with just 369 goals conceded, twelve fewer than Paris. So, beyond the high stakes, Sunday could see an unbridled encounter between two sides who love the game above all else.

4 - HEAD TO HEAD

Paris and Nantes have met 30 times in the course of their history. And it's more than just a fixture - it's a classic of the French championship that will unfold at the Hall XXL this Sunday. Les Rouge et Bleu hold a psychological advantage over their runners-up, with a record of 18 wins to nine losses and three draws. However, Nantes are in exemplary form this season and will be keen to maintain their unbeaten home record as they look to catch up with the capital club. Back in April, Raul Gonzalez's men ended a five-match unbeaten run against The H when they fell to a narrow 32-30 defeat in the Loire.

5 - To follow the match

Throw-off: 16:00

Television: beIN SPORTS 2

Social networks: Live-tweet

(Credits: L. Valroff/PSG)