Preview: 5 things about Paris-Barcelona

Avant-match

On Thursday, Paris Saint-Germain Handball take on FC Barcelona in the first leg of the EHF Champions League quarter-finals at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin. Find out all you need to know about this match!

1 - FORM

Les Rouge et Bleu are still top of the league, three points clear of Nantes, but last week they lost to The H in the Coupe de France final (23-31). Raul Gonzalez's men will be keen to get back to winning ways on Thursday in a match that could prove a turning point in this all-important end to the season.

Already crowned champions of Spain for the 14th year running, with a record of 26 wins from 27 games, Barcelona are still unbeaten on the domestic scene, with the added bonus of another Spanish Cup triumph. In the Champions League, however, the Catalans let their position at the top of Group B slip to Magdeburg, having lost back-to-back games against the German side (29-28) and then Montpellier at home on the final matchday (34-37).

2 - A REAL TOP-OF-THE-TABLE CLASH

This match-up between Paris and Barcelona promises to be a great spectacle between some of the best players in the competition this season, with some great duels in all areas of the game. In attack, Kamil Syprzak will be keen to live up to his status as the competition's top scorer (100 goals), while Dika Mem, with 82 goals, is the main threat for the Blaugrana. The threat could well come from Barcelona's rearguard, however, with the presence of goalkeeper Emil Nielsen. The Danish goalkeeper has established himself as one of the best custodians this season, and is fourth on the table in terms of saves (131), despite the fact that his three rivals are no longer in contention.

Raul Gonzalez will be able to count on a number of strong individual performers, such as Luc Steins, who has been as imperious as ever this season, whatever the competition. Be it in the league or in the Champions League, where he is one of the top assists providers (72 assists), the Dutch international is always ready to supply his team-mates with scoring opportinities. The objective is clear: to give the capital club the best possible chance of winning this all-important first leg before the return leg in the Catalonia next week.

3 - THE OTHER FIXTURES

In addition to Paris and Barcelona, six other teams are preparing to wage a fierce battle for a place in the Final4 in Cologne. On Wednesday, in a repeat of the last final, Kielce play host to Magdeburg, with the aim of erasing the painful memory of their last confrontation with the Germans. Montpellier, for their part, will be looking to put themselves in a favourable position against Kiel at the Sud de France Arena. On Thursday, Denmark's Aalborg, led by Mikkel Hansen, travel to Hungary to take on Veszprem in a headline clash between two sides dreaming of a first-ever title in the competition.

4 - HEAD TO HEAD

This quarter-final first leg between Paris and Barcelona will be the 11th meeting between the two sides. The record so far is in the Catalans' favour, with eight wins to the capital club's one draw and one victory. This is the second season in a row that Raul Gonzalez has faced Barcelona in the EHF Champions League finals. Last season, it was in the match for third place that the Spaniards got the better of Les Rouge et Bleu, who are now more determined than ever to write their own history.

5 - TO FOLLOW THE MATCH

Throw-off: 20:45, Stade Pierre de Coubertin

Television: Eurosport 2

Social networks: Live-tweet

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