Preview: 5 things about Paris - Cesson-Rennes

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On Sunday afternoon, Paris Saint-Germain Handball play host to Cesson-Rennes at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin. Let's take a look ahead to this Liqui Moly StarLigue Round 13 clash.

1 - THE TABLE

The capital club has had a perfect start to the league season, with victory in every one of their first 12 league games of the campaign. After beating Nantes (35-32), Montpellier (31-27) and Toulouse (31-34) in recent weeks, Les Rouge et Bleu now have a three-point lead over nearest chasers Nantes and Montpellier.

Cesson-Rennes, meanwhile, have had a mixed start to the season. Last week, the Brittany outfit secured a capital victory over Ivry (32-26), ending a run of three consecutive defeats and moving three points clear of the relegation zone. However, Sébastien Leriche's men have established themselves as real warriors, having come from behind to beat Nîmes away from home (24-30).

2 - DUELLING DEFENCES

Paris may have the best attack in the Liqui Moly StarLigue (445 goals scored), but this match could be decided more by the defensive efficiency of the two sides. With 357 goals conceded this season, Cesson-Rennes have the fifth-best defence in the league. The Brittany side can count on Arnaud Tabarand, who has made 82 saves, as well as Ludwig Appolinaire and Sylvain Hochet, who have each won 14 possessions this season. Les Rouge et Bleu, for their part, have conceded just one goal more than their opponents, and can count on an Andreas Palicka who has been unstoppable in recent weeks (81 saves in all).

3 - TABARAND AND APPOLINAIRE COME HOME

Sunday will see the return of two Parisians, Arnaud Tabarand and Ludwig Appolinaire. Tabarand, who came up through the PSG academy and was Les Rouge et Bleus' goalkeeper during the 2007-2008 season, has played for a number of clubs over the course of his career, including St Marcel Vernon (2008-2011), Créteil (2011-2014), Billère (2014-2019), Istres (2019-2022) and, since last season, Cesson-Rennes. Over the years, he has established himself as a key figure in every team he has played for, twice being named best goalkeeper in Proligue and Nationale 1. Now 37, the former Parisian has lost none of his talent, having been named one of the top three goalkeepers in the Liqui Moly StarLigue last season, alongside Dunkerque's Samir Bellahcene and Montpellier's Charles Bozinger.

In addition to Tabarand, Cesson-Rennes have another Parisien youth product in the form of Ludwig Appolinaire. Also a graduate of the PSG academy, the right-back played one season with the first team in 2015-2016. He then moved to Pontault-Combault in the Proligue to gain more playing time, before returning to the elite of French handball with Cesson-Rennes in 2021. A key figure for Les Irréductibles since his arrival, the 29-year-old suffered a serious injury against the capital club last April, and had to sit out the rest of the season. Back in top form, Apollinaire already has 40 goals to his name at the start of the 2023-2024 season, and could be one of the main threats for the Brittany side on Sunday.

4 - HEAD TO HEAD

Les Rouge et Bleu and Rennes have met on numerous occasions in the Liqui Moly StarLigue throughout their history, and the least we can say is that the advantage is heavily in Les Rouge et Bleu's favour. The capital club are, simply put, on a perfect run against Rennes, with 20 wins from as many games. Les Rouge et Bleu's record includes the biggest league win in their history, a 45-22 victory at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin in October 2021.

5 - HOW TO FOLLOW THE MATCH

Throw-off: 17:00
At the Stade Pierre de Coubertin: notre billetterie
Streaming: HandballTV
Social networks: Live-Tweet

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