Preview: 5 things about Paris - Chambéry Matchday 20 Liqui Moly StarLigue 2023 2024
On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain Handball play host to Chambéry at the Sade Pierre de Coubertin in their Liqui Moly StarLigue Round 20 clash.
1 - STATE OF PLAY
Les Rouge et Bleu may have seen their perfect winning start to the season come to an end as they drew with Toulouse last week (29-29), but they remain unbeaten and are determined to continue their run. Raul Gonzalez's men are still five points clear of runners-up Nantes.
Chambéry, meanwhile, are ninth in the table. In the midst of a season of ups and downs, the Savoyards got off to an ideal start in 2024 with wins at Créteil (39-40) and Cesson Rennes (30-29). Since then, however, they have been on a skid, with back-to-back defeats at Saint-Raphaël (34-33) and Chartres on the final day (25-30).
2 - KAMIL SYPRZAK AT THE TOP
Kamil Syprzak is third in the Champions League group stage scorers chart, having played one match less than his rivals (86 goals), and is continuing to demonstrate the extent of his talent every time he takes the court - including in the Liqui Moly StarLigue. In the top flight, our Polish pivot is now top scorer with 141 goals, tied with Nemanja Ilic of Toulouse. Kamil, who recently extended his contract with the capital club until 2027, has been more clinical in front of goal, however, with 83% of his attempts on target compared to 78% for the Fenix left-winger.
Le point faible de @syprzak_kamil : trop fort 💪#EHFCL pic.twitter.com/8LMIsTNWgG
— Ligue Nationale de Handball (@LNHofficiel) March 7, 2024
3 - THE COLLECTIVE: CHAMBÉRY'S MAJOR ASSET
In a season that has seen Chambéry go through some serious ups and down, the Savoyards can always count on an unrivalled team spirit. CSMBH have managed to strike a balance between youth and experience. One of these strong men is Benjamin Richert, who recently caused a sensation with a record-breaking performance against Créteil (39-40). The right-winger found the net 19 times - the most by any player ever in the Liqui Moly StarLigue. It was a performance that earned him the title of Player of the Month for February. Against Créteil, he was perfectly served by another key member of the Black and Yellow squad: Sebastian Skube. The Slovenian centre-half sits fourth on the league's assists table (with 80) and was instrumental in no fewer than 12 of his team-mate's goals against Créteil.
Mais qu'est-ce qu'il nous a fait là ? 😱
— Ligue Nationale de Handball (@LNHofficiel) February 11, 2024
On t'a préparé une petite compilation de tous les buts (19) du monstre Benjamin Richert face à Créteil...
19 buts, qui lui permettent de rentrer dans l'histoire du championnat de France de handball en décrochant le record de buts sur un… pic.twitter.com/DPoOzEmC3Q
4 - HEAD TO HEAD
Throughout the seasons, the meetings between Paris and Chambéry have been as spectacular as they have been close. With 22 wins, two draws and 12 defeats, Les Rouge et Bleu have a largely positive record against their Savoyard counterparts, but recent encounters have shown that Chambéry are adept at playing the banana skin. In the first leg, Raul Gonzalez's men came from behind to win 26-34, with Kamil Syprzak scoring ten goals in the process.
5 - TO FOLLOW THE MATCH
Throw-off: 20:00 at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin
Television: BeIn Sports 3
Social networks: Live tweet
(Credits: L. Valroff/Team Pics/PSG)