Preview: 5 things about Paris - Istres

News

Liqui Moly StarLigue Round 21 is here. On Friday evening, Paris Saint-Germain Handball play host to Istres at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin. A must-win encounter for the Parisians!

1 - THE TABLE

It is something of a clash of extremes that we are going to see. Heading into Round 21, the capital club sits in second place, two points behind leaders Montpellier. As a reminder, the return match against the Héraultais will take place at Coubertin in April.

For their part, Istres are fighting for survival. The Provençal side are currently second to last, but can still escape the red zone: the first safe side, Chartres, are only two points away.

2 - KEY STATS

In terms of statistics, there are also some differences. Les Rouge et Bleu's attack is still the division's most prolific, with 709 goals. Elohim Prandi is one of the top five scorers in the league, with 119 goals. Our opponents' 25-year-old pivot Edgar Dentz (91 goals) leads an offensive line that has scored 594 times.

At the other end of the court, Paris are also at the top. Our team boasts the fifth-most effective rearguard with 603 saves. Andreas Palicka is no stranger to this excellent record, with 177 saves. Meanwhile the Istrian defence have conceded 641 times.

3 - A LOOK BACK AT THE FIRST MATCH

At the beginning of October, Raul Gonzalez's men played the first match against Istres, at the Halle Polyvalente. After a rather balanced first act (30': 16-18), the Parisians dominated the second half and won (28-35). Andreas made 15 saves, while Kamil Syprzak scored seven times.

4 - PARIS FACE CLEMENT GAUDIN

After Edouard Kempf (Toulouse right-winger) last week, Paris Saint-Germain Handball are once again taking on a former teammate: Istres 'keeper Clément Gaudin. He was French National 2 Champion, alongside Adama Keita and Dylan Nahi, and played seven Liqui Moly StarLigue matches with Les Rouge et Bleu. Today, he is side's most efficient 'keeper, with 114 saves made.

5 - TO FOLLOW THE MATCH

Throw-off: 20:00
At the Stade Pierre de Coubertin: our ticket office
Television: Handball TV
Social networks: Live-tweet

(Credits : E. Renard/Team Pics/PSG)