Preview: Back to Europe - Paris - Plock

News

After the Coupe de France, it's time for the Champions League! Our Rouge et Bleu will be back at Coubertin this Thursday, playing host to Wisla Plock in a match that could prove decisive for both teams. Here's a look at the objectives and the stakes of this return to Champions League action.

Contrasting stakes

Against Nantes on Saturday, the capital club secured its ticket for the Coupe de France semis in a tense penalty shoot-out (40-39). By eliminating the two-time defending champions, Raul Gonzalez's men have boosted their confidence at the start of a second half of the season that promises to be thrilling and full of major events. It starts this Thursday with the game against Plock at Coubertin.

Sitting second, four points behind Veszprém, Paris welcomes a team with no more room for error. With three defeats in their last four European matches, the Poles now find themselves outside the qualification zone for the play-offs. Two points behind Pelister, Xavi Sabaté's men could find themselves on the verge of elimination in the event of another defeat and are thus hoping to give the Parisians a hard time.

Miha Zarabec in charge

Full of ambition and having just been crowned champions for the first time in 13 years, Plock were thinking big last summer. In addition to signing Tim Čokan and Mitja Janc, who were then at the height of their powers at Celje, the Poles also strengthened their squad by recruiting players from the French championship. Viktor Hallgrimsson and Marko Panić arrived from Nantes and Montpellier respectively to help the team take the next step. However, the real leader of the squad after ten days was already present in the ranks of Wisla, and his name is Miha Zarabec. Top scorer for Les Bleus et Blancs (43 goals) and second best passer in the competition behind Luc Steins (35 passes), the Slovenian centre midfielder will undoubtedly be the man to watch for Plock this Thursday.

Key stats

  • Paris have won all nine of their previous Champions League meetings with Wisla Plock.
  • Plock have the best defence in the competition after ten mathdays (256 goals conceded), yet they are one of the least effective teams in attack. Only Pelister have scored fewer goals than Xavi Sabaté's team.
  • With 65 goals scored in nine games, Kamil Syprzak is third on the scorers chart, while Luc Steins leads the assists chart (45 assists).
  • No team has scored more goals from penlties this season than Plock (42 goals).

Your tickets for Paris - Plock !

Group A Matchday 11 fixtures

Thursday 13 February,18:45: Fuchse Berlin (4th) - Fredericia (8th)

Thursday 13 February, 18:45: Bucharest (5th) - Veszprém (1st)

Thursday 13 February, 20:45: Sporting (third) - Pelister (sixth)

Thursday 13 February, 20:45: Paris (second) - Plock (seventh), to be followed on our live-tweet and broadcast on Eurosport

(Credits: L. Valroff/PSG)