Preview: Pontault - PSG Handball

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On Sunday afternoon, Paris Saint-Germain Handball return to the Coupe de France, travelling to neighbours, Pontault-Combault (Proligue) in the round of 32 - the fourth meeting between the sides in the past two years.

A difficult start to the season
After finishing last in the Lidl StarLigue's last season, Pontault-Combault crashed out of the French handball elite, just one year after being promoted. Their return to the top flight for the 2020-21 season looks to be in jeopardy as the Paris-region side sit in sixth place, six points adrift of leaders Limoges and five behind second-placed Massy. However, they still have a hope of reaching the play-offs - a test they passed when earning promotion two seasons ago.

Solid 'keeper
This year, The Yellow and Blue can rely on a very 'keeper: 25-year-old Alejandro Romero Carreras. The Cuban, who was the driving force behind his team's strong 2018-2019 season, returned to his home club, Porto, but after another loan, this time in Sweden with Onnered, he returned to Pontault-Combault on a two-year deal. Since then, he has once again performed well in the Proligue, where he is the third-most effective 'keeper, with 126 saves (33% success rate), 19 of which were at home to Nice (20-22). Meanwhile 23 year-old right-winger Théo Avelange Demouge is their most outstanding scorer, with 70 league goals to his name.

The journey
While Raul Gonzalez's men will be making their debut in this season's Coupe de France, Pontaul-Combault had to come through the round of 64. The draw took them to Torcy (National 1, in the same pool as our reserves) in mid-November. Torcy are no slouches - they are the only side to have taken a point from our youngsters this season (24-24)- but they couldn't compete against a side that plays its handball a division higher (27-34). Pontault had seven goals (nine attempts) from 21-year-old right-back Enzo Jean-Louis on that day, as well as 21 saves from Portuguese goalkeeper Joao Moniz.

The latest confrontations
Last season, these two teams played each other twice in the league, with both matches going the way of the capital club. Well led by a 100% Luka Stepancic (9 from 9), Paris won at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin (38-25) before, at the end of the season, already assured of the French league title, Les Rouge et Bleu did it again at the Espace Roger-Boisramé (23-39), where a magnificent tribute to Thierry Omeyer has been organised by the fans (France and PSG Handball legend Omeyer was then playing his last games as a professional handball player). The sides also met in the Coupe de la Ligue Round of 16, with our side qualifying (23-30), thanks to seven goals from Mikkel Hansen and four from Uwe Gensheimer.

To follow the match (kick-off at 17:00)
- Television: Not broadcast
- Live tweet: our official page

(Credits: J. Azouze/PSG)