Preview: PSG Handball - Flensburg

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Velux EHF Champions League Group B leaders Paris Saint-Germain Handball will be out to confirm their status in the Round 7 clash at home to Flensburg on Saturday afternoon in the first leg of a double-header over the course of five days.

German domination
Reigning German champions Flensburg are right on track to defend their domestic crown, having won every single one of their 12 Bundesliga matches so far this season. These victories have included some prized scalps, notably that of heavyweights THW Kiel (26-25), but also Bietigheim on Thursday night, when they won by 13 goals (20-33) with Holger Glandorf and Lasse Svan each bagging five goals. They are clear league leaders ahead of visit of the Rhein-Neckar Löwen in Round 13.

 

Highs and lows
However, in the Velux EHF Champions League, things have been tougher for the Flensburgers. Despite starting well with a stylish win away to last season's runners-up Nantes (31-34), the German side failed to follow up, falling at home to Zagreb in the next round (29-31) and then again away to Celje (23-20) a few days later. These inconsistent results have left Malik Machulla's side in a delicate position in mid-table. They trail leaders Paris by six points and have only a three-point buffer between them and the drop zone.

 

Overhauled squad
It must be noted that Flensburg made a lot of changes over the summer. First up, they lost their star played in Kentin Mahé, who moved to Veszprém. Joining the France international in the exodus were Kevin Moller (Barcelona), Thomas Mogensen (Skjern), talismanic 'keeper Mattias Andersson, who retired, and Henrik Toft Hansen, who of course now wears the Rouge et Bleu of Paris Saint-Germain Handball. Meanwhile, a lot of new faces arrived (three from the Bundesliga and three from the Danish league). Among them is Johannes Golla, who signed from Melsungen and who has already bagged 14 Velux EHF Champions League goals this season. The club's top scorer in Europe, however, is 21-year-old Norwegian right-back Magnus Rod, who has found the back of the continental 23 times so far in the current campaign. 

 

Our key stats
Meanwhile for les Rouge et Bleu, the most prolific European marksman is none other than Nedim Remili, with 31 goals. He is closely followed by another Expert, Luka Karabatic, who has struck 20 times. The two men have played a key role in whipping up the side's impressive stats: the third-best attack in the upper groups (194 goals scored) as well as the second-best defence (160). Rodrigo Corrales has been crucial in the team's stinginess at the back, notably making an incredible 17 saves against Zagreb AND Nantes. After defeating second-placed Szeged in Round 6, the capital club are the last side in the competition still boasting not only an undefeated record, but victories in all of their matches.

 

To follow the match (throw-off at 17:30)

Find out all the latest videos of the Velux EHF Champions League on the official EHF TV website 

(Credits: TeamPics/PSG)