Preview: PSG Handball - Ivry

News

Paris Saint-Germain Handball set about defending their Lidl StarLigue title on Wednesday night as they play host to Ivry on the first day of the season, as was the case last time around.

A new start
USI flirted with relegation for a long stretch in season 2017-18 before finally finishing tenth, with a four-point lead over Saran. This knife-edge experience prompted the club to make a number of changes, starting with head coach Rastko Stefanovic, who made way for Sébastien Quintallet on the Rouge et Noir bench. Quintallet will be making his Lidl StarLigue coaching debut the season after guiding Pontault-Combault through the Proligue play-offs and into French handball's uppermost echelon. The 41-year-old will be counting on a new generation of players as he looks to build on last season's at-times shaky campaign.

 

Departures covered
The beginning of the new season will necessarily be special for the club and its supporters: for the first time in 14 years, François-Xavier Chapon will not be there to guard the Ivry goal. After hanging up his gloves, Chapon was replaced by Mate Sunjic, who signed from Créteil for three seasons. Meanwhile a number of other players - Qatari international Youssef Ben Ali (to Chartres), Oussama Hosni (Pontault), Micke Brasseleur (Nîmes) and Fabian Ruiz (Créteil) - left, while Yoel Cuni (Porto), Michal Kopco (Sporting Lisbonne) and Linus Persson (Malmo) all arrived in Val-de-Marne.

 

Familiar faces
Although Ivry lost their captain, Chapon, a number of key names are still at the club. Notably Mahamadou Keita (the borhter of Paris Saint-Germain Handball left-winger Adama), Léo Martinez and Walid Badi. Meanwhile, the club's third-top scorer last season, Danish right-winger Morten Vium Troelsen (66 goals), will have the task of covering the departures of the club's top two scorers, Ben Ali (71) and Brasseleur (102). Then. Among others, Ivry also still have Mathieu Bataille (their new captain) and 'keeper Rémy Gervelas.

 

Back to Coubertin
After a three-month absence, Paris Saint-Germain Handball return to their home the Stade Pierre de Coubertin, where they famously went undefeated in all competitions last season. It will be a chance for most of the new players to get to know the arena in league action, but not for Kim Edkhal du Rietz, who turned out at Coubertin with Nantes in a 33-31 defeat to the Rouge et Bleu in October 2011. In that match, the Swedish left-back top-scored for his team with eight goals from ten attempts. Meanwhile, Viran Morros and Henrik Toft Hansen have both played in Paris Saint-Germain Handball's spiritual home in the Velux EHF Champions League, but not in the Lidl StarLigue.

 

To follow the match (throw-off at 20:45)

(Credits: TeamPics/PSG)