Preview: PSG Handball - Kielce

News

On Sunday evening, Paris Saint-Germain Handball play host to Kielce in the return leg of their Velux EHF Champions League quarter-final tie. Roundly beaten in the first leg (34-24), Les Rouge et Bleu will have to overcome a ten-goal deficit to qualify for the Final4 - but there are plenty of reasons to hope for the best...

A look back at the first leg

Last Saturday, Raul Gonzalez's men travelled to the Hala Legionów. Despite a good start, they quickly began to fade and went into the break five goals down (16-11). A good first 20 minutes of the second half, coupled with the stunning performance from Uwe Gensheimer (11 goals and a place in the Best 7 for the rond), were still not enough to bridge the gap and our team left Poland with a ten-goal deficit to overcome in the return leg on Sunday.

Mission complicated… but not impossible!

This gap may seem too big to bridge, but it would in fact be far from unprecedented. In fact, it has happened three times in European handball - in 2012, Füchse Berlin were beaten 34-23 by Ademar Leon before turning things around at home the following week - 29-18 - on away goals. Coincidentally, that same Spanish side were the victims when Celje pulled off an even bigger turnaround in 2003. Trailing by 13 goals after the first leg (38-25), the Slovenians won 34-21 and qualified, although things went the other way in 2006 when Celje lost out to Flensburg (41-31; 26-36).

Paris: Unbeaten at home

In Les Rouge et Bleus' four is that they will be chasing this big win at home - not only in front of their own fans but in an arena where no team in any competition in the current season has managed to get the better of the capital club. In fact, Paris are on track to complete a grand slam! In the Velux EHF Champions League, Thierry Omeyer and his teammates have seven wins from as many matches at home. Even better: their last home defeat in Europe dates back to !6 November 2014... at the Halle Carpentier. Paris are in fact undefeated at Coubertin in European competition (22 wins, two draws).

The context

Beaten by ten goals, Paris Saint-Germain Handball will have to win by at least as many goals on Sunday if they are to clinch a place at the Final4. Their defence will need to be on high alert, as they cannot afford to concede more than 24 goals - if they do, away goals would become a serious factor in Kielce's favour. A win by the same margin while preventing Kielce from reaching 24 goals (33-23 for example) will send our team to Cologne. In case of exact parity, the match will go to extra-time. Final scenario: if Paris win by 11 goals or more, a Final4 berth will be guaranteed, no matter the exact scoreline. Any other result will see our side eliminated.

To follow the match (Throw-off at 17:00)

• Television: beIN SPORTS 3

• Live tweet: our official page

(Credits: J. Azouze/PSG)