Preview: Skjern - PSG Handball

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On Sunday afternoon, Paris Saint-Germain Handball will travel to Denmark for their Velux EHF Champions League Round 5 clash with Skjern, looking to maintain their perfect start against a side who have been growing in stature in recent years.

A strong season 2017-2018
With their run to the round of 16 in 2003 the club's main achievement, Skjern were hardly favourites as they began their European campaign last season. However, the Danes progressed without too much difficulty from the lower groups with eight wins and just two defeats. After eliminating Zaporozhye in the play-offs (58-63 over two legs), they had to face off against giants Veszprém in the round of 16. Thanks to two incredible performances (32-25 and 34-29), they claimed the scalp of the competition's 2016 runners-up, but fell to Nantes in the following round (60-54).

 

Here to stay
Surprise quarter-finalists in the last edition of the competition, the Green and Blacks have confirmed their newfound status this season, mixing it in the upper groups. After four rounds, and ahead of their clash with the Group B leaders, they sit in third place with a three-point lead over the relegations spots currently occupied by Celje and Zaporozhye. In the opening round, Eivind Tangen and his teammates claimed the scalp of Celje 26-27 before backing it up with a 37-33 win over Zaporozhye the following week. Since then, they have gone winless in two matches (35-27 against Nantes; 31-31 against Zagreb), but they have proven that they cannot be counted out and remain capable of repeating their giant-killing run from last season.

 

The eternal Eggert
In the Skjern squad, we find the season's fourth-top scorer Anders Eggert, who has 28 goals to his name in the current campaign (top scorer Alex Dujshebaev has 29). But this isn't the first time he has distinguished himself on the European stage. The 36-year-old left-winger (a former Danish international) has proven prolific in continental jousts throughout his career. He notably enjoyed an excellent season 2015-16 with Flensburg, ending his Champions League campaign with 90 goals. Three seasons later, he remains just as decisive, notably firing an 8 from 9 in the opening round of the competition.

 

Our key stats
The third-best attack (135) and the second-best defence in the higher groups… in terms of stats but also results, Paris Saint-Germain Handball are in fine form. They are one of three teams (along with Szeged and Vardar Skopje) to have won all their matches in the competition this season, a fact due in no small part to some individual brilliance. Rodrigo Corrales has made an astounding 40 saves in three matches while Nedim Remili has fired no fewer than 25 goals. Les Rouge et Bleu will doubtless be aiming to continue this run at the Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning on Sunday afternoon.

 

To follow the match (throw-off at 16:50)

(Credits: J. Azouze/PSG)