On Sunday afternoon, Paris Saint-Germain Handball won at Cesson-Rennes (23-30) and set a new record for the best start in the history of the Liqui Moly StarLigue, with 23 wins on the bounce.
RAUL GONZALEZ (PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN HANDBALL COACH):
"We just had our 23rd win, which is not easy. We are happy because we are getting closer to the title, but nothing is set in stone... In the first half, we played 5-1, but without Luka (Karabatic), there were some problems. We had a lot of pressure after Elverum and some injuries. Cesson hadn't lost here before today, so you have to congratulate the players for their efforts. The most important thing is to go for the title and for the moment, everything is going well. Next week, we will all be able to recover."
VINCENT GÉRARD (PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN HANDBALL GOALKEEPER):
"We're really proud to have strung 23 wins together! There have been some very good teams in the history of the Liqui Moly StarLigue. So to have the best start in a league season is something that counts. I hope we can keep this streak going as long as possible. It was tough here. They were very physical, but we were able to find the arguments to respond. I hadn't played for almost five weeks. We didn't score many goals and the pace was slower than usual. We built the victory on a solid defence. In the first half, we scored ten goals, including four penalties, which proves that we were in control overall. When you start a season, you aim to arrive at this moment, with everything to play for."
MATHIEU GRÉBILLE (PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN HANDBALL LEFT-WINGER):
"We are happy to break the record! Last season we lost at the same level, so it's good to win today. We wanted to play a big game after we qualified in the EHF Champions League. It was a full house and a tough game, but we did what we had to do to win it. There are days when you can struggle in attack or in defence. Then you have to compensate at the other end of the court. Today, we were good at the back, especially thanks to the excellent return of Vincent (Gérard), who had not played for a while. The final sprint will be interesting. We have worked hard to get to this point. There are some physical problems. The week's international break will do us good. I hope that we can attack the final straight in full possession of our power."
60' : C'est terminé ! Paris s'impose et devient la première formation à débuter une saison avec 23 victoires en #LMS ! Plus d'infos à venir ! #CESPSG @LNHofficiel pic.twitter.com/ZvqBFV94gc
— PSG Handball (@psghand) April 10, 2022
(Credits: J. Azouze/PSG)