Dijon - Paris: The debrief
Handball•
Did you miss Paris Saint-Germain Handball's latest victory? Here's your chance to catch up, with everything you need to know about Les Rouge et Bleus' victory in Dijon (27-34) on Liqui Moly StarLigue Matchday 18.
The sixth match in 2026... and a sixth victory for Stefan Madsen's men. Les Rouge et Bleu have been on an impressive run since returning from the winter break, and are going from strength to strength as the weeks go by. Three days after their hard-fought victory against Szeged in the EHF Champions League (29-28), Paris once again had to battle hard against Dijon, but they won out and continued to rack up points in three different competitions. Thanks to this latest success, the capital club remains at the top of the league, level on points with Nantes, who have played one game more.
Facing relegation-threatened Dijon, Paris Saint-Germain could have had a quieter afternoon. But Medhi Ighirri's men put up fierce resistance against Les Rouge et Bleu, taking advantage of a few mistakes by a team that was probably worn out after their huge match against Szeged earlier in the week. In close contact for much of the match, Dijon were only two points behind at half-time (30': 14-16).
With quiet determination, Paris gradually tightened the noose, taking advantage of Stefan Madsen's extensive squad rotation to disrupt their opponents. In the middle of the second half, Les Rouge et Bleu finally took a decisive lead (44': 20-25). Kamil Syprzak (seven goals) and Elohim Prandi (five goals) were particularly important in widening the gap in a match that could have proven a banana skin for the Parisians. With 13 saves (33%), Mikkel Lovkvist also played his part in securing a handsome victory for Paris (27-34).
Two of our Les Rouge et Bleu players reached symbolic milestones during this match. Mateo Maras, back in form after claiming bronze with Croatia at the EHF Euro 2026, set a new Parisian personal best with six goals (his previous record was five). For his part, Yahia Omar passed the 400-goal mark with the capital club, further confirming his importance within Stefan Madsen's team.
Dijon was the first match in a series of three away games, which could prove decisive for the rest of the season. On the back of two consecutive victories in the Champions League, Les Rouge et Bleu travel to Pelister on Wednesday. They will be out to continue their winning streak and maintain their hopes of finishing fourth in the group, which would mean playing the return leg of their play-off tie at Coubertin. On Saturday, league action resumes with a perilous trip to face a Montpellier side who have won two of their last three matches in all competitions against the capital club. An intense week awaits our players!