The Preview: Paris - Aalborg
Handball•
Paris Saint-Germain Handball do battle with Aalborg in their decisive EHF Champions League Matchday 6 clash on Wednesday evening. Find out everything you need to know about this crucial fixture.
It’s a match everyone had marked on their calendars, and it’s finally here! As expected, this clash against Aalborg looks set to be decisive. While both teams have already secured their places in the main round, it remains to be seen how many points they will take with them into this new phase. Following the draw in Denmark on Matchday 1 (33-33), Paris and Aalborg are already guaranteed to finish this group stage with at least one point each.
Now, if the capital club win at Coubertin on Wednesday, the two points from the victory will be added to that total. Stefan Madsen’s men will therefore enter the main round with three points, compared to just one for our visitors. If Aalborg win at Coubertin, the situation will logically be reversed. Finally, in the last possible scenario, if the two teams draw once again, they will each have two points as they head into the next stage of the competition.
The capital club already knows two of its other opponents for the main round: Veszprém and Füchse Berlin. Having been beaten twice by the Hungarian giants and their new goalkeeper Emil Neilsen, last season's finalists Berlin will start the main round on zero points and will therefore be under immediate pressure. In contrast, Veszprém are already guaranteed to take the lead in Pool A – which comprises the teams that have qualified from Groups A, B and C – with four points.
As for Group B, the suspense remains with Plock, Melsungen and Nantes all level on six points ahead of the final matchday. Currently third, Nantes are, however, in a difficult position and must beat group leaders Plock if they are to have any hope of reaching the main round. The task does not look any easier for Melsungen, who travel to the cauldron that is Vardar’s home ground; Vardar have already been eliminated and will have nothing left to lose against the Germans.
Having scored a goal at Saint-Raphaël on Sunday, Ferran Solé could make further history for Paris Saint-Germain Handball this Wednesday. In imperious form in the Champions League so far this season, with ten goals against Aalborg in the first leg and also in Zagreb last week, the Spanish international is now just four goals away from reaching the historic milestone of 1,000 goals scored in all competitions for Paris. A feat that only Mikkel Hansen (2,043), Kamil Syprzak (1,785) and Elohim Prandi (1,424) have achieved in the history of the capital club.
With his move to Paris Saint-Germain Handball set to take place next summer, Juri Knorr could be one of Aalborg’s main threats at Coubertin this Wednesday. The 26-year-old centre-half, who is the Scandinavian side’s top scorer (30 goals) and second-highest assist provider (23 assists) in this season’s Champions League, is in fine form this season. Les Rouge et Bleu would also be well advised to keep a close eye on Tobias Nielsen, who missed the first leg but has been in unstoppable form since his return from injury, notably scoring 13 goals against Celje on Matchday 2.
There are only a few dozen seats left at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin for this first big European home clash of the season! If you can’t make it to the Porte de Saint-Cloud on Wednesday evening, the match will be broadcast live and exclusively on beIN SPORTS 3.