There is little doubt that, before the start of the league season, this clash against Saran seemed to be just one match amongst many in the capital club’s gruelling schedule. And yet, after a month of competition, Saran are in dazzling form and sit just two points behind the capital club. Their securing three wins from four matches has exceeded all expectations, but to have done so by winning away to Limoges (28-30) and Saint-Raphaël (22-26) - two of the five French teams competing in Europe this season - is a remarkable feat.
Our Parisians have been warned: they can expect another hard-fought battle at the Co’Met Arena, which is set to be packed to the rafters for the occasion. Having already been pushed to the limit in Limoges (35-33) and secured hard-fought victories in their previous matches against Cesson-Rennes (30-24) and Chambéry (32-29), the capital club will have to fight another pitched battle to extend their lead over an unexpected rival!
The final matchday of the 2025-2026 Proligue regular season will undoubtedly go down in the annals of French handball. On 7 May, Saran, Ivry and Caen were level on points heading into the last match of the season. All three emerged victorious in their final matches before the play-offs, and the title was awarded to Saran - despite a perfect tie between the three rivals - thanks to a superior head-to-head goal difference.
This summer, Saran had to cope with several key departures despite their return to the top flight after a two-year absence. The right wing, in particular, was completely overhauled following the departures of Luka Radovic, the club’s third-highest ever goalscorer (597 goals in 119 matches), and Lucas Petit, who joined Limoges. While the new signings came mainly from the second division, they are all brimming with ambition as they join a solid squad featuring several all-stars. These include Alban Simonnet, voted best centre-half in the second tier last season, and Clément Damiani, who was recognised for his performances at right-back during the last two Proligue campaigns.
The most striking aspect of the Septors’ start to the season is undoubtedly the conviction that shines through in their style of play. Luis Cruz has managed to build a team that gives it its all and seems unfazed by the pressure. Several players with little Starligue experience have already proven their worth - notably Alban Simonnet. A Nantes academy product who played 17 top-flight matches for the club over three years, the 22-year-old centre-half has already scored 16 goals and provided as many assists this season, establishing himself as the spearhead of Saran’s attacks.
While the outfield players are performing well, the one who has impressed the most so far is undoubtedly the Septors’ last line of defence, Zoran Radic. After four seasons playing in the shadow of Nebojsa Grahovac, Julien Meyer and Milan Bomastar at Chartres - the club where he came through the ranks - Radic joined Saran in the summer of 2024. With at least 200 saves in each of his two Proligue seasons, the Bosnian goalkeeper has been impressive. In his first season as first-choice goalkeeper in the Starligue, he currently leads the league standings for both the number of saves (45, level with Valentin Kieffer and Romain Mathias) and save percentage (37 per cent). The Parisians will therefore need to take this match seriously to ensure their opponents do not gain confidence!
This clash against Saran will be an opportunity to catch up with two former players from the Parisian youth academy: Noa Narcisse and Thomas Loppy. After making his professional debut with Paris (24 matches between 2023 and 2025), Noa has established himself with the Septors. Last season, the 22-year-old left-back played a major part in Saran's league title win, contributing both offensively (89 goals, 117 assists) and defensively (63 blocks, 23 recoveries, 13 counter-attacks).
Thomas Loppy, meanwhile, is one of the new faces to have arrived this summer. Thrown in at the deep end by Raul Gonzalez – then coach of Les Rouge et Bleu – in 2022, our former Titi also honed his skills in the second tier of the elite league during four years at Cherbourg. It was in the Contentin region that he made a name for himself on the national stage, having been voted the Proligue’s best defender for the past two seasons. In less than three months, the 25-year-old centre has already become a mainstay of his new squad and has racked up 22 blocks after four matches. Only Dunkerque’s Gautier Crepel (23) has done better.
For a change, the Parisians will be the first to play in the Starligue this week. On Friday, Saint-Raphaël will be looking to climb out of the relegation zone when they travel to Caen, while Tremblay face Sélestat with their sights set on a third consecutive win. On Saturday, Nantes will travel to Dunkerque, while Montpellier play host to Chambéry. Having been beaten by our Rouge et Bleu last week, Limoges head to Brittany to take on Cesson-Rennes. Finally, on Sunday, Nîmes and Toulouse play host to Aix and Chartres respectively.
