PAUC
Les Rouge et Bleu returned to the court in 2026 with three matches in three different competitions, and have had a perfect start to year. Paris qualified for the semi-finals of the Coupe de France with a win in Saran (25-30), before maintaining their league lead by beating Dunkerque (25-29). This run was enhanced by this week's victory in Zagreb in the EHF Champions League (24-35), which was very important in securing their place in the next stage of the competition.
Showing a clear rise in form, already evident before the winter break, Stefan Madsen's men have produced some strong individual performances. It is hard not to mention Jannick Green, who has been flawless in 2026 and even made history in Croatia with 18 saves, his record for Paris in the Champions League. On the offensive side, the return of Kamil Syprzak at the end of the year has been a boost, and the Polish player has regained his form alongside Yahia Omar and Elohim Prandi.
It's an unpredictable team arriving at Coubertin to try to end the Parisians' winning streak. Since the start of the season, Aix has struggled to find their rhythm, alternating between good and not-so-good performances, managing only once to string together two consecutive league wins, in December, against Sélestat (24-31) and Nîmes (32-26). Eric Forêts's men have had a rather poor return from the break, with two defeats: in the Coupe de France against Montpellier (34-27) and in the league at Chambéry (31-29).
However, Aix may have regrets about this last match. After trailing by as many as eight goals, they came close to equalising at the very end of the game, reducing the gap to one goal on several occasions. This has been a recurring scenario this season, preventing the side from Provence from really closing in on the European places, as they sit in tenth place, five points behind Chambéry. At Coubertin, Aix will be looking to pull off a big win to get back on track and finally kick-start their 2026 campaign.
It is mainly offensive inefficiency that explains Aix's inconsistency, as they only rank 12th in the league in terms of attack, with 463 goals scored. They have lost five matches by just two goals this season and are used to fighting hard battles, such as against Limoges in November (30-32). Aix still have the means to hurt the Parisian defence, led by new French international Aymeric Zaepfel (72 goals).
The centre-half scored nine goals in Chambéry and is in great form after competing in the EHF Euro 2026. Nevertheless, it is in defence that Eric Forêts' men have shown the most quality this season. Aix are fourth on the StarLigue's defensive table (466), behind Paris, Toulouse and Montpellier. This will be a tough challenge for the Rouge et Bleu attackers, who will have the psychological advantage: in the reverse fixture, the capital club made short work of their opponents in the south, winning comfortably at the Arena du Pays d'Aix (24-37).
After three away games since the return from the winter break, the Parisians will finally be able to reconnect with their fans during this match against Aix. Stefan Madsen's men have performed well away from home, with three wins under their belt, and are looking to continue their good run at home. A large crowd is expected, and there are still a few tickets left to be part of this great celebration!
The match will kick off at 16:00 on Sunday 22 February. For those who cannot make it to Coubertin, the match will be broadcast live and exclusively on beIN Sports 3. The StarMatch of Matchday 17 will see Dunkerque and Chartres face off in a clash that could prove decisive for their survival. Paris's title rivals Nantes will travel to Tremblay, while Toulouse will play host to Chambéry in an attempt to return to the top five. Another exciting match day is in store in the StarLigue!
