Paris - Magdeburg: The Preview
Handball•
Paris Saint-Germain Handball play host to SC Magdeburg at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin on the 14th and final matchday of the EHF Champions League group stage on Wednesday 11 March (20:45).
Six months after kicking off their campaign in Germany, our Parisians finish their group stage against the same opponent, SC Magdeburg, the defending champions who were still undefeated until last week. This final battle before the final phase promises to be exciting, considering what is at stake for both teams.
On one side, Paris will have to defend fourth place against GOG and Szeged, who are keeping up the pressure behind them. The capital club's current position is crucial, as it would allow them to play the return leg of the play-offs at home. This is an undeniable advantage that should give our Rouge et Bleu an extra boost, but they will need to be wary of Magdeburg, who have ambitions of their own as they arrive at Coubertin.
Winners of a fifth Champiopns League title in Cologne last year, thanks to their victory over Füchse Berlin, SC Magdeburg are determined to retain their crown. Despite a strong field, the Germans have been leading all season long, racking up eleven wins in their first eleven games. Neither Stefan Madsen's men nor Barcelona -in their typically impregnable fortress of the Palau Blaugrana - were able to resist the title holders' onslaught.
However, the start of the calendar year has been less exciting for the side from the GETEC Arena. After a fine victory over GOG in their return to action (37-30), Magdeburg suffered their first setback the following week with a draw away to Plock (29-29), before suffering their first European defeat of the season at home against Barcelona last time out (29-36). This setback proved costly for Bennet Wiegert's men, as they relinquished their top spot to the Catalans. The Germans will therefore be keen to do everything they can to regain their place at the top of the table, while Barça have a seemingly straightforward match at home against Pelister.
There are, unsurprisingly, many players to watch in the reigning champions' squad. Magnus Saugstrup, voted best defender of the year at the latest EHF Excellence Awards, remains one of the key players in Bennet Wiegert's team. Alongside the Dane, Felix Claar also stands out as one of SCM's key players thanks to his versatility, able to play both left-back and in a more attacking role in the centre of the court.
However, most of the playmaking duties fall to one of Magdeburg's two Iceland stars. Voted best centre-half of the year by the authorities a few months ago, Gisli Kristjánsson has lost none of his form and will need to be watched closely on Wednesday. With 65 assists to his name so far, he leads the assist standings ahead of Filip Kuzmanovski (Pelister) and Luc Steins, who completes the podium with 52 assists. In addition to the centre-half, Magdeburg can also count on the efficiency of Omar Ingi Magnússon, currently the squad's top scorer in the Champions League with 73 goals.
Plock and Szeged will kick off the final day of action on Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Szeged must win if they want to move up from sixth and last place in the standings. At the same time, GOG will be keen to see logic prevail against Zagreb, who are bottom of the table and already eliminated ahead of the final day.
If they win, the Danes will temporarily take fourth place from Paris ahead of their clash with Magdeburg at Coubertin. Stefan Madsen's men will need the support of their fans to overcome the Germans, who will be determined to regain their place at the top of the table. This task looks unlikely to succeed, as Barcelona will have a final match that looks easy on paper against Pelister, who have already been eliminated.
Come and support Les Rouge et Bleu at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin for this clash against Magdeburg, the last match before the EHF Champions League play-offs. For those who cannot make it to the stadium in the west of Paris, the match will be broadcast live and exclusively on Eurosport.