Paris - Szeged: The Preview
Handball•
On Thursday, Paris Saint-Germain Handball face Szeged in their EHF Champions League Matchday 12 fixture. Find out everything you need to know about this crucial clash at the business end of the group stage.
After an exciting first half of the season, Les Rouge et Bleu kicked off 2026 with a bang in Croatia. In dominant mood and carried by an immense Jannick Green (18 saves), our Parisians secured a landmark victory in Zagreb (24-35), regaining fifth place in Group B following GOG's defeat to Magdeburg (30-37).
Now, Szeged stand in Paris's way. At Coubertin, the Hungarian side will be looking not only to bounce back from their defeat against Barcelona (27-35), but also to ensure they finish ahead of Stefan Madsen's men in the standings. Currently two points ahead of the capital club, Szeged will be out of Paris's reach if they get the win, as there will only be two games left to play.
This match is therefore crucial for Paris. The difference between fourth and fifth place is significant, as the higher-ranked side will get to play the return leg of their play-off tie at home. This position will no longer be achievable for the Parisians in the event of a setback on Thursday. Winners by two goals in the reverse fixture in Hungary a few months ago, Szeged have a slight advantage in terms of goal difference, but our Rouge et Bleu will be out for revenge after losing their last two matches against Michael Apelgren's men.
Almost a year after being eliminated from the EHF Champions League play-offs at Coubertin by the same Szeged team, the Parisians will be keen to take their revenge in front of their home crowd and climb to fourth place to take their destiny into their own hands before the last two games at Pelister and against Magdeburg.
13. That's the number of players aged 30 or over wearing the Szeged colours this season. Impressive last season and carried by a Mario Šoštarić in top form (he finished as the competition's second-highest scorer with 130 goals without even reaching the Final4), the Hungarian team sometimes seems to be paying for its carefree attitude and lack of freshness this season.
However, the average age is not always a sign of weakness, as evidenced by the evergreen Roland Mikler who, at 41, caused our Parisians problems in the reverse fixture, finishing the match with ten saves to his name. His understudy Tobias Thulin also knows how to put on a show, even if his Hungarian teammate remains the number one asset in goal.
In defence, Magnus Rød's injury in September inevitably weakened Szeged's wing. The Norwegian international was one of the squad's main threats, and Jovica Nikolić, who arrived in November from the Serbian team Vojvodina, has struggled to make an impression so far. It must be said that the 24-year-old right-back is discovering a whole new world as he plays his first Champions League campaign, and above all has a strong competitor for his position, even in Rød's absence.
A true pillar of the Hungarian defence, Imanol Garciandia has made up for Rød's absence by raising his game, as evidenced by his six goals in the first leg. With 45 goals and 29 assists to his name so far, the Spaniard is his team's most decisive player and ranks second on Szeged's scorers chart, behind Šoštarić (59 goals). The entire right side will therefore be dangerous on Thursday, unless the Croatian international is unable to play. Absent against Barcelona on Matchday 11, his presence does not seem certain.
Other defensive options include other reliable players such as Bence Bánhidi (31 goals) and former Nantes player Jérémy Toto (22 goals), who is already having a better season than last year. While the right side poses a major threat, Szeged's left-backs have struggled this season, as evidenced by the meagre stats for Borut Mačkovšek, Jim Gottfridsson, and especially Richard Bodó, who among them have scored only nine more goals than Imanol Garciendia.
While solid defensively (sixth-best defence with 328 goals conceded), Szeged are sometimes less effective in attack, ranking only 11th in terms of offensive strength. The Hungarian team relies mainly on Šoštarić, and in his absence, their cutting edge is less evident. On the right wing, one of the few young players in the squad has stepped up in the absence of the Croatian star, and was recently named in the EHF Euro 2026 team of the tournament: Benjamin Szilágyi.
At 22, the Hungarian international is having the best season of his career with ten goals - even though the side's play leans more towards the left side - through Sebastian Frimmel and Marin Jelinić (53 goals combined) when Šoštarić is absent. In the centre, competition is fierce between Lazar Kukić and Janus Smárason, but the Serbian seems to be blending in better with the squad, with 26 goals and 27 assists to his name so far.
While Les Rouge et Bleu will conclude Round 12 on Thursday evening at Coubertin against Szeged, the matchday will begin with a bottom-of-the-table clash between GOG and Pelister. Four points behind the Danes, the North Macedonian side cannot afford any more slip-ups and will need to win to keep their hopes of an historic play-off qualification alive. On Thursday evening, Plock will attempt to end Magdeburg's perfect run, while Barcelona will host a Zagreb side that has already been eliminated following defeat to Stefan Madsen's men last week.
There are still a few tickets left to see our Parisians make their big return to Coubertin on the European stage! Nearly three months after their last home game against Plock (29-30), the capital club will be looking to get back to winning ways as the group stage draws to a close. Don't hesitate, book your tickets for this gala event! For those who cannot make it to the west of Paris, the match will be broadcast live and exclusively on Eurosport.