Les Rouge et Bleu have been in scintillating form so far this season! After securing a well-deserved point in Aalborg (33-33), the Parisians went on to record victories against Zagreb (34-30) and Celje on two occasions (46-35 and 30-41). These performances have proven enough for Stefan Madsen and his men to secure their place in the main round of this newly formatted Champions League.
However, the stakes remain high for the final two matchdays, as top spot in Group C is still up for grabs – and finishing top is by no means insignificant. Our Parisians already know they will progress to the main round alongside Aalborg, b ut it remains to be seen who will start the main round with a potential three-point advantage. After the draw against the Danish side in the first leg, there are still two points up for grabs next week. Should Paris win, they will therefore start the main round with three points, compared with two points for a draw and just one in the event of a defeat.
Since the start of the season, Paris have been impressing with the spirit the team has managed to display week after week, despite the gruelling schedule. Having put on a real show against Celje, scoring a total of 86 goals across the two legs, Stefan Madsen’s men are putting on a spectacle, be it at home or away.
After four matchdays, the capital club boasts the best attack in Europe with 143 goals scored – two more than nearet rivals Füchse Berlin. The Parisians are being well supported by Mikkel Lovkvist, who has been in top form in recent weeks, as well as by a relatively reliable attack. This is demonstrated by the fine performances of Elohim Prandi (28 goals), Yahia Omar (23 goals), and Bjarki Elisson and Ferran Solé (17 goals each).
On Wednesday, Paris will travel to the Zagreb Arena for the ninth time in club history. After so many visits, the Croatian capital holds no secrets for our Parisians. Since their first Champions League campaign, only Kiel (19) and Veszprém (20) have faced the capital club more often than Zagreb. Of these encounters, some stand out more than others.
Among the most memorable clashes is Mikkel Hansen’s masterclass at the Halle George Carpentier in October 2015 (10 from 11). As for the Arena Zagreb, it is probably Luka Karabatic who holds the most vivid memory, having scored 8 from 8 in his side’s victory in Croatia (21-32), which remains his personal best in the Champions League to this day. As for the goalkeepers, Jannick Green also set his record for saves in Zagreb, making 18 saves when the sides clashed last February.
In the other Group C fixture, Aalborg will host Celje, aiming to avoid an upset at the hands of the Slovenians and retain top spot ahead of their trip to Coubertin on the final matchday. Among the other groups of interest to the capital club ahead of the main round is a clash between the two teams already through from Group A, Veszprém and Berlin.
Currently second, the Foxes must win by at least a six-goal margin in Hungary to overtake their opponents this evening and hope to start the main round with two points. In Group B, Nantes will look to consolidate second place when they host Vardar on Wednesday evening, whilst Melsungen will be playing for qualification at home against Plock. Should they lose, Roberto Garcia Parrondo’s side will be officially eliminated from the race for the main round.
Throw-off for this headline EHF Champions League Matchday 5 clash at the Arena Zagreb is at 18:45 on Wednesday 21 October! The match will be broadcast live and exclusively on beIN SPORTS 1.
