Paris-Plock preview: Another headline clash
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On Wednesday, Les Rouge et Bleu return to EHF Champions League action with a perilous trip to Plock. Find out everything you need to know about this Group B Matchday 5 clash.
In the early stages of the campaign, Plock have more than confirmed their status as outsiders: with three wins and one defeat over the first four matchdays, the Polish champions are second in Group B. The Blue and Whites even came close to pulling off a shock win away to defending champions Magdeburg, the only Group B team still boasting a perfect record this season (27-26). This match is already shaping up to be an important one for the Parisians, who will be keen not to let Xavi Sabate's team widen the gap in the standings. Currently, the capital club sit fifth, two points behind their Polish counterparts, and a result at the Orlen Arena would be a huge boost in the race for qualification for the quarter-finals.
With the third-best defence in the competition after four matchdays, Plock have plenty of reasons to thank goalkeeping pair Torbjorn Bergerud and Mirko Alilovic. But it is above all the back-line that has propelled the Blue and Whites to the rank of Final4 contenders this season. With the signings of Melvyn Richardson on the right and Sergei Kosorotov on the left, the Polish management has made a big splash. In the centre, Abel Serdio and Dawid Dawydzik form a powerful duo with complementary styles of play.
In attack, it is a pair of thirty-somethings, Lovro Mihic and Przemyslaw Krajewski, who will look to attack on the left flank and get the better of the in-form Yahia Omar. On the opposite side of the court, Michal Daszek is now in his 11th season with the club whose youth academy he graduated from. Finally, at centre-half, Plock once again have several quality options. Between Mitja Janc, who seems to be returning to the level he had at Celje, and the tireless Miha Zarabec, the Poles have plenty of strength in depth. Added to this is Gergö Fazekas who, despite being only 21, seems to have moved beyond rising star status with a consistent string of superb displays since last season.
While our Les Rouge et Bleu travel to Plock, Szeged will attempt to end Magdeburg's perfect run. On Wednesday evening, Barcelona will travel to Pelister with the aim of potentially taking top spot in Group B - if the Germans slip up in Hungary. Finally, on Thursday, Zagreb will face a decisive clash with GOG. Still stuck on zero points, the Croatians will need to get a result at home to prevent the Danish side from pulling clear.
This EHF Champions League Matchday 6 fixture will be broadcast live on Eurosport at 18:45 on Wednesday. You can also follow the key moments of the match via our live tweets.