After three matchdays, Paris and Zagreb are both still looking hit their stride in this European campaign. However, the Croatian side is struggling more than Les Rouge et Bleu, having lost all three of their matches so far, but it must be said that Andrija Nikolic's men have not had an easy run of fixtures thus far. While the defeat at Pelister (25-23) may have seemed like just a bad night at the office, Zagreb were never in it against Plock (30-27) and fell heavily to the mighty Barcelona (25-32) in the two following matchdays.
The Parisians, meanwhile, have one win and two defeats so far. Stefan Madsen's men's only victory came at home against Pelister (33-27), and the Danish coach will be looking to repeat the feat in Zagreb in order to get back on track. After the defeat in Szeged (31-29), Les Rouge et Bleu sit fifth in Group B with two points, and they will be keen to get back to winning ways before Barcelona (second) and Szeged (third), both on four points, face off in one of the matchday's headline clashes.
The Croatians have been facing a frustrating situation since the start of the competition. With 87 goals conceded after three matchdays, they trail only Magdeburg (78), Barcelona (79) and Veszprém (84) in the defensive ranking of the sixteen teams in this 2025-2026 edition of the EHF Champions League. However, this defensive solidity is not echoed in attack. With just 75 goals scored, Andrija Nikolic's side sit at the bottom of the attacking table. Once they find their balance, however, Zagreb will undoubtedly be one of the teams to watch in Group B.
Full-time! 🇪🇸 Barça take the #MOTW victory! ⭐
— EHF Champions League (@ehfcl) September 25, 2025
🇭🇷 HC Zagreb 25:32 Barça 🇪🇸#ehfcl #clm #handball pic.twitter.com/SdjmNA0yqF
The standings are often not an accurate reflection of quality at this early stage of the season, and it is ture that Zagreb have several quality players in their squad. In goal, the duo of Ante Grbavac and Haris Suljevic has been particularly solid so far. They are also supported by an experienced back line. On the left flank, veteran Jakov Gojun (39) is their leader, while Giorgi Tskhovrebadze is proving full of promise on the opposite flank. Arriving this summer from Gummersbach, the Georgian international, who previously played for Montpellier, is one of the great hopes of this Croatian club. However, he has a formidable competitor for his position in the form of the excellent Luka Lovre Klarica. With 14 goals this season, Klarica will undoubtedly be one of the main threats on Thursday. In the centre, experienced signings Roko Trivkovic and Petar Topic alternate in the pivot position.
Despite a lack of inspiration in attack after three games, Zagreb can always count on Filip Glavas. Playing on the right wing, the Croatian international remains a pillar of the squad, even though he sometimes seems to lack offensive support. His two wingmen, young Serbian recruits Aleksa Tufegdzic and Mateja Dodic, are new to the Champions League, and the retirement of the legendary Timur Dibirov over the summer has left a big void on the opposite flank. His replacement, Belarusian Stanislau Sadouski, has yet to make his debut in his new colours. It is therefore Davor Cavar who is once again expected to shoulder this responsibility. In the centre, another Belarusian, Ihar Bialiauski, is perfectly suited to the role of playmaker.
As mentioned above, all eyes will be on the clash between Barcelona and Szeged, which will take place at the same time as the match between Paris and Zagreb on Thursday evening. Fresh from winning their fifth world title thanks to their victory over Veszprém in the Club World Cup final, the Blaugranas will be looking to pull away from the Hungarians in the standings. On Wednesday, Magdeburg will travel to GOG with the aim of continuing their perfect start to the Champions League, while Plock will try to extend their lead over Pelister at home.
As was the case against Pelister on Matchday 2 (33-27), the Parisians will need your support to secure a crucial victory in this phase of the EHF Champions League group stage. Tickets are still available to watch this exciting match at Coubertin, which throws off on Thursday at 20:45. For those who cannot make it to the venue in the 16th arrondissement, the match will be broadcast live on Eurosport and can also be followed via our live tweet.