Last 16 (Leg 1)HBC Nantes (FRA) vs Paris Saint-Germain Handball (FRA)SSM de la Trocardière, RezéSaturday, 25 March, 20:45 hrs

Media InformationVELUX EHF Champions LeagueSeason 2016/17

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HBC Nantes (FRA) vs PSG Handball (FRA)

• HBC Nantes are debutants in the VELUX EHF Champions League. The last debutants in the Last 16 were Füchse Berlin and AG Kobenhavn in the 2011/12 season - and both made it to the VELUX EHF FINAL4.

• PSG made it to the quarter-finals in the last three seasons.

• In the current season of the French league, PSG have only lost one of 18 matches so far - a 37:31 in Nantes. HBCN are second only one point below the Paris based team.

• PSG goalkeeper Gorazd Skof will face his former teammates; he wore the HBCN jersey from 2013 up until 2016.

• In contrast to PSG, Nantes have made it to two finals of European Cup competitions, being twice runners-up in the EHF Cup Finals 2013 and 2016 (both on home court).

• The overall group phase balance of both contenders is similar: PSG have 12 wins, zero draws and two defeat in 14 matches, while HBCN have ten wins, one draw and one defeat including the two victories in the play-offs against La Rioja.

• For the second time since the 2014/15 season, three French sides have made it to the Last 16: Montpellier, PSG in both years, with Dunkerque in 2015.

• With an average of 37,5 goals per match, PSG have the most effective attack of all 28 teams, Nantes have scored an average of 31,6 goals so far.

• An overall of eight French 2017 World Champions will be on court in these two Last 16 duels: Nyokas (Nantes) on one side, Omeyer, Remili, Abalo, Accambray, Narcisse and the Karabatic brothers Nikola and Luka on the other side.

• Besides Nyokas, the Nantes players Dominik Klein (2007 with Germany) and Eduardo Gurbindo (2013 with Spain) have become World Champions before.

• In the PSG squad, Mikkel Hansel and Henrik Möllgard are defending Olympic champions with Denmark; Uwe Gensheimer is defending EHF EURO Champion with Germany.

• While Klein (2007, 2010 and 2012 with Kiel) and Gurbindo (2015 with Barcelona) are the only former EHF Champions League winners in the Nantes squad, Omeyer (2003 with Montpellier, 2007, 2010, 2012 with Kiel), Narcisse (2010 and 2012 with Kiel), Abalo (2006, 2008 and 2009 with Ciudad Real) and Karabatic (2003 with Montpellier, 2007 with Kiel and 2015 with Barcelona) have won this trophy before and now are signed with Paris. PSG coach Noka Serdarusic had steered Kiel to their first ever trophy in 2007.

• For the first time two German wingers from two French clubs will face each other in the CL: Dominik Klein (Nantes) & Uwe Gensheimer (PSG). There will be 3 players playing (Buric & Nyokas (Nantes) and Omeyer (PSG)) who have twins that also play handball.

Leg 1Last 16

Saturday, 25 March 2016, 20:45 hrsPlaying hall91 Rue de la Trocadiere44400 RezeFrance Capacity 4,438

Lidl Starligue

Last 4 games

22.03. vs Selestat W40:29

15.03. @ Cesson W27:33

08.03. vs Creteil W35:29

01.03. @ Toulouse W24:30

Next game:

29.03. vs Nimes

Standings

1. PSG 19 653:513 36

2. Nantes 19 610:510 35

3. Montpellier 19 612:512 28

...

14. Selestat 19 450:565 1

Lidl Starligue

Last 4 games

22.03. @ Ivry W21:31

15.03. vs Chambery W31:25

08.03. vs Dunkerque W36:29

01.03. @ Creteil W28:29

Next game

29.3. vs Toulouse

Standings

1. PSG 19 653:513 36

2. Nantes 19 610:510 35

3. Montpellier 19 612:512 28

...

14. Selestat 19 450:565 1

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Last Ten Games in VELUX EHF Champions League:

HBC Nantes: current run – won five09.10.2016 Rezé FRA vs ABC/UMinho POR W 35:3316.10.2016 Holstebro DEN @ TTH Holstebro DEN W 25:3522.10.2016 București ROU @ Dinamo Bucuresti ROU W 26:2713.11.2016 Rezé FRA vs Dinamo Bucuresti ROU W 26:2419.11.2016 Rezé FRA vs HC Motor Zaporozhye UKR L 32:3427.11.2016 İzmit TUR @ Besiktas Mogaz HT TUR W 28:3303.12.2016 Rezé FRA vs TTH Holstebro DEN W 31:2611.02.2017 Braga POR @ ABC/UMinho POR W 29:3405.03.2017 Logroño ESP @ Naturhouse La Rioja ESP W 25:3111.03.2017 Rezé FRA vs Naturhouse La Rioja ESP W 37:31

Paris Saint-Germain Handball: current run – won five23.10.2016 Herning DEN @ Bjerringbro-Silkeborg DEN W 30:3612.11.2016 Paris FRA vs FC Barcelona Lassa ESP W 33:2620.11.2016 Veszprém HUN @ Telekom Veszprém HUN W 28:2927.11.2016 Paris FRA vs Telekom Veszprém HUN W 28:2403.12.2016 Barcelona ESP @ FC Barcelona Lassa ESP L 35:3211.02.2017 Paris FRA vs Bjerringbro-Silkeborg DEN W 32:2718.02.2017 Flensburg GER @ SG Flensburg-Handewitt GER W 33:3425.02.2017 Paris FRA vs Kadetten Schaffhausen SUI W 34:2605.03.2017 Płock POL @ Orlen Wisla Plock POL W 25:2912.03.2017 Paris FRA vs THW Kiel GER W 42:24

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Historic encounters in the EC

HBC Nantes vs Paris Saint-Germain Handball

No previous encounters in European Cup competitions

Paris Saint-Germain Handball vs French clubs 2-0-0

Season Opponent Home Away Competition

2014/15 Dunkerque HB Grand Littoral 23:22 23:21 VELUX EHF Champions League – Last 16

HBC Nantes vs French clubs 0-0-2Season Opponent Home Away Competition

2013/14 Montpellier Agglomeration HB 25:26 24:33 EHF Cup – Quarter-final

Historic encounters in the domestic league and cup

Season Competiton Result

22/12/2016 Lidl Starligue Nantes HBCN 37:31 Paris SG17/09/2016 Trophée des Champions - Final Paris SG 35:26 Nantes HBC24/03/2016 Championnat D1 Masculin Paris SG 34:33 Nantes HBC10/12/2015 Championnat D1 Masculin HBC 17:24 Paris SG04/09/2015 Trophée des Champions - Semi Paris SG 30:28 Nantes HBC26/04/2015 Coupe de France - Final Paris SG 32:26 Nantes HBC18/12/2014 Championnat D1 Masculin HBCN 26:27 Paris SG09/11/2014 Coupe de la Ligue 1/4 Paris SG 24:25 Nantes HBC22/10/2014 Championnat D1 Masculin Paris SG 33:21 Nantes HBC10/04/2014 Championnat D1 Masculin Paris SG 30:28 Nantes HBC12/12/2013 Championnat D1 Masculin HBCN 30:26 Paris SG14/03/2013 Championnat D1 Masculin HBCN 26:24 Paris SG13/12/2012 Championnat D1 Masculin Paris SG 31:29 Nantes HBC28/09/2012 Coupe de la Ligue 1/4 Paris SG 35:37 Nantes HBC17/03/2012 Championnat D1 Masculin HBCN 26:24 Paris SG11/03/2012 Coupe de France 1/4 HBCN 30:23 Paris SG12/09/2011 Championnat D1 Masculin Paris SG 33:31 Nantes HBC30/09/2011 Coupe de la Ligue HBCN 29:24 Paris SG12/05/2011 Championnat D1 Masculin Paris SG 29:25 Nantes HBC24/11/2010 Championnat D1 Masculin HBCN 30:23 Paris SG23/05/2009 Championnat D1 Masculin HBCN 25:25 Paris SG17/12/2008 Championnat D1 Masculin Paris SG 25:27 Nantes HBC

PSG: 11 wins; HBCN: 10 wins; 1 draw

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VELUX EHF Champions League 2016/17 - MOTW Last 16 - Leg 1

Media InformationEHF Media & Communications, 23/03/17 Contributors: Björn Pazen, Roy Knoppert, Kevin Domas