PARIS
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Liqui Moly Starligue • Matchday 28
PARIS
vs
ACCOR ARENASale closed
HBC Nantes
Founded in 1953, HBC Nantes have enjoyed a meteoric rise since the early 2000s, returning to the top flight of French handball for season 2008/09. Just 10 years prior to that, the club had been languishing in the fifth division.
To date, they have won 1 French Cup, 2 League Cup and 1 Trophée des Champions, secured against Paris Saint-Germain Handball on September 2nd, 2017, in front of a sold-out crowd at Rouen’s Kindarena.
On 2017/18 season, Nantes surprised many observers by reaching the final of the EHF Champions League, knocking out a Paris Saint-Germain Handball side featuring the Karabatić brothers in the previous round. Sadly for Le H, they could not carry their fine form into the showpiece match, where they lost 32-27 to fellow French team Montpellier.
The coach of the H is a historical personality of the club, which he joined in 2005 and after having worked with the reserve team, the training center and the women's section. Gregory Cojean is now the coach of Nantes for the 2022-23 season.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
On 2019/20 season of Liqui Moly Starligue, Mikkel Hansen and Co had defeated them 30 - 29 in Nantes on matchday 13. The Parisians had defeated them once again 34 - 29 at Coubertin on matchday 17, thanks to a great performance from Thierry Omeyer.
On 2019/20 season, the Nantais were travelling to Coubertin on Liqui Moly Starligue matchday 2. The Parisians won 32-29 at home. In the return match on February 27, 2020, Nantes managed to break the Red and Blue's run of 16 consecutive league wins. After a high-profile match with great performance from the goalkeepers, the match ended up with a 29 - 29 draw.
In the midst of a record-breaking run of 22 wins since the start of the season and 43 games without any defeat in two years in Liqui Moly Starligue, PSG was held back by Nantes on matchday 24 of the season. Indeed, this match of incredible intensity and commitment, on both sides of the pitch, ended in a narrow 24-25 defeat to Nantes. A scoreline that reflects the remarkable performances of both teams’ goalkeepers: 16 saves for Vincent Gérard and 15 saves for Emil Nielsen from Nantes.
Players to follow Duel
A Danish international since 2007, Jannick Green has won everything with his national team: gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and winner of the World Championships played at home in 2019 with the Red and White, the 1.95 meters goalkeeper is a luxury substitute to Niklas Landin in selection. At SC Magdeburg since 2014, Jannick Green is taking on a new challenge by signing with PSG until 2024. With the Red and Blue, he joins Henrik Toft Hansen with the ambition to win many trophies alongside his long-time teammate in the national team.
Born on February 22, 1985, Valero Rivera is a Spanish international playing as a left winger. He signed his first professional contract with Barcelona in 2001, before playing for four Spanish clubs, including BM Aragon between 2005 and 2007. A left-winger known and recognised in France, he played for HBC Nantes between 2010 and 2016, then between 2018 and 2020. During the 2019/20 season of Liqui Moly Starligue, he was the top scorer of the H with 99 goals.
La H Arena
7 - 9 rue André Tardieu - 44 200 Nantes
The HBC Nantes plays in the H Arena, in the heart of the Palais des Sports de Beaulieu, an ultra-modern hall with a capacity of nearly 5,000, shared with the Nantes Basket Hermine Pro B and Nantes Volleyball clubs in the women's first division. It is here that the H will experience its ascent to the top of the Liqui Moly Starligue, driven by one of the best audiences in France.
Located in the Trocardière district, the H Arena is accessible by public transport, in particular tram line 3. Numerous car parks are also located around the arena, with easy access on match nights.
