PARIS
vs
Istres Provence Handball
Founded in 1970, Istres Provence Handball reached the French top flight for the first time in 1995, having won the division two title the previous season. After establishing themselves in the domestic elite in the 2000s, the club have switched between the Liqui Moly Starligue and the ProLigue in recent seasons.
Two-time Proligue champions, Istres Provence Handball also won the League Cup in 2009, beating Paris Handball in the semi-finals and Montpellier Handball in the final.
The club made its return to the Liqui Moly Starligue in 2018 thanks to their second ProLigue title win, secured on the 26th and final matchday with victory over Nice.
The Parisians against Istres
On 2018/19 season of Liqui Moly Starligue as part of matchday 2, Istres Provence Handball had lost 31 - 24 against Paris Saint-Germain Handball, driven by an excellent duo Nadim Remili - Uwe Gensheimer. The Red and Blue had defeated them once again 44 - 29 at Coubertin on Matchday 19, with 9 goals from Mikkel Hansen.
The Parisians were travelling to Istres as part of 2019/20 opening matchday. Nikola Karabatic's teammates had defeated htem 35 - 25, with 10 saves from Rodrigo Corrales.
Battling throughout the season to remain in the first division with 5 clubs at the end of the ranking, the team of Istres Handball did not have the weapons to face the Red and Blue. The victories and the scores of the two matches in Liqui Moly Starligue are proof of this. Indeed, on February 28, 2021, the Parisians managed to create a decisive gap during the second half and beat Istres 22-32.
The two clubs met again on April 13, in the rescheduled match of the 11th day of Liqui Moly Starligue. PSG won again 39-26 with 7 goals from Nedim Remili and Ferran Sole.
Players to follow Duel
He is one of the most emblematic players in world handball. After playing for Montpellier Handball, THW Kiel and FC Barcelona, Nikola Karabatic has won everything, both at club and national level: 18 championship titles, 3 Champions League, 34 National Cups, as well as 3 medals at the Olympic Games with Les Bleus. During the 2002/03 edition of the French Cup, Istres Provence Handball was eliminated at the semi-final stage by Montpellier Handball. A member of the Montpellier team, Nikola Karabatic was then a young full-back whose future was predicted to be bright in France and Europe.
Born on November 18, 1994 in Vigevano in Lombardy, Andrea Parisini is an Italian player playing at the pivot position at Istres Provence Handball. After two experiences in his native Italy, he landed in France in 2016 in Angers, before revealing himself under the colors of Strasbourg during the 2018/19 season. He joined Istres in the summer of 2019 and then played the Liqui Moly Starligue for the first time in his career. During the 2021/22 season with the Violet et Blanc, he finished as the top scorer of his team with 111 goals and an excellent success in shots: 78%!
La Halle Polyvalente
Place Champollion - 13 800 Istres
The multipurpose hall of Istres is a modular enclosure with a capacity of 1,500 places, hosting meetings of Istres Provence Handball as well as various cultural and sporting events.
Situated on the edge of the Berre lake, the site is accessible by car thanks to a free car park nearby.
