PARIS
vs
Szeged in brief
First founded as Szegedi Elore in 1960, translate the Forward Szeged, the club became SC Pick Szeged in 1993. This new name was the result of a partnership between the Pick company and the club. The team won the 1st title in its history in 1979 by winning the Hungarian Cup, before acquiring its 1st Hungarian Championship title in 1996. It was during this period that the rivalry with Veszprém KSE, the other emblematic club of the Hungarian championship, was born.
Regularly qualified for European competitions, the red and white even won the 2013 edition of the EHF Cup against Montpellier Handball, for what remains to this day their best performance on the international scene.
The team has been coached since 2013 by Juan Carlos Pastor, the former Spain coach between 2004 and 2008, who won the gold medal at the 2005 World Championships in Tunisia. In 2018, the club regained the Hungarian championship title after a ten-year wait.
Following the 2021/22 EHF Champions League group stage, the club finished 3rd in this group, behind Kiel and Aalborg, and will be playing a playoff game against Flensburg to reach the Round of 8.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
Paris Saint-Germain crossed paths with Pick Szeged for the first time in the quarter-finals of the 2016-17 Champions League. Thierry Omeyer's team-mates had managed to qualify for the return leg thanks to their win in Hungary 30 - 27 and a great Mikkel Hansen.
This is the third consecutive season that the Parisians will face Szeged in the group phase of the EHF Champions League. Both teams have won home against their direct opponents in the last 4 matches The Red and Blue will be travelling to Hungary on matchday 1.
Players to follow Duel
Quite simply 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. Finding the goal in 8 attempts and setting an example defensively, Nikola Karabatic was logically elected player of the match at the last reception of Szeged at Coubertin.
Born on November 20, 1990, in Pula, Croatia, Luka Stepancic is a Croatian international playing right-back. After 6 years at RK Zagreb, he joined Paris Saint-Germain from the 2016/17 season. In 3 seasons at PSG, Luka will win 3 Lidl Star League, 3 League Cup and a French Cup. He will also be part of the European adventures of 2017 (finalist) and 2018 (bronze medal). He will join MOL Pick Szeged in 2019 and will cross the road of Paris Saint-Germain during the previous edition of the EHF Champions League.
Varosi Sportcsarnok
33 Ternesvari Körut - 6726 Szeged
With a total capacity of almost 3,200 seats in match configuration, the Varosi Sportcsarnok is the official venue of MOL-Pick Szeged.
There is a car park with more than 150 spaces nearby, as well as a secure area for bicycles. It is also possible to get to the venue by public transport, as the venue's location in the heart of the city makes it easy to get there.
