Paris (AFP)

A first test against the defending champion for PSG, still in search of the European Grail.

A first duel between the two pivots of the Blues, two months after the Olympic final in Japan where the pair had muzzled Denmark, reduced to only 23 goals.

Unheard of in a tournament for five and a half years for the selection of Mikkel Hansen.

"With Luka, we had a great competition," admits the reserved Ludovic Fabregas to AFP.

"I think in Tokyo it worked with closed eyes between us."

Wednesday, it will rather be eye to eye.

"We will often be next to each other, bickering a little bit," euphemistically the Catalan anticipating some clashes between pivots, brought by their position to find themselves in the same area.

"It will be hard for sixty minutes, we will have to fight, it will be a physical fight," joined the captain of PSG, questioned by AFP.

Their teams fly over their respective championships with six successes in as many days.

But the capital club is struggling a little outside in the Champions League, with a defeat against Veszprem (34-31) and a draw on the floor of Flensburg (27-27).

Ludovic Fabregas in Barça colors and ball in hand in Cologne, Germany on June 13, 2021. Ina Fassbender AFP / Archives

"It's a test against the team that dominated last season", displays Luka Karabatic on the eve of the shock against his alter ego who picked up the "decima" Barça Champions League during the Final Four in June .

The Palau Blaugrana is "one of the hardest places to win".

Spared during the success against Chambéry (36-29) on Sunday due to a crutch received a week earlier, the N.22 Rouge et Bleu "(goes) better".

"There will be no problem to play (Thursday)," he said.

XXL template

Age aside - the Parisian player is 33 years old, the Barcelona player only 25 - the tandem shares a lot: same position, therefore, same training club, Montpellier, and same XXL size, 1.97 meters and 101 kg for " Tchiki "Fabregas, 2.02 meters and 110 kg for" Loulou "Karabatic.

"In duels, + Ludo + tends to go more in contact when I protect the space more. After that we also adapt to the opponent", describes Luka Karabatic.

Luka Karabatic, in yellow for PSG, during a match against Montpellier (MHB) in the Sud Arena in Montpellier on December 21, 2017. Barcelona and Paris (PSG) will face each other on October 21, 2021 during the EHF Men's Champions League handball match in Barcelona.

SYLVAIN THOMAS AFP / Archives

"He will put more finesse and I a little more power, sums up Ludovic Fabregas. This is our complementarity, we are similar, we have the same ingredients but not quite the same dosage."

The duo, a pivotal partner since the 2017 World Cup as long as neither of them is injured, share the state of mind of this position, not necessarily the most exposed in handball.

"You have to accept the role, opens Fabregas, that is to say sometimes touching a lot of balls, other times not at all, while having a capital importance in the offensive and defensive game."

"To take an example, sometimes we will make a block and that will allow the rear to score. The spectator will be more attracted by the work of the striker and not that of the pivot," he illustrates.

And it does not matter to him, "for me as for Luka, it is the interest of the team that prevails".

© 2021 AFP