Barça 36–41 Telekom Veszprém: First loss In Europe

In this clash of two titans in the Champions League, Hungarian side Telekom Veszprém managed to overcome Barça at the Palau Blaugrana. Ludovic Fabregas returned to an ovation and had a good first thirty minutes, as his side won 36-41.

Ludovic Fabregas shines for Veszprém 

Dika Mem opening the scoring with just 56 seconds on the clock but Veszprém equalised through Ludovic Fabregas (7) who had a lively first half. There wasn't much to choose between the sides throughout, Barça managed to go ahead but again Fabregas made it 5-6. That was the pattern for the rest of the first half, with Barça one or two goals ahead but the visitors coming back, who ultimately went into the break in the lead with the score 17-19.

The blaugranes keep up the pressure

The second half saw the Hungarians widen their lead to up to six goals at one point after the restart. Rodrigo Corrales (13) proved a veritable wall, and his opposite number, Pérez de Vargas (4) kept his side in it as the belief that the comeback was possible was there throughout.

Luck wasn't on the side of Carlos Ortega's team and with Yehia Mohammed Yehia Elderaa (6) leading the attack, Veszprém managed to remain ahead of Barça despite their own and the fans' best efforts to get them over the line. Final score 36-41.

Game stats

Barça: 36.
Telekom Veszprém: 41.

Barça: Emil Nielsen (9), Pol Valera (1), Dika Mem (7), Hampus Wanne, Blaz Janc (6), Timothey N’Guessan (7), Luis Frade (2) - starting seven - Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas (4), Jonathan Carlsbogard (2), Aitor Ariño (2), Aleix Gómez (1), Thiagus Petrus, Haniel Langaro, Melvyn Richardson (5), Petar Cikusa, Javier Rodríguez (3).

Telekom Veszprém: Rodrigo Corrales (13), Hugo Descat, Patrik Ligetvári, Gasper Marguc (2), Nedim Remili (4), Mohammed Elderaa (6), Ludovic Fabregas (7) - starting seven - Ignacio Biosca, Lukas Sandell (4), Andreas Nilsson, Bjarki Mar Elisson, Kentin Mahé, Dragan Pechmalbec (7), Maikita Vailupau (1), Agustín Casado (5), Sergei Mark Kosorotov (5).

Partial scores: 3-3; 7-7; 11-9; 14-12; 15-15; 17-19 / half-time / 20-23; 23-25; 24-28; 27-34; 31-36; 36-41.

Referee: Slave Nikolov, Gjorgji Nachevski and Marek Goralczyk (EHF delegate).