Barça 31-26 Nantes: European finalists!

Barça have beaten Nantes 31-26 and are through to the final of EHF Champions League on Sunday at 6.00pm CEST in Aalborg. After a tight first half, the blaugrana found their A game in the final 15 minutes to seal passage to the showpiece game tomorrow.

Gonzalo and his spectacular goalkeeping meant Barça took an amazing seven minutes to concede their first goal, and with Dika Mem plugged in, they were soon +3. The French side quickly improved, and made sure Barça didn’t break any further in front as the first half ended 15-13.

Although Nantes finally pulled level after the restart, and Barça went 13 minutes with just two goals, the final throes of the game saw the best handball of the game from the Catalans. Barça went four-up for the first time (23-19) and when the difference became six, the final was now very much in sight.

It was now just a case of protecting that lead, which they did to perfection and can now prepare for the final on Sunday!

MATCH STATS

Barça: Gonzalo (-), Mortensen (3), Fàbregas (3), Cindric (1), N'Guessan (3), Mem (5), Aleix Gómez (5). Raúl Entrerríos (2), Sorhaindo (-), Dolenec (4), Blaz Janc (1), Thiagus Petrus (-), Àlex Pascual (-), Makuc (3), Moller (-), Frade (1).
Nantes: Nielsen (-), Pechmalbec (3), Cavalcanti (2), Gurbindo (1), Thibaud Briet (-), David Balaguer (4), Valero Rivera (6), Rok Ovnicek (2), Rock Feliho (-), Théo Monar (4), Augustinussen (-), Lazarov (2), Aymeric Minne (1), Baptiste Damatrin-Bertrand (1).
Periods: 2-0 / 6-3 / 9-6 / 10-8 / 12-11 / 15-13 (HT) 16-15 / 17-17 / 18-17 / 23-19 / 28-23 / 31-26