500 games in European competition

Next Thursday's Champions League game against Polish side Kielce will mark an important landmark for the Barça handball section as it will be their 500th in official European competition. The first came way back in the 1969/70 season against Luxembourg team Dudelange in the European Cup. In the first leg the blaugranes lost 20-18 only to turn around the last 16 tie with a 25-15 win in the second leg. Barça had no such luck in the next round as they were knocked out by RK Crvenka of Yugoslavia. 

Barça in Europe in figures 

In the 499 games played up until now FC Barcelona have won 376, drawn 25 and lost 98. They have scored 14,939 goals and conceded 12,187. 

Barça have taken part in four different European competitions; the European Cup, the Cup Winners Cup, the EHF and the European Super Cup and this is their record: 

European Cup / Champions: 308 victories , 23 draws i 79 defeats, 12,500 goals in favour, 10.256 conceded

Cup Winners Cup: 34 victories , 1 draw and 14 defeats, 1,208 goals in favour, 922 conceded

EHF: 22 victories , 1 draw and 3 defeats,  816 goals in favour, 652 conceded

European Super Cup: 12 victories and 2 defeats, 415 goals in favour, 356 conceded

Stats by country 

Barça have played against teams from 34 different countries during their history, some of which such as the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia no longer exist. The blaugranes have played most games against opposition from Germany with a record of 41 wins, five draws and 32 defeats in their 78 games. Second comes Hungary with 49 meetings (34 wins, two draws and 13 defeats), France with 41 (32 wins, two draws and seven defeats), Denmark with 38 (31 wins, four draws and three defeats) and Spain with 30 (18 wins, two draws and 10 defeats). 

Stats by teams 

Barça have played most matches against German side Kiel. The two clubs first met in the final of the old European Cup in 2000 when Valero Rivera's side turned around a first leg deficit in the second game to claim a fifth consecutive European Cup title. Of the 29 matches between the sides, Barça have won 14, drawn three and lost 12. No team has beaten the blaugranes as much as Kiel in Europe. 

Next on the list is the Hungarian side Vészprem who have won six times against Barça, fellow Hungarians Pick Szeged have five wins, Rhein Neckar Löwen from Germany, Portland Sant Antonio and Ciudad Real from Spain have four with Montpellier from France on three. 

Barça have the better record against all the sides they met in Europe and are the first team to reach 500 matches in European competition. 

Landmark matches 

Game 1: Dudelange 20 – FC Barcelona 18 (28 October 1969). Last 16 European Cup

Game 100: Pick Széged 22 – FC Barcelona 24 (23 March 1994). Semifinals European Cup Winners Cup

Game 200: Kiel 28 – FC Barcelona 24 (25 March 2001). Semifinals European Cup

Game 300: Vardar Skopje 28 – FC Barcelona 35 (11 November 2009). Week 5 Champions League

Game 400: Montpeller HB – FC Barcelona 23-31 (14 February 2016). Week 11 Champions League 

Game 500: Barça – Vive Targi Kielce (18 November 2021). Week 7 Champions League

Honours in Europe

Barça's record in Europe is second to none. Since making their debut over 50 years ago, FC Barcelona have won 10 European Cups, five Cup Winners Cups, one EHF Cup and five European Super Cups, a total of 21 trophies that makes them the most successful club in European handball history.