Barça extend legacy with twelfth handball European Cup win

Today saw Barça further confirm their standing as European handball giants, the blaugranes defeating Aalborg (30-31) to win their twelfth European Cup title and third in four seasons.

Carlos Ortega's side have now lifted their second Champions League trophy in his three seasons in charge, rounded off by this campaign's superb performance in the final four. That's now six from seven possible trophies, only missing out on the Super Globe title.

This latest triumph, led by captain Dika Mem, is Barça's fifth since the final four format with a permanent home in Cologne was introduced at the end of the 2009/10 season. No other team has won so many trophies in Germany, with THW Kiel the closest challenger on 3.

This 2024 Champions League win adds to those achieved in 2010/11 against Ciudad Real, 2014/15 against Vészprem, 2020/21 against Aalborg, and 2021/22 against Kielce.

Champions League legends

The members of this legendary Barça team will also go down in history. Coach Carlos Ortega became the first person to ever win eight handball European Cups. Ortega lifted 6 as a player and now 2 as coach, all with Barça.

Furthermore, two of the current blaugrana squad, Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas and Aitor Ariño, have now reached their own personal milestones of five trophies each, all won with Barça in Cologne. From the youth system into the annals of history.

And while some are already frequent winners, four players won their first Champions league trophy this 2023/24 season. Keeper Emil Nielsen was one of the main protagonists this weekend, and he is joined by Jonathan Carlsbogard, Javi Rodríguez and young promise Petar Cikusa.