Barça 31-30 PICK Szeged: Win in first home game

The Machineseeker EHF Champions League was back at the Palau on Thursday, and was always going to be a fascinating test for Barça against one of the continent's most in-form sides, PICK Szeged of Hungary. For although the Catalans started strongly, the visitors worked their way back into the game and very nearly made off with the win.

The downside was an injury to captain Dika Mem, who will be unavailable for the next few games.

Making the most of two visiting exclusions, Barça led 20-12 at the break, and logic suggested that that was game over. But Szeged miraculously got back into contention. The entry of goalkeeper Mikler and the injury to Dika Mem were factors that explain an extraordinary 3-11 streak, the kind of thing Barça are very unused to enduring, that meant they came dangerously close to losing a game that looked done and dusted.

Late goals from Aleix Gómez and Ortega made sure that didn't happen in this peculiar encounter, which was eventually settled by just a single goal. 

MATCH STATS

BARÇA, 31

PICK SZEGED, 30 

Barça: Pérez de Vargas, Janc (4), Dika Mem (4), Cikusa (2), Frade (3), N'Guessan (2), Ariño (2), Carlsbogard (3), Aleix Gómez (5), Thiagus Petrus, Makuc, Ortega (2), Richardson (3), Javi Rodríguez (1), Bazán, Emil Nielsen (GK). 

PICK Szeged: Thulin (GK), Mikler Roland (p), Smárason, Bodó Richárd (6), Jelinic (1), Bogojevic, Sostaric (8), Frimmel (2), Bánhidi Bence (3), Kalarash (2), Toto, Kukic (2), Garciandia (1), Mackovsek (1), Magnus Abelvik Rod (3), Szilágyi Benjámin (1). 

Periods: 4-1, 8-4, 11-8, 14-9, 18-9, 20-12 (HT), 22-16, 25-17, 27-20, 29-24, 29-27, 31-30 (FT). 

Referees: Maike Merz, Tanja Kuttler.