Barça 36-30 HBC Nantes: Winning return to the Champions League

Good start for the Barça handball team to the second set of fixtures in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League. After drawing in Nantes three weeks ago, Carlos Ortega's side won through against the French side (36-30), who were second in group B before the game. Timothey N'Guessan top scored with eight.

Even start

Barça tried to take control of the game from the off, scoring 4-0 (6-3, min 9). However, the French side quickly scored three to tie up the game (6-6, min 12). It was very even from then on and neither team managed to go more than two goals up in the first 10 minutes.

Blaugrana resilience

A 5-0 broke the French side's resistance (16-13, min 25) and then Carlos Ortega's side showed what they are made of after being left with five after Petrus and Palomino were sent off. They even managed to extend the lead through N’Guessan and key Gonzalo saves. Halftime score 19-14.

Barça stand firm

The second half began with the French side attempting cut into the lead, even coming back to within two goals (24-22, min 41). However, Ariño and Aleix scored to restore the difference to four, before N'Guessan scored to make it +5 (30-25, min 49).

Comfortable to the end

Barça managed the rest of the game well and the scoreboard didn't change too much. Nielsen wowed the fans with two saves and Martín Duque made his Champions League debut and scored his first goal, receiving an ovation from the Palau Blaugrana. Final score against Nantes (36-30), with the injured Dika Mem watching on.

Next up, Barça travel to Pamplona to take on Helvetia Anaitasuna in the Liga Plenitude (23 November 6.15pm) before a midweek European game away to Magdeburg in Germany (27 November 8:45pm).

GAME STATS

Barça 36
HBC Nantes 30

Barça: Nielsen (-), Janc (4), Richardson (4), Cikusa (2), Frade (4), N'Guessan (8), Wanne (1) - starting seven - Perez de Vargas (-), Bazan Legasa (-), Ariño (6), Aleix (6), Petrus (-), Martin Duque (1), Makuc (-), Palomino (-), Rodriguez Moreno (-).
HBC Nantes: Biosca (-), Briet (1), Minne (6), Rivera (3), Bos (8), Gaber (-), Odriozola (2) - starting seven - Pesic (-), Milosavljevic (-), Yoshida (-), Abdi (1), Avelange (1), Ovnicek (1), Tournat (4), De la Breteche (-), Noam (3).

Partial scores: 3-3; 6-4; 8-9; 11-12; 16-14; 19-14 // 22-18; 24-22; 27-23; 31-26; 32-28; 36-30.

Referees: Péter Horváth, Balázs Marton.