Barça 2-2 Reus Deportiu: Agonising draw

Qualification for the next round of the Champions League just got much more difficult for the Barça roller hockey team after this 2-2 draw against Reus Deportiu at the Palau Blaugrana. The blaugranes have to win their final game and hope Noia lose their two remaining games. Càndid Ballart was a colossus for the visitors, with the home side managing to come back to 2-2, before a Sergi Aragonès winner was ruled out.

Carles Grau and Càndid Ballart close the door

David Cáceres' side came out looking for goals at the Palau Blaugrana, but Càndid Ballart and the frame prevented the deadlock from being broken. When Reus Deportiu did get through, there was a focused Carles Grau to close the door too.

The frenetic pace saw the game going to and fro, but the keepers remained unmovable, making save after save to keep the score 0-0.

Visitors score two in a minute

FC Barcelona kept applying themselves in attack, but it was Reus who scored first, Joan Salvat finally scoring past Carles Grau after 34 minutes. Then, in the blink of an eye it was 0-2 through Martí Casas.

Sergi Llorca finds a way...

The blaugranes kept pushing to start the comeback, but Càndid Ballart kept getting in the way. Finally Sergi Llorca popped up with a much needed brace to give some Champions League group stage hope for Barça.

... but comeback incomplete

Still pushing for a winner with two minutes left, another tough blow arrived as Xavi Barroso was shown a blue card. Now one player down, FC Barcelona did everything to find the winner, and Sergi Aragonès' effort with 22 seconds to go was ruled out by the referees.

The draw means FC Barcelona's progress in this season's Champions League is now dependent on a final win for the blaugranes and two losses for Noia. Next up though, an away league match at Igualada on 23 February.

GAME STATS

Barça 2
Reus Deportiu 2

Barça: Carles Grau, Ignacio Alabart, Pablo Álvarez, Ferran Font and Marc Grau – starting five – Xavi Barroso, Sergi Llorca, Sergi Aragonès and Eloi Cervera
Reus Deportiu: Càndid Ballart, Joan Salvat, Marc Julià, Martí Casas and Diego Rojas – starting five – Maximiliano Oruste, Guillem Jansà, Carles Casas and Ferran Giménez

Goals: 0-1, Joan Salvat (min 34); 0-2, Martí Casas (min 34); 1-2, Sergi Llorca (min 46); 2-2, Sergi Llorca (min 48)

Referees: Fernando Vasconcelos and Rui Leitao. Blue cards for Xavi Barroso (min 48) and Sergi Aragonès (min 49)