Barça make a step forward on the road to Cologne

QUARTER-FINALS, FIRST LEG

HBC Nantes (FRA) vs Barça (ESP) 30:32 (18:19)

H2H: 2-1-10
Top scorers: Kauldi Odriozola (Nantes) 6 goals; Aleix Gómez (Barça) 9 goals

• The first part of the game was a post fest, as six shots from both sides hit the woodwork in the first ten minutes
• That did not prevent Barça from taking an early lead and a three-goal advantage, as Aleix Gómez scored four times in the opening quarter
• As Ivan Pešić stepped between Nantes’ posts, the Croatian goalkeeper made several crucial saves to help his team close the gap to one by half-time
• The French side even briefly took the lead around the 36th minute, but Barça were quick to respond and, five minutes later, were back ahead by three — their biggest advantage of the match
• The Spanish side never let their lead slip away, as goalkeepers Viktor Hallgrímsson and Emil Nielsen made enough saves to keep their team out of danger in the closing moments
• Nantes and Barça will meet again for the return leg next Wednesday in Barcelona

Barça, the strength of habit

Many teams have lost points — or even their dreams of glory — at the H Arena. It is easy to understand why, as backed by more than 6,000 fans, Nantes are often unstoppable on their home court. But tonight, Barça were not fazed.

They started strongly, taking an early advantage and silencing the arena. And even when Nantes mounted a comeback at the start of the second half, briefly taking the lead, Barça remained in control. Aleix Gómez once again showed why he has been among the top scorers in the EHF Champions League in recent seasons, while newer players such as Ian Barrufet and Viktor Hallgrímsson performed as if they had been at this level for years. It is as if, once you wear the Barça shirt, experience comes naturally.