732 days after they raised the trophy most recently in their club history, FC Barcelona Intersport are now back in Cologne, returning for their mission to win their eighth trophy in the Men's EHF Champions League.  The 2011 VELUX EHF FINAL4 champions landed in Dusseldorf airport on Thursday (30 May) at 8:20pm (local time), then travelled by bus to the team hotel in Cologne. 

 

So all four of Europe's best men's teams are now safely in their hotels in Cologne with Barcelona already preparing for their semi-final against VELUX EHF FINAL4 debutants KS Vive Targi Kielce on Saturday (1 June) at  3:15pm (local time).

 

“We had a training session in our usual environment, than had a team lunch before leaving for Germany,” reported defensive specialist Viran Morros to ehfCL.com on their last day 'on home turf'. “We had a relaxed flight listening to music”, he added. 

 

“We wanted to stay in our usual conditions as long as possible,” said Barcelona manager Xavier O’Callaghan. “Therefore, we are the last team to arrive in the team hotel.”

 

Three years ago, when FC Barcelona Intersport were part of the first ever VELUX EHF FINAL4, the Catalans arrived on the Monday of the week before, training at a preparation camp in Bonn, 40 kilometres away from Cologne.  They reached the final that year but lost against THW Kiel. One year later, Barca were more successful, winning the final against Atletico Madrid.

 

Goalkeeper Arpad Sterbik has played three times with Madrid (including their previous incarnation as Ciudad Real) at the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne and if he plays here in 2013 he will be the only player to have been part of all four VELUX EHF FINAL4 tournaments.

 

“All our players are quite fit. Of course some have minor injuries, but for an event like this you can skip them,” O'Callaghan said.

 

Coach Xavi Pascual was first to leave the Barcelona bus when it arrived at the team hotel and he will be hoping to keep their standard - twice his side have made it to Cologne and twice they have reached the final, losing in 2010 and winning in 2011, only missing out on the 2012 edition after being eliminated against AG Kobenhavn.

Enjoy the rest of Barcelona's arrival gallery here.