 Barcelona claim 20th Spanish championship
FC Barcelona Intersport have done it again: by winning their most recent league match 30:25 at Ademar Leon on Tuesday evening, the record winner of the VELUX EHF Champions League have secured their 20th title in the Spanish championship with three rounds to spare.
The victory in Leon was victory number 27 from 27 matches and now Xavi Pascual’s team are on the hunt to match the perfect record of Ciudad Real from the 2009/10 season, winning all 30 league matches.
Barca's remaining league games are against their VELUX EHF Champions League quarter-final opponent Atletico Madrid, Naturhouse La Rioja and Guadalajara.
The season has been a resounding success so far, after capturing the League Cup, Super Cup and now the championship. However, it could potentially be better, with the Copa del Rey and VELUX EHF Champions League still up for grabs.
No other team in Spain have more silverware in their cabinet: Granollers became champion ten times, Atlético Madrid nine times and Ciudad Real five times.
The victory at Leon confirmed the three in a row for Barcelona, who finished on top of the league in 2011 and 2012.
Coach Xavi Pascual also made history with his 15th trophy since his arrival on the Barca bench in February 2009.
This expected domestic title will be a boost to the confidence of Barcelona ahead of the second leg of the VELUX EHF Champions League quarter-final at the Palau Blaugrana against Atlético Madrid on Saturday 27 April.
The newly crowned Spanish champions sensationally lost 20:25 at Madrid in a hard fought game and find themselves under pressure to reduce the deficit at home.
The match at Vistalegre was Barcelona’s first defeat on a Spanish court for over a year and just their second in all competitions this season after losing Füchse Berlin in the Group Phase.
TEXT: Björn Pazen / cor
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