24.09.2020, 12:00
Barça take 20th home victory in a row

GROUP B REVIEW: Champions League record winners hit the net 42 times against Celje, including ten goals by three Slovenians

One would think that Veszprém’s 37 goals against Zagreb or Nantes’ 35 goals in Kiel would already be a huge number today, but we are left even more impressed by Barça: The Spanish side is the first team to score over 40 goals in this EHF Champions League season. Like in the 2019/20 group phase, when they beat Celje 45:21 and 37:25, today’s performance was just as dominant. 

Group B

Barça (ESP) vs RK Celje Pivovarna Laško (SLO) 42:28 (21:14)

• It was Barça’s 11th victory against Celje in their 15^th Champions League duel and their seventh straight home win against “the Brewers” since 1997. 
• For almost three years, Barça have won all Champions League home matches, the 42:28 against Celje was the 20^th victory in a row.  
• Having four points from two matches, Barça are on top of Group B, equal with Aalborg and Veszprém. 
• Celje still wait for their first points of the season; they play Kiel next Wednesday. 
• 12 Barça players were on the score sheet, topped by former Celje star Blaz Janc (seven goals). His brother Mitja was not in Celje’s squad.  

Barça in the hunt for PSG’s brilliant home win record

41 unbeaten EHF Champions League home matches in a row was the impressive record held by Paris Saint-Germain until 1 December 2019, when funnily enough Barça ended the run with a 35:32 victory.

Now the Spanish side has the chance to take this crown. Beating Celje on Thursday night was their 36^th unbeaten home match since the 33:31 loss against Kielce on 5 December 2015. Since then, Barça have won 35 times and tied once (26:26 against Rhein-Neckar Löwen on 12 November 2017). The record can be broken on 17 February 2021 against Nantes. 

TEXT: EHF / Björn Pazen