19.11.2020, 09:00
Barça conquer Kiel’s fortress and keep clean record

MOTW REVIEW: A brilliant performance from the Catalan side and their goalkeeper Kevin Möller, while the ‘Zebras’ lose their second home match of the season

THW Kiel still have to wait for their first home victory in the EHF Champions League Men 2020/21. After a defeat against Nantes and a draw against Veszprém, the three-time Champions League winners lost the Match of the Week against Barça on Thursday in a decisive manner.

Barça (12 points) thereby stay on top of the table with their sixth win in their sixth group match, now five points ahead of Kiel, with seven.

GROUP B
MOTW: THW Kiel (GER) vs Barça (ESP) 26:32 (15:16) 

• this six-goal deficit was Kiel’s biggest ever home defeat against Barça. The Catalan side took their third win at Kiel in the 13th duel between the sides in Germany
• it was Barça’s 13th victory in the 26th official match against Kiel
• thanks to the victory in Kiel, Barça have won their 19 Champions League matches played since the 28:31 loss at Szeged on 14 September 2019
• Kiel’s last advantage was the score of 9:8 in minute 19. Barça’s biggest lead was seven goals
• thanks to his six goals, Dika Mem (Barça) is now third ranked in the top scorer list with 36 strikes, just below Sander Sagosen (Kiel, now on 38) and Mikkel Hansen (PSG, 37 goals)
• Barça playmaker Aron Palmarsson scored three times against his former club 

Möller “enjoys every second on the floor” 

Möller was one of Barça’s match winners and the well-deserved Player of the Match after his 18 saves, compared to 12 from Kiel’s Niklas Landin, the Denmark number one and current IHF Player of the Year.

After three seasons at the Catalan club, Möller will return to German side SG Flensburg-Handewitt after this season – but before, he hopes for two Champions League trophies, in December 2020 and June 2021.

TEXT: EHF / Björn Pazen