23.09.2021, 08:45
Barça ease past Motor with 11-goal win

GROUP B REVIEW: The defending champions extend their winning streak as the Ukrainian team suffer their first defeat of the season

Thanks to a dominant start to both halves, Barça have taken a clear 35:25 home win over HC Motor in the EHF Champions League Men on Thursday.

After beating Porto 30:27 in their opener last week, the Ukrainian champions were not able to upset Barça in the Palau Blaugrana, where the home team has not lost a Champions League match for almost six years.

It was Motor’s third defeat in the third duel with Barça.

GROUP B

Barça (ESP) vs HC Motor (UKR) 36:25 (16:13) 

• Barça were ahead 10:3 and Dika Mem had already scored four goals after 14 minutes.
• However, Motor reduced the deficit to just two (12:10) despite their usual top shooter, Viachaslau Bokhan, scoring only once from seven attempts before the break.
• In the opening 12 minutes of the second half, Barça shattered all hopes of the visitors with an 8:3 run to go 24:16 up. 
• Though Barça were able to take it easy for the rest of the match, the gap grew to double figures for the first time when Angel Fernandez netted for 31:21.
• In the end, 12 players were on Barça’s scorers list; Barys Pukhouski was Motor’s best scorer with six goals.

Barça get 45th win in last 46 Champions League home matches

Are Barça unbeatable at home? On Thursday night, their clear 36:25 win over Motor was their 45th victory in the last 46 home matches in the EHF Champions League. The incredible series started after 5 December 2015, when Kielce took both points in Barcelona with a 33:31 win. In total, Barça have now won 36 of their last 37 Champions League matches – with the only exception the 2019/20 final against THW Kiel at the VELUX EHF FINAL4 2020 last December.

TEXT: EHF / Björn Pazen