Culé win 30-37 on their visit to the Danish team in the first leg of the quarterfinals
MADRID, 11 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Barça beat this Thursday 30-37 in their visit to GOG Sport for the first leg of the quarterfinals in the EHF Champions League, earning a good amount of goals ahead of the second leg at the Palau Blaugrana, and with it leaving tracked his ticket to the Final Four for the title.
To ensure a place in that event, which will be held on June 17 and 18 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne (Germany), the culé team has to previously eliminate a GOG without excessive renown outside of Denmark, although with surprising benefits during this course in the highest European competition.
Having left Aalborg by the wayside in the round of 16, GOG faced Barça with few pretensions and much to enjoy. Thus, on the field of the Jyske Bank Arena in Odense, the locals held off their opponents, recent champions of the Copa del Rey, in the early stages.
With the Iberian Super Cup, the ASOBAL League, the ASOBAL Cup and the same Copa del Rey already in their showcases, the icing on the cake for Barça’s season involves revalidating their title of European champion, which would be the third in a row and the twelfth in his successful history in these fights, since he dominates at the top of the list of winners.
Bearing all this in mind, and smoothly thanks to good saves from his goalkeeper Emil Nielsen, he barely left room for improvisation against GOG. Up on the scoreboard by the early 2-3 and 3-4, Carlos Ortega’s pupils no longer let go of the lead until the conclusion, in an exercise of mettle.
The scare was Dika Mem’s apparent injury to his left leg, midway through the second half. He had to be helped off the track by Luka Cindric and Luis Frade, though he returned shortly after with less show of pain. From the bench, he saw his teammates seal the victory and get closer to the Final Four.