Barça tame Kiel again for 20th straight win

Barça handed THW Kiel their first away loss of the EHF Champions League season Thursday as the Spanish champions deservedly won the second duel against their German counterparts within one week, 29:25.

It was Barça’s 20th straight win in the competition since losing their 2019/20 season opener in Szeged in September 2019, their 23rd straight home victory and 41st unbeaten home match in a row since losing 33:31 to Kielce almost five years ago.

GROUP B: 

Barça (ESP) vs THW Kiel (GER) 29:25 (13:12) 

• the teams swapped leads in the first half and the match remained in the balance until 23:22 in minute 52, as Barça were much more efficient in the final stages
• again both Danish goalkeepers - Kevin Møller (Barça) and Niklas Landin (Kiel) - played a main role with 12 saves each
• Harald Reinkind’s goal for 7:6 was Kiel’s 9,000th in the EHF Champions League; only one other team had reached that mark previously - Barça
• it was Barça’s 14th victory in 27 matches against Kiel as the Spanish side are now unbeaten against Kiel on home court for more than 11 years
• netting ‘only’ 29 times marked Barça’s lowest amount of goals scored in an EHF Champions League match this season 

A perfect night for Slovenians

Even though right wing Blaz Janc did not play, the other Slovenians involved had an impact on this classic game at Palau Blaugrana. Kiel playmaker Miha Zarabec was excellent in the first half and ended up as his team’s best scorer with five goals. On the other hand, experienced right back Jure Dolenec and young gun Domen Makuc each scored four goals for Barça, as only Ludovic Fabregas (six) found the net more often for the hosts.