"We're screwed": a bitter end to the cycle for Barça

BarcelonaA bitter end to the cycle. Barça lost to Magdeburg with a cruel goal in the last second (30-31) and will not be able to play in the Champions League handball final against Füchse Berlin. Carlsbogard and Aitor Ariño, and Dika Mem's injury, left the Catalan team without a chance.

"I want to watch the game before commenting on the referees. I'm very proud of the team, but the red cards have conditioned us. They knew how to take advantage of their superiority in the final attacks," analyzed Carlos Ortega, coach of the Barça team. "We're screwed. The court was in poor condition and was very slippery. It doesn't make any sense to play like this," lamented Aitor Ariño, one of the ten players who will leave the Barça club this summer.

Both teams started the semifinal by emphasizing their fast-paced play. The pace was frenetic, and transitions took center stage. After a few minutes of good play, Barça opened a four-goal gap thanks to the efficiency of Dika Mem and their solid defense (16-12). Emil Nielsen contributed five saves to boost the Catalan side's play.

Barça lost Thiagus Petrus five minutes before halftime. The Blaugrana team didn't understand the red card for a fortuitous blow to the face of an opponent by the Brazilian. His disqualification altered the rhythm of the game. "It wasn't a red card, or a joke," lamented Pol Valera. Thanks to extreme concentration and admirable tenacity, Magdeburg took advantage of the opportunity to go into the break with the score tied. A 2-6 run was to blame (18-18).

Ortega reserved Mem for the first few minutes of the second half. Magnus Saugstrup's double suspension for two minutes was a problem for Magdeburg, who took risks by playing some possessions without a goalkeeper. Barça failed to take advantage of this favorable situation, and the semifinal remained tied.

Magdeburg fell behind again (24-21), but their ability to overcome adverse situations allowed them to stay alive and overcome some truly difficult moments. Nikola Portner improved on Sergey Hernández's record in the German goal and the game took a turn. In addition, Barça was without Mem, who left the court injured. A 0-4 run threw the Catalans off balance (24-25).

Barça took advantage of Antonio Serradilla's disqualification to score two empty-net goals and regain the initiative (29-27), but Magdeburg came back again. The final stretch was very exciting. Low on energy, the Blaugrana team turned to Juan Palomino. Jonathan Carlsbogard and Aitor Ariño both received red cards during the final minute and a half, in which the Catalan team played with one man down.

With the score tied at 30-30, Magdeburg mounted a final attack with a numerical advantage. Tim Hornke made no mistake and scored the winning goal at the buzzer, sealing the Blaugrana defeat.

The favorite does not fail

Magdeburg's opponent in the final will be Füchse Berlin, who defeated HBC Nantes in the first semifinal (34-24). "It was a very difficult match, but I'm very proud of the team's response, especially the young players. The last two months have helped people consider us favorites, but winning the title won't be easy," he said.