Punctual to its annual appointment with Cologne, Barça completed the procedure for the second leg of the quarterfinals against PSG with a comfortable victory (32-31) – the 8 goals from the first leg were already final – and certified its 12th go to the final four of the Champions League in all 15 editions with this format.
The Blaugrana team will meet on June 8 and 9 at the Lanxess Arena with Magdeburg, current champion and great favorite, Kiel – who completed the feat by lifting 9 goals against Montpellier – and Aalborg, who destroyed Veszprém; an unpublished poster. You will find out your semi-final opponent on Tuesday, when the final draw will be drawn in Budapest (5:00 p.m.).
Barça will arrive in Cologne as the second best team in the lineup, although with very similar numbers to Magdeburg, the two teams with the most wins (13) and the fewest losses (3). Precisely, the Blaugrana team, the top scorer (535), has given up two of its three defeats against the Germans and Montpellier, both in the last two days of the group stage. Unlike last year, Ortega’s team is no longer the one that defends the best. It is surpassed by Magdeburg and Kiel.
Of course, the Blaugrana team can boast for another year of being the team that has played in the final four the most times. And long. With 12 participations in the 15 editions, the closest is Kiel with 9 appearances; For Magdeburg it is the second, the same as for Aalborg (their rival in the 2021 final, with a historic Blaugrana victory 36-23).
In the process of the second leg of the quarterfinals, against a dedicated Palau Blaugrana, with the best attendance of the season (5,467 spectators), Barça quickly put the victory on track with Blasz Janc’s 5-3 score at 8:30. A solid defense, as they already exhibited in Paris, and scoring diversity, more easily than in the first leg, Barça began to gain cruising speed without too much difficulty. Thus, at 23 minutes he was already down 4 goals (14-10 by Aleix Gómez), he reached a 6 (17-11 by Ariño) and closed the first half with a comfortable 5 (17-12).
In case there was any doubt, Barça sealed the duel with the 7 that Frade scored as soon as the second half started (19-12). Ortega was able to move the bench by dosing his strength and giving minutes to the prodigious Petar Cikusa, Javi Rodríguez or Langaro.
The only mole was the 1-5 partial that PSG nailed, which brought them within three goals (20-17, 21-18), and later to 2 (26-24, with 13 minutes left). Although the Palau reacted like on the best nights and Barça, with the help of a very plugged-in Mem, put things in their place.
The bad news of the night was the injury of Pol Valera, who retired in the arms of Frade and Dika Mem with 5 minutes left. The La Garriga center back hurt his right knee.
The nostalgic note was the return for the last time to the Palau of the legendary Nikola Karabatic, who was Blaugrana between 2013 and 2015. The French full-back, who retires at the Paris Games at the age of 40, scored 2 goals against his former team, to which he gave 11 titles, including the 2015 Champions League.
Barça: Pérez de Vargas, Janc (5), Mem (7), Petrus, Carlsbogard (2), Frade (6), Ariño (2); Richardson (4, 1p), Javi Rodríguez (1), N’Guessan, Petar Cikusa, Aleix Gómez (2p), Wanne (1), Langaro, Pol Valera (2), Nielsen (ps).
PSG: Green, Ferran Sole (3, 1p), Tonnesen (2), Steins (2), Prandi (10), Syprzak (6, 2p), Peleka (2); Keita, N. Karabatic (2), L. Karabatic (1), Ruben Marchan (1), N’Tanzi (2), Villain (ps).
Referees: Pavicevic and Raznatovic (Montenegro). Ruled out Frade, Javi Rodriguez, N’Guessan; Luke Karabatic (3), Prandi (2). Luka Karabatic (m. 49) and N’Tanzi were sent off for direct red (m. 58).
Partials: 2-2, 5-4, 9-8, 12-10, 14-11, 17-12 (rest); 20-14, 22-19, 26-22, 29-25, 29-27, 32-31.
Track: Palau Blaugrana, 5,467 spectators.
