Barça deliver XXL offensive performance to take last MOTW of 2022

GROUP B

HBC Nantes (FRA) vs Barça (ESP) 33:37 (16:22)

• backed up by goalkeeper Gonzalo Perez de Vargas and his nine saves in the first half alone, Barça immediately took the lead in the game, already up by four after 10 minutes
• despite rotating their players to try and find solutions on both sides of the court, Nantes were not able to close in, while Ludovic Fabregas scored his fifth goal to put Barça ahead by six at the break
• after Barça players Haniel Langaro and Timothey N’Guessan exited the court due to injury, Nantes came back into the game, partly thanks to their goalkeeper Ivan Pesic and his ten saves
• the hosts came back to within one, but did not manage to make the score even, Emil Nielsen saved five shots to keep his team ahead
• Barça’s Ludovic Fabregas was elected Player of the Match after scoring eight goals, making him the best scorer of the game
• Barça finish the year 2022 as leaders of group B, while Nantes remain third, behind the Spanish side and Kielce

Barça were just too strong for Nantes

Barça lost their last game in the XXL Hall, back in 2017, but the Spanish side have definitely learnt their lesson. Judging by the intensity the players put in on both sides of the court from second one, they had chosen not to give their opponents any hope. And after ten minutes, when Dika Mem scored his third goal to put his team ahead by four, it was clear that this Barça was much more gifted than its predecessor. Even though the visitors suffered two important injuries in the second half, that did not prevent them from keeping the control of the game.