A season of transition

A season of transition

With a strengthened side and a new coach on the bench, Barça’s handball team started the season with plenty of ambition for titles. The team’s play improved as the season went by but the downside was the absence of any major titles.

It was an intense season for Barça’s handball team. From Champions League qualification to the chance to win the league in the penultimate match, they were there till the end on all fronts but ended up empty handed.

Unbalanced start

The Pyrenees League marked a good start, but was the only trophy Barça won this season. In the Champions League qualifying match they got past Portuguese side Braga without any problems, but missed out on the Super Cup, which they lost in a tight encounter with Ciudad Real (32-30).

First setbacks

The league started well, but the first sign of problems came in October, when Barça lost at CAI Aragó (37-33) and only managed a draw at home to Ademar (25-25). They were losing their grip on the Asobal, but remained unbeaten in the Champions League and made it into the second phase with a one hundred per cent record. Barça ended the year with an important win over Ciudad Real at the Palau (26-24) which restored hope for the second round of matches, as they were no longer depending on other results.

Second half

After the European Championship in Norway, which was won by a Danish side including Barça’s Kasper Hvidt and Jesper Noddesbo, Barça resumed activities and focused special attention on the Champions League. Defeat away to Gudme (35-33) was a warning of the quality of the sides they were up against, but Barça were still scoring high, until they faced another reverse in defeat at Ademar (25-24), meaning the title was slipping away from them.

April problems

April was a disappointing month in all competitions. In the Champions League semi finals Kiel were too much for Barça after winning by ten in the first leg (41-31), though Barça did their best to make a comeback at the Palau (44-37). In the Copa del Rey it was once again Ciudad Real that proved Barça’s undoing with a last minute win in the final (31-30), and ten days later the teams met again in the decisive league match won by Ciudad Real, leaving Barça with no hope of topping the side from La Mancha in the championship race.