Defending champion SC Magdeburg secured an important victory in the top game of Group B in the Champions League. The Bundesliga runners-up won against FC Barcelona on Thursday evening in front of their home crowd with 29:28 (13:14) and defended second place.
bThe Magdeburg goalscorer was Felix Claar with six goals. On the last match day, the Elbestadt team have to get a point at Telekom Veszprém in order to secure second place and move straight into the quarter-finals.
SCM despairs of Nielsen
The initial phase of the game was dominated by the attacking lines – neither side had access defensively, Barcelona had slight advantages (4:5/8.). When Magdeburg failed several times because of Emil Jensen in the Barca goal, the guests were able to pull away for the first time and led by three goals (8:11/21.). Substitute Sergey Hernandez was able to save a few balls and the SCM reduced the deficit to one goal by the break.
Javier Rodriguez Moreno (Barcelona) and Magdeburg’s Albin Lagergren Magdeburg (front) fight for the ball
Barca pulls away – SCM run turns things around
The second half began with a missed seven-meter penalty by the hosts, which resulted in another three-goal deficit (13:16/34.). Magdeburg still lacked defensive access and crucial ideas in attack against the Spaniards’ extremely mobile 6-0 defense. The deficit continued to grow – until the SCM turned the game around with a 5-0 run (22:21/47th). However, Magdeburg failed to extend the lead to three goals and had to tremble until Gisli Krisjansson’s goal two seconds before the end.
SCM takes revenge
The SCM inflicted Barca’s first away defeat in the premier class since November 2021; it was Magdeburg’s fourth win in the last five duels with the Spaniards. In addition, the German champions of 2022 successfully took revenge for the clear Defeat 20:32 in the first leg last September.
Wiegert: “Faith was crucial.”
“Belief was crucial. We were three or more goals down. Then we had the chance to take the game back. In the end I’m really happy for my team.”
