Not Barça's night in the Palau Blaugrana as they went down to defeat against European Champions Magdeburg. A great night of European handball saw the German side come out on top against a blaugrana side who were always chasing the game yet still had a chance to salvage a point with a late penalty. 

Catch up from the start

Champions League winners from last season Magdeburg came to the Palau in confident mood. N'Guessen led Barça as best he could but the German soon moved into a 13-9 lead in the game. 

The blaugranes struck the woodwork on several occasions and the Germans' late goal before the break gave them a 15.12 lead going into the second half. 

Defences on top 

In the second half both teams' defences came out on top with Barça conceding just once in the opening 10 minutes of the half. The problem was that Magdeburg also conceded very little and at 19-16 the visitors had the upper hand. 

N'Guessen came to fore once again and led the blaugranes to 21-21 before Magdeburg took the lead again with not much time remaining. Barça had a chance to level things up with a penalty but Barrufet's shot hit the post to consign Carlos Ortega's team to defeat. .

MATCH STATS

FC Barcelona, 21
Magdeburg, 22

FC Barcelona: Nielsen, Aleix, Janc (3), Fàbregas (1), N'Guessan (4), Frade (3), Fernández (1) -starting seven-, Makuc (1), Petar Cikusa, Djordje Cikusa, Carlsbogard, Aleix Gómez (7), Barrufet (1), Hallgrimsson

Magdeburg: Hernández, Claar (2), Zechel (1), Kristjansson (3), Petterson (1), Magnusson (6), Jonsson, Weber (1), Lagergren, Mertens (1), O'Sullivan (1), Barthold (3), Bergendahl (3)

 

Força Barça