Upset avoided as Barça are through to the Copa semifinals after defeating a combative Recoletas Atlético Valladolid 38-24. A happy ending because the blaugranes reacted after the team from Castilla y León started strongly. Many second-half goals sealed the win, with P. Cikusa the MVP.

Blaugranes unsettled

Barça had to comeback, but it wasn't easy. After a 0-4 partial, it took the blaugranes until 6 minutes and 36 seconds to score their first at the Centro de Tecnificación in Alicante. N'Guessan scored the only goals early on as his team spent the first period trailing, 3-4 (min 10).

The Valladolid keeper was proving hard to beat and was one of the main reasons why Carlos Ortega's side had only scored four halfway through the first half (4-6), in what was an unusual state of affairs. They had to comeback, it was a tough ask, but the lively P. Cikusa eventually drew them level at 7-7, min 20.

Aleix Gómez finally put them into the lead on 23 minutes (9-8), which went +2 through Mem, as the blaugranes had found an answer to Recoletas Atlético Valladolid. They were unable to stop the Barça push and the score moved out to 15-12 at half-time.

Game of two halves

All change after the break, as Barça looked more at ease and started to extend their lead. Fast play and goals soon saw Carlos Ortega's side leave Recoletas Atlético Valladolid in the rear view mirror. The erratic play of the first half was gone and Frade, Mem and Aleix helped extend the lead to 19-13 (min 35).

Carlos Ortega' subs also worked to grow the gap, as A. Sola and a solid blaugrana defence made it 27-17 after 45 minutes. However, Dika Mem still wanted more and took it to +11. With the blaugranes now dominant, the final score as the game ended was 38-24. 

This means FC Barcelona are set to play in the Copa semi-finals against the winners of Viveros Herol BM Nava v Rebi Balonmano Cuenca on Jun 6 from 5.00pm CEST. The title defence continues.

GAME STATS

Barça 38
Recoletas Atlético Valladolid 24

Barça: Nielsen (1), Barrufet (1), N'Guessan (3), Makuc (7), Janc (1), Aleix (3) y Frade (2) - starting seven - Hallgrimsson (-), D. Cikusa (-), L. Fàbregas (1), P. Cikusa (6), D. Mem (5), Carlsbogard (2), Fernández (3), A. Sola (3) and Bazán (-)
Recoletas Atlético Valladolid: César Pérez (-), Jozinovic (2), Ferreira (3), Gustavo Da Silva (2), Tao Gey (4), Diaz (1) and Fodorean (3) - starting seven - Giráldez (-) De Carvalho (5), Karapalevski (-), Herrero (1) , Miguel Camino (1), Pisonero (1), Pons (1) and Serrano (-)

Partials: 0-3; 3-4; 4-6; 7-7; 10-9; 15-12 // 19-13; 23-15; 27-17; 30-19; 35-22; 38-24

Referees: Jose Carlos Friera and Andres Rosendo

Força Barça