Barça chalked up their first win of the Champions League this season with a record 45-26 defeat over Wacker Thun at the Palau this evening, The Swiss champions could only stay with their hosts in the early part of the match before the quality of the Barça players proved far too much , as Pascual’s side recorded their third highest ever score in the competition.
Not an easy start
It hadn’t been an easy start to the competition for Barça and Thun proved another tough proposition in the opening minutes – taking an early 4-5 lead, with Karabatic keeping Barça in touch before Sorhaindo scored and then earned a penalty which Juanín put away to put the hosts ahead for the first time.
Gap opens up before the break
However, the Swiss champions hung on and with Chalkidis getting the goals they kept the distance down to a couple of goals until just before the break Entrerríos, Tomàs, Rutenka and Stranovsky opened up a seven goal lead (18-11) that was to prove too much for the visitors.
Barça step on the gas
As Barça established their dominance, the previously aggressive Swiss side’s heads dropped and Pascual’s men stepped on the gas to open up a ten point gap(24-14). The goals just kept on coming and when Sarmiento scored twice to make it 41-24, they equalled Hamburg’s highest score in the competition so far this season.
Third highest score ever
Finally, Barça finished on 45 – their third highest score ever in the completion, only bettered by their wins against HC Port Burgas (48-14) in 1999/00 and against KIF Kolding (46-36) in the 2005/06 season.
