Second half flurry brings win

Helvetia Anaitasuna - FC Barcelona 30:43 (19:21)

FC Barcelona returned to Liga Asobal action with a win in Pamplona that was much harder than the eventual 13 point difference suggests. The side from Navarra prevented the Catalans going more than three goals ahead for the first half hour, with Da Silva in exceptional form for the home side. Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas was outstanding in the Barça goal with 21 saves but by the end of the opening 30 minutes, Barça were only 21:19 up.

All that changed after the break. Barça were much more incisive, tighter in defence and lethal on the counter-attack. Víctor Tomàs (10 goals) and Sigurdsson (9) led the onslaught, with just about every attacking play ending with the ball in the back of the net, while Anaitasuna had lost their shape in offence and struggled to find any way past Pérez de Vargas. Barça's lead just got wider and wider and they eventually cruised to a 43:30 victory.