Victory and the title!
Barça's handball team are now mathematically Asobal League Champions after a convincing 45:19 away win at Zamora. The blaugranes take the title for the fifth successive season under Xavi Pascual, this team with a perfect record of 25 wins from 25 matches. In the decisive win Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas excelled in goal and Jesper Noddesbo with 10 goals was top scorer for Barça. Pascual's team maintained the intensity that they showed in the Champions League against Zagreb.
Rutenka and Sarmiento led the attack and the visitors were soon 10:4 up early on. Barça's domination was complete and the goals came easily. Before half time Noddesbo cranked up the pressure and with Saubich contributing as well, Barça went in 24:8 up at half time. The blaugranes did not let up in the second half with Noddesbo ending with 10 goals from 11 shots. Rutenka, Saubich , Ariño and Jallouz all played their part in the goalscoring stakes. With his side 20 goals up, Xavi Pascual gave young keeper Revuelta a chance to enjoy the victory with the final score 45:19 underlining Barça's superiority and sealing their fifth consecutive Asobal League title.
MMT Seguros Zamora - FC Barcelona 19:45 (8:24)
Xavi Pascual's team have soundly beaten Zamora away from home to claim their 25th win in 25 games and their fifth Asobal League title in a row.
MMT Seguros Zamora:
Miranda, Ceballos (2), Reyes (1), Octavio (2), Jorge Martín (4), Andrés Alonso (5), Miguel Camino (2) - starting seven -, Ismael (-), Fernando Ruiz (-), Cano (-), Carlos Fdez. (-), Jesús Iñaki (-), Guillermo García (3), Prieto (-).
FC Barcelona:
Pérez de Vargas, Víctor Tomás (3), Sorhaindo (1), Ariño (5), Gurbindo (2), Rutenka (6), Viran (-) -starting seven-, Noddesbo (10), Entrerríos (3), Sarmiento (2), Sigurdsson (-), Karabatic (1), Saubich (5), Revuelta, Jallouz (5), Lazarov (2).
22 Handball League titles
Barça have now claimed the handball league title on 22 occasions with this latest championship for Xavi Pascual's team, well clear of their nearest rivals BM Granollers who have 13 to their name. It is the third time that the team has claimed five league titles in a row, previously having achieved the feat between 1987 and 1992 and also between 1995 and 2000.
