Sterbik and Entrerrios lead Barcelonas victory in Madrid

Atletico Madrid - FC Barcelona Intersport 22:25 (11:12)

FC Barcelona won the Spanish handball clasico. Xavi Pascual's side beat BM Atletico Madrid in Vistalgre 22-25, making a giant step in their way to lift the Asobal League trophy again. With this victory, the Catalan side have a three goals advantage over the Rojiblancos. However, the match did not show a huge distance between both sides, which proved that the two big clubs in Spanish top-flight are neck and neck. Atletico, supported by their fans, controlled the game but not the score during the first half.

This strange fact can only be explained with the extraordinary performance of their former goalkeeper, Arpad Sterbik, who played a superb match, helped by a defence that, once again, did it everything almost perfect. Viran Morros and Cedric Sorhaindo were able to stop the Best Handball Player of the year nominee, Julen Aginagalde, who only could score twice. Thanks to that, the Azulgranas kept an evenly matched game in an intense first period in which both sides' defenders and goalkeepers beat their opponents attacks (11-12). In the second half, Barcelona's key players showed their amazing quality. The defenders and Sterbik keep playing perfectly but the attack improved tremendously, led by Raul Entrerrios and Siarhei Rutenka.

This was enough for Barcelona to extend their advantage (12-16 in the 40th minute), oblying Atletico to look for new offensive solutions. The Colchoneros recovered in the middle of the period, getting closer to a just one-goal advantage (19-20, 50th min.) thanks to their tough defence, the Sabanovic's performance under the goal after substituting Dahl and a remarkable Jonas Kallman, who played his best match of this season. The last ten minutes were going to be decisive for the match and, probably, for the league. It was then when Sterbik appeared again, not only saving some clear shots in a row, but also two seven meters throws which were hard blows for his opponents, on the score and psychologically. Raul Entrerrios, for his part, was the star in the other area, conducting and scoring in the most dramatic moments of the clasico. The Asturian became top scorer of the game with 8 goals, condemning Atletico, who were not accurate during the last five minutes of the game. A penalty missed by Cañellas and a goal by Victor Tomas, ended the fixture with the definitive 22-25, with which the Asobal's trophy gets closer to the Barcelona's showcases.