Aurélien Canot, Media365, published on Thursday November 21, 2024 at 10:39 p.m.
Three weeks after managing to hold the Catalans in check on their home court, Nantes met Barcelona again on Thursday evening during the 8th day of the Champions League, this time in Spain. The Nantes residents, beaten by six goals (36-30), did not achieve any feat this time.
No new feat for Nantes. Three weeks ago, the “H” created a sensation by hanging (31-31) the immense Barcelona on its floor at the Arena. For the reunion between the two teams, this Thursday evening in Catalonia during the 8th day of the Champions League, the people of Nantes dreamed of shaking up the European champions again. It didn't happen. Despite a more than adequate performance, the Ligeriens suffered the law of the extra-terrestrial still undefeated in the competition, winner of six goals (36-30) at the finish. As was the case on October 31, Nantes at times made life difficult for the untouchable leader of the group (7 victories in 8 matches). Barça, deprived of Dika Mem, never trembled or doubted, while the efforts in the first half of the Nantes residents to stay alive were destroyed by the… 8-1 suffered just before the break by Aymeric Minne and his teammates. Like Thibaut Briet, silent for the first thirty minutes and finally rewarded, the “H” did not let himself be defeated after returning from the locker room (19-14 at the break). He even missed several opportunities to come back to three lengths, without first seizing them.
N'Guessan and Nielsen mercilessly for the “H”
Well helped by the involuntary nudges of the Nantes residents, Barcelona regained a five-goal lead. The gap then melted and it took a sumptuous save from Gonzalo Perez de Vargas on an attempt from Minne (6 goals in this match) for Nantes not to come back to within one goal. Julien Bos, very prominent (8 goals), and the people of Nantes may regret it. With the greatest serenity once again, the title holders have indeed taken off again, and five goals ahead in the wake of Timothé N'Guessan (8 goals on 9 shots) undoubtedly author of his best performance this season in the competition. As for the monstrous Emil Nielsen, who passed through Nantes, he was responsible at the end of the match with two fantastic saves against Valero Rivera, including one on a seven-meter throw, to dampen Nantes' very last hopes. A final blow from Melvyn Richardson (4 goals), another former resident of the French championship and French international, while the visitors had once again returned to -4, got the better of an “H” which had all the very quickly understood on Thursday evening that there would be no exploit this time. At least not at this Barça.
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