Barça finally had a placid match in the 2022-23 Champions League. After suffering against Celje the previous day, and having to work hard against Kielce and Pick Szeged in the first two games, Carlos Ortega's men had a very comfortable duel against the bottom side, the Norwegian Elverum, who they beat by a convincing 30-46, with a 15-23 already at the break that left the match sentenced.
If a team A appeared with the last 13 games without winning in the Champions League, and a team B arrived with 12 consecutive victories, the sporting logic assumed who the 2 points would go to. Indeed, for Barça, who imposed their highest quality and their great breadth on the bench.
The start already made it clear that Barça would have a duel without too many shocks with the 2-5 at 5 minutes put by N'Guessan, one of the most prominent in attack along with Cindric and Aleix Gómez, the three with 14 goals from the 23 of the first half.
Heldal's 6-8 at 10 minutes was Elverum's closest approach. A mirage, because Barça stepped on the accelerator, insatiable, and nailed a 1-6 run, led by a stellar Cindric, with three goals, to put a solid first distance of 7 (7-14 at 15m).
Barça did not loosen an iota. Consistent in defense and with quick transitions, practically without resorting to positional play, the Blaugrana team had fun and had the highest lead at 8 goals (13-21, 15-23) to leave the game sentenced at half-time. The effectiveness in the first 30 minutes was scandalous: a 92% success rate in the launch.
In the second half, Carlos Ortega, willing to rotate his team to avoid unnecessary wear and tear in a season full of games, brought in half a new team with Pérez de Vargas in goal and Janc and Ariño on the wings, in addition to having given the last minutes of the first half to Makuc in the baton and Carslbogard and Langaro on the wings.
The quality of the second units kept the level of play and even increased it. Barça was installed in the 10th from 18-28 by N'Guessan, who came out with 8 goals in one of his best performances, scoring, assisting and defending. The Frenchman, chosen MVP of the match, is in one of his most productive moments in his Blaugrana era, with more prominence and more brilliance.
The Blaugrana team finished the game accelerating, with a 2-7 run and a festival of goals, 46 (and a 90% success rate), which make them the top scorer in group B with 151 goals (37.75 per game) , in addition to continuing to lead alone. The Champions stops for three weeks, until October 26 (visit to Aalborg).
Elverum: Imsgard, Heldal (1), Borzas (6), Awad (2), Langaas (1), Fingren (1), Nilsen (7); Blomgren (3), Grondahl (3), Hedberg (2), Hübert Larsen (1), Thorsen Lien (3), Haugseng, Mizera (ps)
Barça: Nielsen, Aleix Gómez (5, 2p), Mem (2), Cindric (6), N'Guessan (8), Wanne (2), Fàbregas (6); Petrus (1), Carlsbogard, Frade (4), Richardson, Makuc (1), Langaro (2), Janc (4), Ariño (3), Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas (1).
Referees: Kirkholm Madsen and Mortensen (Denmark). They excluded Fingren (2) and Blomgren, from Elverum. None for Barça.
Partials: 2-5, 6-8, 7-14, 11-17, 13-19, 15-23 (rest); 18-28, 20-32, 24-34, 27-37, 29-41, 30-46.
