It was a season to remember for Spanish powerhouse Barça, who became the first team in the modern era to win the EHF Champions League Men sweeping all their opponents to secure a record 10th trophy.

After conceding a painful loss in the final last season against THW Kiel, Barça came back roaring and proved unbeatable for Europe’s elite in Xavi Pascual’s last season as head coach, after 13 years. 

Barça headed into the EHF FINAL4 in Cologne last weekend riding an 18-game winning streak in the European premium competition and had little trouble defeating their opponents HBC Nantes in the semi-finals.

The French side fell behind early and could only tie the game once in the second half (17:17), but Barça proved too strong.

With an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Gonzalo Perez de Vargas, who saved 16 shots, the Spanish giants bounced back to secure a convincing 31:26 win, as French right back Dika Mem led the line in attack, with six goals scored.

In the other semi-final, Aalborg Håndbold took the world by surprise and became the first-ever Danish finalist in the EHF Champions League Men as they shocked Paris Saint-Germain Handball, beating them 35:33.

Playing against the team he will move to in 2022, IHF Men’s World Championship MVP Mikkel Hansen could only muster six goals for PSG, who were left empty-handed once again, their ambitions thwarted by the Danish attacking juggernaut.

Confirming his superb form as of late, Swedish centre back Felix Claar scored nine goals for Aalborg, who proved their reputation of giant killers after eliminating German powerhouse SG Flensburg-Handewitt in the quarter-finals.

However, Aalborg had little to no response to Barça’s antics in the final, which was played in the LANXESS Arena in Cologne on Sunday.

[ H I G H L I G H T S ]
Barça 36-23 Aalborg

La gloria europea ? #EHFFinal4 pic.twitter.com/COAqVqWVDZ

— ? CAMP10NS ? (@FCBhandbol) June 13, 2021

With another dazzling display in attack, paying tribute to Pascual’s handball philosophy, Barça marched to a record 10th trophy in the EHF Champions League Men, scoring at will against the inexperienced Danish side.

Left wing Aleix Gomez Abello scored nine times, French back Timothey N’Guessan added six more goals, while Perez de Vargas, MVP of the EHF FINAL4 added another 14 saves to help Barça secure an otherworldly 36:23 win, by far the largest margin of victory ever in the final of the competition in the current format.

“We had to calm ourselves, because the emotions were running high after such a season. The team played amazing and I am so happy,” said Pascual in the press conference after winning his 61st trophy with the Spanish side.

PSG finished third, after winning against HBC Nantes 31:28 in the bronze-medal game, while Valero Rivera Folch, Nantes’ left wing, became the top scorer of the season, with 95 goals, two more than Barça’s Dika Mem and Meshkov Brest’s Mikita Vailupau.

It was an emotional evening for both Pascual and Raul Entrerrios, the Spanish centre back who will retire from handball after the Olympic Games this summer.

“This was a perfect season for us, we finished it without conceding a loss. It is incredible, a superb way to finish my career in Barça on a high,” said Raul Entrerrios after winning his third EHF Champions League Men trophy.

For more information about the EHF Champions League Men, visit the competition's website.

Photos: Uros Hocevar, Axel Heimken / EHF