Excitement in the Final of the Spanish Handball Cup! Barça Fights For Its Fourth Title

Excitement in the Final of the Spanish Handball Cup! Barça Fights for its Fourth Title

The Palau Blaugrana dresses up for a heart-stopping final against Recoletas Atlético Valladolid.

On **Sunday** there was a day of pure adrenaline in Telde, Gran Canaria, with the grand final of the **Spanish Handball Cup**. **Barça**, a big favorite and already with three titles under its belt this season, faced **Recoletas Atlético Valladolid** in a duel that promised strong emotions. The Blaugranas were looking to seal a dream campaign with their fourth trophy, after winning the Catalunya Super Cup, the Iberian Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

However, Barça's joy was marred by the absence of **Dika Mem**, their captain, who suffered a hamstring injury in the semifinals against Bidasoa Irún. It is estimated that Mem will be out between **four and six weeks**, a hard blow for the team. In his place, **Adrián Sola** entered the call, ready to contribute his grain of sand in this important meeting.

The match began with **Barça** that presented a solid starting lineup in defense: Hallgrimsson, Janc, Sola, Fernández, Frade, Fàbregas and Carlsbogard. For the attack, Makuc and N'Guessan came into play, demonstrating the depth of the Barça squad. The scoring opened with a goal from Jozinovic for Valladolid on the first possession, but Barça did not take long to react.

The first minutes were a constant give and take. N'Guessan, who already shone in the semifinals with eight goals, opened the scoring for Barça, tying the score. The Barça defense demonstrated its strength by stealing balls and launching counterattacks, with **Frade** as the protagonist. The Portuguese center, who had already been key in the semifinals scoring eight goals without error, proved to be a fundamental piece, adding his first goal and establishing the first advantage for Barça with a 3-0 run.

The match was developing with palpable intensity. Makuc, with a spectacular feint and penetration, responded to a penalty goal from Valladolid, maintaining equality on the scoreboard. Hallgrimsson, the Barça goalkeeper, stood as an insurmountable wall, making decisive saves, such as an impressive point-blank block on Serrano.

Barça managed to put themselves in the middle for the first time with a two-goal difference, thanks to an unstoppable **Luis Frade** in the six-meter zone. The Portuguese pivot added his fifth goal without a mistake, demonstrating his great form. Hallgrimsson's performance continued to be vital, frustrating Valladolid's attacks and minimizing the impact of exclusions, such as the one suffered by Janc.

Carlos Ortega, Barça coach, asked his players to concentrate, especially in defense, despite being satisfied with the offensive performance. The team showed solidity, although Valladolid fought hard every possession. The tension was maximum, with a score that reflected the equality and emotion of the match.

The final minutes of the first half saw goals from both sides, with **Blaz Janc** scoring the first goal for Barça after a somewhat confusing play. The match remained tight, with Barça leading by the slightest, but with the feeling that any mistake could be decisive. The final of the Spanish Cup was becoming a spectacle worth remembering, with both teams leaving everything on the field.

The broadcast of the match, available on Teledeporte and RTVE Play, had the comments of Fco. José Caro and Alberto Urdiales, who narrated each play with the passion that a final of this magnitude deserves. The expectation was maximum, and the outcome promised to be exciting.