Barcelona and Sporting CP were locked in an intense battle for a place in the semi-finals of the WSE Champions League by Azemad. Neither side wanted to slip up, so it was a highly tactical, strategic and tight-knit contest. It was the goalkeepers who stole the show. It took extra time and the final minute of the match for Marc Grau to send the Catalans through to the semi-finals, where they will face Benfica next Saturday.
Two great teams, both with ambitions to go far in the competition, put the art of solid defending into practice. This resulted in a very tight-knit match, where both Barcelona and Sporting employed defensive strategies, taking their time to open up the game and defending well. Proof of this was the fact that, during the first half, the attacking time ran out on several occasions without a shot being taken. The chances that did arise were dealt with by the goalkeepers, both of whom kept their goals well. The result… the half-time whistle blew with the score goalless, hinting at a more intense and unpredictable second half.
The balance of play remained after the break, with Barcelona and Sporting closing down spaces, leaving no room for manoeuvre for attacking opportunities, with long attacks due to the difficulty in finding open areas to shoot at goal. Not even a penalty – awarded for a foul on Ferran Font – broke the deadlock: Ferran Font himself took the spot-kick, but Xano Edo kept the score at 0-0.
As the end of normal time approached, the teams became more cautious, taking calculated risks, as it was clear that a single goal could decide the winner.
With the score still goalless, the match went into extra time and the pattern continued, with both sides playing very cautiously, trying not to make mistakes. But with a minute and a half to go, Barcelona broke the deadlock with a superb piece of skill from Marc Grau, who, from behind the goal, chipped the ball over Xano Edo. With his side losing, Sporting coach Edo Bosch opted for a 5-4 formation, dropping the goalkeeper, but the strategy backfired: after the Lions lost possession, Marc Grau shot from the halfway line and found the empty net, sealing the result.
What they said:
Ricardo Ares, Barcelona coach
“It was a very evenly matched game, in which I believe we were more direct than Sporting, but it was the small details that made the difference, just as we had said here. We defended well and then had a brilliant move that decided the game. We faced a team that has already won three titles this season and is playing very well, but we’re working hard and deserved to reach the semi-finals. In the closing stages, we knew they’d try to draw our 10th foul and I think we defended very well there, we didn’t give them any options for fouls… and then it was a case of trying to create a goal and that’s what happened. Contenders? It’s the four teams who will be competing in the semi-finals. We’re really excited to fight and reach the final. We’ve got our sights set on winning it, but first we have to get past Benfica to reach the final.”
Edo Bosch, Sporting CP coach
“It was a very tight game, with more defending than attacking; both goalkeepers were excellent, there weren’t many clear-cut chances either, and then everyone started thinking about penalties, but things went Barça’s way in the last minute. We’d discussed the details and this was a game decided by the tiniest of margins. We respected Barcelona and they respected us too… but I believe that in these matches the referees also need to show a bit more courage, and that didn’t happen… they correctly awarded a penalty against us, but we could also have had two penalties in our favour. Hats off to the ten players who were on the pitch today; they were very, very good. Sometimes you lose because you make mistakes; that didn’t happen today, but luck wasn’t on our side. We need to keep our heads up and focus on the league play-offs.”
Barcelona, 2 – Sporting CP, 0*
Match 3 – Quarter-finals of the WSE Champions League Final Four 2025/2026
Thursday, 7 May 2026 + 7.00 pm + Dr. Mário Mexia Multisport Pavilion
Referees: Marco Rondina (Ita), Filippo Fronte (Ita) and Joseph Silecchia (Ita)
Barcelona – Sergi Fernández; Ignacio Alabart, Ferran Font, Marc Grau and Sergi Aragonès
Substitutes – Carles Grau, Xavi Barroso, Eloi Cervera, Pablo Álvarez, Sergi Llorca
Manager: Ricardo Ares
Sporting CP – Xano Edo; Nolito Romero, Henrique Magalhães, Danilo Rampulla and Rafael Bessa
Substitutes – Zé Diogo Macedo, Facundo Bridge, Diogo Barata, Roc Pujadas, Santiago Honório
Manager: Edo Bosch
Goals: 1-0 by Marc Grau (58’); 2-0 by Marc Grau (59’)
At half-time: 0-0
*After extra time
WSE Champions League Men – Final Eight – WEST local hour
Quarter-finals
Wednesday, 6 May
19:00 – FC Porto (POR) vs HC Liceo (ESP) = 6-2
22:00 – SL Benfica (POR) vs Reus Deportiu Brasilia (ESP) = 4-3 after penalty shots
Thursday, 7 May
19:00 – Barça (ESP) vs Sporting CP (POR) = 2-0 after overtimes
22:00 – Óquei de Barcelos (POR) vs Hockey Trissino (ITA) – RTP Play + DAZN 4
Semi-finals
Saturday, 8 May
12:00 – FC Porto (POR) vs Winner of Match 4
16:00 – SL Benfica (POR) vs Barça (ESP)
Final
Sunday, 10 May
18:00 – Winner of Match 5 vs Winner of Match 6
WSE Champions League Women – Final Four
Semi-finals
Friday, 8 May
19:00 – SL Benfica (POR) vs Telecable Gijón HC (ESP) – RTP 2 + DAZN 4
21:30 – CP Vila-Sana Coop d’Ivars (ESP) vs CP Esneca Fraga (ESP) – RTP Play + DAZN 4 + TV3 Catalonia
Final
Sunday, 10 May
12:00 – Winner of Match 1 vs Winner of Match