Barça Sorli Discau went out in the first round of the restructured European Roller Hockey League. The reining champions crashed out on penalties to Alnimar Reus Deportiu.
Barça’s return to Bassano de Grapa, where they had won the European title by beating the host
team in the final in 2007, was not a happy one.
The new format, now involving eight teams and quarter finals, semi finals and a final, meant
there was one extra game to be played in order to win the title.
Barça Sorli Discau’s first and only opponents were Alnimar Reus Deportiu, what promised
to be a European classic of a match. It was a game that had everything – emotion, goals,
overtime and penalties. After the standard 50 minutes the sides were locked on 2-2 (Barça had gone
ahead through Masoliver, then Jordi García had equalised, Mia Ordeig then put Barça back on top,
but Pedrito Gil was able to force overtime). There was no golden goal in additional time so it all
went down to penalties, with Reus clinching the semi final berth. Negro Páez was Barça’s
nemesis once again, as he had been in the Clubs Mini World Cup.