RK Partizan lose 32:28 to Porto — Raul Gonzalez blames early mistakes
Raul Gonzalez said mistakes in the opening phase and missed late chances were decisive after Partizan’s 32:28 loss to Porto.
On 19.09.2026, in the second round of the Champions League, RK Partizan fell 32:28 to Porto. The Belgrade side conceded an early gap and, despite fighting back later, could not turn the result around.
Partizan started poorly and allowed the home team to build momentum early. The visitors improved after the break and narrowed the margin, but missed decisive chances in the closing minutes.
Coach: early errors proved decisive
Partizan coach Raul Gonzalez pointed to mistakes in the opening phase as the main reason for the defeat. "We started the match with several mistakes in the attacking phase. Because of that, we missed good opportunities and lost balls, and the opponent punished us with a run in the early phase of the game. It was difficult to make up that difference," Gonzalez said.
The team showed better form in the second half and created opportunities to at least secure a point, but they were unable to convert them when it mattered most. "I think we played much better in the second half. We had a chance to fight for at least a point, but, unfortunately, in the last five minutes we failed to take advantage of the chances we created and therefore lost," the coach concluded.
The 32:28 scoreline leaves Partizan searching for improvements ahead of the next Champions League fixtures, with Gonzalez emphasizing the need to avoid early lapses and finish chances in tight matches.
Photo: press material from the event
