Barcelona showed their worldly dominance as they put seven goals past Bayern Munich to start their Women’s Champions League campaign in style.
The goals came from Clàudia Pina, Ewa Pajor, Salma Paralluelo, Esmee Brugts, and Alexia Putellas, as well as Schüller for the visitors.
Spanish Champions Barcelona welcomed German champions Bayern München to the Johan Cruyff in their first game of the UEFA Women’s Champions League league phase. The Catalan side looked for a win after their loss in last season’s final in Lisbon to Arsenal. The visitors hoped to start to get their European campaign underway with three points after their disappointing exit to OL Lyonnes in the quarter-finals.
In league action, Barcelona had a flawless start to their season, playing six and winning all six. They have scored 31 goals and conceded just once. Bayern had played five league games, winning four and drawing one. The Germans have scored 13 in the league and conceded none.
The Lineups
BAR: Coll; Batlle, Parades, Léon, Brugts, Patri, Alexia, Aitana, Graham Hansen, Pajor, Paralleulo
BAY : Mahmutovic; Kett, Ballisager, Eriksson, Simon, Caruso, Stanway, Tanikawa, Harder, Bühl, Schüller
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The Action
The visitors were under immediate threat from Barcelona. Just three minutes in, captain Alexia Putellas had her side 1-0 up. A curling effort from the edge of the box floated into the top corner, and out of reach of Ena Mahmutovic. Despite a handful of efforts from Bayern, including a shot from Pernille Harder saved by Cata Coll, Barcelona found the back of the net again. A short corner routine saw Irene Parades hit the crossbar. Ewa Pajor dealt with ball, scoring against Bayern again with an overhead kick.
Bayern continued to struggle against Barcelona’s dominance, having no real say in the game inside 25 minutes. Barcelona, once again, showed their brilliant with intricate play between Aitana Bonmatí, Brugts and Alexia to advance into the box, before the Dutch international scored her first of the season.
Bayern got a goal back just after the half an hour mark. Franziska Kett created the goal herself, given the space to advance into the box down the wing before laying off the chance to Klara Bühl to finish the move. But it was Barcelona once again who got another goal before half-time. More intricate play saw Paralluelo gifted too much space in the box just finish for a good goal.
Lea Schüller had the ball in the back of the net first in the second half but had drifted off side and the goal did not stand. Pajor grabbed her second of the game 10 minutes after the rest start.
Pina got in on the action in the 86th minute. Vicky López did all the build up play, dribbling down the pitch. She laid it off to Pina who curled the ball in, in a style we’ve seen countless times in her career. The seventh came after a good save from Muhmatovic after a shot from Léon from distance. The spill was collected by Brugts who played it off centrally and Pina calmly slot it home.
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Bayern play out from the back
It was a brave move from new Bayern manager Jóse Barcala to insist on his side playing out from the back. From the first attempt from the Germans, it was clear that it was slightly naïve. Bayern München’s backline looked listless and disjointed from the first minute, as if the game had already weighed heavy on their heads.
It is worth noting that Bayern’s backline has already had several iterations this season. With Vanessa Gilles missing this game through injury, this potentially wasn’t Barcala’s preferred backline. Despite the experience in the defenders for Bayern München, the visitors really struggled to develop relationships and passing patterns amongst themselves.
With a front line and midfield as strong as Barcelona’s, it isn’t hard to see why they would struggle. But to be as poor as the backline was in the first half was uncharacteristic of the Germans.
Barcelona get the goals
Barcelona’s ability to find goals anywhere and everywhere is scary. A side that was left answerless just five months ago in Lisbon sure did have the answers against Bayern. Five different goalscorers, with seven different styles of buildup play and finishes reminds us all why Barcelona are so feared around the world.
Pajor showed why she won the Gerd Müller (best striker) award at the Ballon d’Or in September. Her two finishes showed the levels that. Alexia’s finish to open her side’s account was just magnificent. The two finishes from Brugts and Paraluello showed how the team works together to get to the end goal. Pina’s curler as the clock ran down was classic of the winger before her second was dispatched with precision.
Barcelona’s ability to combine across the pitch and score in a magnitude of ways makes them one of the most unpredictable teams to come up against. Pair that with their dominance on the ball, quick interconnecting play and taste for the game, it is easy to see why they have been so dominate in both Europe and in Spain itself. Even with substitute Pina getting two late goals, Barcelona looked like they were never going to calm down. The side were hunger from minute go and got their campaign off to a nearly faultless start.
Next up in the UWCL, Barcelona are away to Roma whilst Bayern welcome Juventus to Bavaria.