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Barça boss demands perfection to finish off Madrid

ESPN News Services

Apr 1, 2026, 05:29 PM

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Barcelona boss Pere Romeu is demanding perfection from his players as they attempt to dump arch-rivals Real Madrid out of the Women's Champions League.

Barça take a commanding 6-2 quarterfinal first-leg lead back to the Camp Nou thanks to Ewa Pajor's double and further goals from Esmee Brugts, Irene Paredes, Vicky López and Alexia Putellas.

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- Barça's dominance in El Clásico continues with no signs of stopping

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They beat Madrid for the fifth time this season on Sunday, when they won 3-0 at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano in LaLiga F -- they have scored 19 goals in the process -- and Thursday evening's game will be the last of three-successive Clásicos.

"From my point of view, I can assure you that our team, players and staff always prepare for matches against Real Madrid just like against all other opponents: with great attention to detail, enthusiasm and motivation," Romeu told a news conference.

Barcelona dominated Real Madrid in the first leg of their Women's Champions League quarterfinal. Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images

"These last few matches [against Madrid] might seem easy, but unless you're near perfection, you don't win like we have.

"We'll go out on Thursday thinking that we have to play a fantastic match to beat them."

Eight-times winners OL Lyonnes have work to do if they are to reach the semifinals, having lost 1-0 to VfL Wolfsburg in Germany last week, when Lineth Beerensteyn's deflected strike ended a run of seven-consecutive defeats for the hosts by their French rivals.

PA contributed to this report.

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