Barcelona Femení 7-1 FC Bayern Frauen: Humiliating defeat for Bayern in Champions League opener | OneFootball

Barcelona’s dominance over Bayern started with the referee’s very first whistle. The star-studded hosts forced the Frauen-Bundesliga champions to make plenty of mistakes in their own half. Klara Bühl’s misplaced pass was one of them, and Alexia Putellas punished her with a sublime curling strike from outside the box.

At the other end, Aitana Bonmatí gifted Bayern’s first chance, but Pernille Harder’s attempt hardly caused trouble for Catalina Coll. That probably signalled last season’s finalists not to take their visitors lightly. However, they scored their second in the 12th minute following Ena Mahmutovic’s excellent save to deny Bonmatí.

Bayern have been unplayable from set-piece play in the Frauen-Bundesliga, but Barcelona showed that they’re in a league of their own. From the resulting corner-kick,  Irene Paredes hit the crossbar with a powerful header. And, from the rebound, ex-Wolfsburg striker Ewa Pajor doubled Barca’s advantage.

The Polish international was Barcelona’s top-scorer last season with 43 goals in all competitions. Esmee Brugts did the honor of scoring the third before the half-hour mark. Mahmutovic’s weak clearance helped Bonmatí and Putellas to link up before the Dutch left-back scored her first goal of the season.

Franziska Kett’s excellent wing play and Bühl’s superb finish saw Bayern pull one back immediately. A few minutes later, it was nearly 3-2 when Magdalena Eriksson’s header missed the target. That was the end of Bayern’s best first-half spell, however.

First, José Barcala was forced to make his first substitution due to an injury to Carolin Simon. Then, playing in a more advanced role after starting the season as a full-back,      Salma Paralluelo netted Barca’s fourth goal after a quick one-two between Bonmatí and Brugts.

Lea Schüller’s strike early in the second-half caused the first VAR delay, but she was marginally offside when receiving the ball. Surprisingly, it took the hosts ten minutes to create their first chance of the half. Pajor’s shot from an acute angle missed the target.

Pere Romeu made his first change immediately after that as he brought the returnee Clàudia Pina. Before she had her first touch, it became 5-1. This time, Pajor managed to score her second goal from Putellas’ third direct goal involvement of the night.

Paredes thought she scored Barca’s sixth, but the goal was chalked off after a VAR check showed the ball crossed the line when Bonmatí delivered the assist. Bonmatí and Caroline Graham Hansen were subbed off without registering a direct goal involvement, but Pina scored twice late in the game to extend the scoreline to 7-1.

Bayern will travel to Wolfsburg for a top-of-the-table Frauen-Bundesliga clash on Saturday. Their next Champions League fixture will be at home against Juventus, who started the new league phase with a come-from-behind victory over Benfica courtesy of a brace from Cecilia Salvai.