Barcelona thrash Real Madrid to reach Women’s Champions League semi-finals

Barcelona — Barcelona produced a commanding display to beat Real Madrid 6-0 and seal a place in the Women’s Champions League semi-finals with a 12-2 aggregate victory.

The Catalan side built on their 6-2 win from the first leg of the quarter-final and advanced to an eighth straight semi-final in the competition. The match also marked Alexia Putellas’ 500th appearance for the club, and the midfielder played a central role in the victory in Barcelona’s first game at the rebuilt Camp Nou.

Three-time champions Barcelona, who finished as runners-up to Arsenal last year, will now meet Bayern Munich in the semi-finals after the German club eliminated Manchester United on Wednesday.

Despite the absence of key player Aitana Bonmati, who remains a long-term absentee, Barcelona dominated throughout in front of a crowd of 60,000. That attendance was the fourth-highest in the competition’s history.

We did a good job last week as a team, to be able to come here today (with the lead) and we wanted to put on a good game for all the fans who came, Graham Hansen told TV3.

We wanted to enjoy our return to Camp Nou with the fans and the six goals helps send everyone home happy..

It obviously helps when you have 60,000, 80,000 or 90,000 fans because they support you and help you sink the opposition.

Barcelona take control early

Putellas opened the scoring in the early stages, converting the rebound after Misa Rodriguez had initially kept out an effort from Ewa Pajor. The goal set the tone for another one-sided Clasico, with Barcelona recording their sixth win over Real Madrid this season.

Across those six meetings, Barcelona have scored 25 goals and conceded only two. Caroline Graham Hansen then doubled the lead with a header from a cross delivered by Putellas.

Irene Paredes made it 3-0 when she headed in from a corner, repeating what she had done in the first leg as Madrid struggled to contain Barcelona’s pressure. Pajor added the fourth from close range after Rodriguez failed to deal properly with a header.

Real Madrid’s best opening before the break fell to Athenea del Castillo, but she put her effort wide.

Second-half dominance seals rout

Barcelona continued in the same fashion after the interval. Graham Hansen struck again early in the second half, moving away from her marker before finishing with a lofted effort.

Pajor and Graham Hansen both missed further chances as Barcelona kept control of the contest. The sixth goal arrived through Esmee Brugts, who finished from close range after a well-worked move involving Patri Guijarro and Clara Serrajordi.

Pere Romeu’s side ultimately completed a comprehensive victory over their rivals and moved another step closer to the title with an emphatic performance at Camp Nou.