Barcelona, Spain – Beaten in last season’s final, Barcelona roared back with a commanding 7-1 victory over Bayern Munich in their UEFA Women’s Champions League opener at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Tuesday. The result sent an early warning to Europe that the Spanish giants are determined to reclaim the trophy.
Early Dominance Sets the Tone
It took just four minutes for Alexia Putellas to open the scoring with a superb curling strike, setting the tone for a dominant display. Ewa Pajor and Clàudia Pina both scored braces, while Esmee Brugts and Salma Paralluelo added further goals as Barcelona quickly erased memories of their defeat to Arsenal in last season’s final.
Bayern briefly threatened, with Klara Bühl pulling one back to make it 3-1, and Lea Schüller had a goal ruled out, but overall, Barcelona’s clinical attacking performance left the German side outclassed.
“The disappointing part is we were not surprised today,” Bayern coach José Barcala told ESPN. “Barça are a relatively easy team to analyse; they have very specific patterns they repeat all the time. But they exposed us to a tempo and a speed we were not able to cope with.”
Tactical Masterclass and Young Talent
Despite trimming their squad over the summer, losing players such as Fridolina Rolfö, Ingrid Engen, and Jana Fernández, Barcelona demonstrated that quality can outweigh depth. Young talents stepped up, with Dutch international Esmee Brugts excelling as she moved into attacking positions from her nominal left-back role, highlighting coach Pere Romeu’s tactical flexibility.
Paralluelo, Pajor, and Putellas showcased the team’s sharpness in attack, while Clàudia Pina, coming off the bench, scored twice, including the final goal in stoppage time to complete the 7-1 rout. Defender Irene Paredes also contributed, heading in a goal from a corner.
Statement of Intent
Barcelona’s performance reflects not only their attacking prowess but also their mental resilience after last season’s heartbreak. With a smaller but highly skilled squad, Barça rely on a core of 15 players capable of competing at the highest level, supported by emerging talents like Clara Serrajordi and Sydney Schertenleib.
While stronger challenges lie ahead against OL Lyonnes, Chelsea, and Arsenal, Barcelona made a bold statement with this emphatic win, showing that despite squad changes, they remain one of the favourites for the UWCL title.
“They are one of the three or four big favourites to win the Champions League, but we knew that from the beginning,” added Barcala.
