Barcelona Femeni ended the year in dramatic fashion after defeating Rosengard 7-0 in their UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage game last night. The Blaugrana scored two goals in the first half before scoring five more in the second half in a stunning performance.
Teed up by Aitana Bonmati, Keira Walsh scored her first goal in the Champions League, opening the scoring. The Ballon d’Or winner then assisted Caroline Graham Hansen with an exquisite back heel pass for Barcelona’s second goal of the game.
Salma Paralluelo scored a brace in quick succession to put Barcelona 4-0 up on the hour mark, before Claudia Pina and Marta Torrejon scored a double quickfire two minutes apart. An own goal from Jessica Wik wrapped up Barcelona’s wonderful night at the Estadi Johan Cryuff.
The win against Rosengard sent Barcelona Femeni to the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the fifth consecutive season.
Here are a few things that were noticed during the game:
Keira Walsh can find the target
The English midfielder scored her first goal in the Champions League last night in Barcelona’s demolition of Rosengard. Although her shot creeped in at the near post following a slight deflection, Keira Walsh found the back of the net and scored for the second game in a row.
Walsh scored against Granadilla Tenerife in the league during the weekend before opening the scoring in the Champions League. The midfielder has been encouraged to shoot more often, and should she choose to comply, Barcelona might just have another goalscoring monster in the middle of the park.
Incredible duo
Like we have seen countless times already this season, Aitana Bonmati and Caroline Graham Hansen’s combination on the right flank keeps leaving spectators speechless. The duo has been crucial for Barcelona since the start of the season and showed their importance once again in the game against Rosengard, displaying their telepathic connection to score Barcelona’s second goal of the game.
The Spanish midfielder sent the Norwegian forward through on goal with a wonderful back heel pass, which her Norwegian partner finished with aplomb. Although the Ballon d’Or winner failed to score yesterday, she assisted Barcelona’s first two goals before she was substituted in the second half.
Salma Paralluelo brace
Barcelona’s young forward scored a brace in the second half after coming close to scoring with a header in the first half. The 20-year-old made good use of her speed and physique to power past her marker for her first goal. She also showed good anticipation and off-the-ball movement to latch on to Ona Batlle’s cross for her second goal of the game.
🌟 Salma Paralluelo is named player of the match. pic.twitter.com/LQMkrg8rHH
— Barça Femení (@BarcaFem) December 21, 2023
Paralluelo was awarded the MVP of the match, and the Spanish forward now has five goals in four games in the Champions League this season and sits at the top of the competition’s goal scorers chart alongside Chelsea’s Sam Kerr.
Barcelona Femeni sits at the top of Group A with 12 points and a place in the quarterfinals successfully booked.
