Barcelona win El Clasico against Real Madrid in the Women’s Champions League quarter-final. Las Blancas got an early lead, but Blaugrana managed to overturn the deficit in the second half and get a two goal advantage.
Women’s Champions League, Quarter-final, Leg 1
Tuesday, 22nd of March
Real Madrid – FC Barcelona 1-3 (1-0)
Scorers: 8′ Olga Carmona (R), 53′ Alexia Putellas (B) pen, 81′ Claudia Pina (B), 90+4′ Alexia Putellas (B)
Yellow cards: 31′ Aitana Bonmati (B), 35, Leila Ouahabi (B), 36′ Olga Carmona (R), 68′ Teresa Abelleira (R), 85′ Esther Gonzalez (R)
The Spanish derby, better known from the men’s football, started off carefully from both teams. But after a nice play from the hosts, Olga Carmona scored with a diagonal shot in the 8th minute after a pass from Esther Gonzalez. Only after the first half an hour of the game, Blaugrana established their game and pushed Real deeper. Despite more possession, Las Blancas almost got the second goal in the 38th minute after Esther Gonzalez hit the post with a first-time shot. Barcelona failed to create any real chances in the first half, with Real’s advantage being well-deserved.
🔥 DESCANS! 🔥
⚔ @realmadridfem – #FCBFemeni (1-0)
⚽️ Olga (8’)🏆 1/4 @UWCL (Anada)
🏟 Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano
📺 DAZN🔵🔴 #ForçaBarça #ElClásico pic.twitter.com/7ZjXUGuB9V
— FC Barcelona Femení (@FCBfemeni) March 22, 2022
The second half started calmly, when Caroline Graham Hansen fell in the area after an Olga Carmona’s challenge. VAR alerted the referee about the potential penalty, and after review, Lina Lehtovaara pointed to the spot. There was a contact but Graham Hansen clearly exaggerated in her reaction, questionable decision by arbitrary team. Alexia Putellas had no troubles equalizing from the spot. After the equalizer, the pace of the game picked up. Just a minute later, Esther Gonzalez shot over the goal from a promising position, while on the other side, Claudia Pina had the second Barça’s goal on her foot but sent the ball over the crossbar as well. After that, Barcelona started looking for the second goal. They got it in the 81st minute, when Graham Hansen sent a low cross in the middle. Bonmati’s shot was blocked, but Claudia Pina put the bounce in the net. Blaugrana could get another goal in the 88th minute, but Misa Rodriguez managed to tip the ball from the line with a reflex save after some confusion in the goal area and header from Irene Paredes. In the last attack of the game, Alexia managed to score a brace after a quick counter-attack and a pass from Patri Guijarro.
🏁 FP: @realmadridfem 1-3 @FCBfemeni
⚽ @7olgacarmona 08'; Alexia 53' (p), 90'+4', Claudia Pina 81'#Emirates | #UWCL pic.twitter.com/pWSvc7QJMz— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadridfem) March 22, 2022
Harder than expected, Blaugrana managed to get a 2-goal advantage ahead of the return leg that will be played in Camp Nou. Real showed in the first half how to play against Barcelona, but a slight lack of concentration led to Barça’s comeback.