Bitter start in Champions League: FC Bayern Women beaten by title contenders

FC Bayern Women slipped to a 7-1 defeat at last season’s runners-up FC Barcelona in their league phase opener in the UEFA Women’s Champions League on Tuesday night. The hosts raced into a 3-0 lead at the Estadi Johan Cruyff through Alexia Putellas (4’), Ewa Pajor (12’) and Esmee Brugts (27’). Klara Bühl pulled a goal back (32’) but Salma Paralluelo (45’+1) struck to make it 4-1 at half-time. Pajor (56’) and Clàudia Pina (88’, 90’+2) completed the scoring in the second half.

Barcala: ‘Stick together and move on’

“I’m very disappointed,” summarised head coach José Barcala at the final whistle. “It was not a good performance from us tonight, we have to be honest. We prepared for the game so that we could be dominant in some phases, but that didn’t come off. We didn’t have the required tempo and timing without the ball. As a result, we came under pressure and it was hard for us to get control in the game. We have to learn from the game, stick together and move on.”

Bühl: ‘Learn the right lessons’

“We deserved to lose, although the defeat was too heavy by our standards,” said Bühl. “It’s very important to stay compact against teams like this and keep the spaces tight so that their players don’t have much time. It was very difficult for us tonight. Everyone did their best but we have to reflect and learn the right lessons from it. We have to stay positive, keep on our path and believe in ourselves.”

Mountain to climb at half-time

The Catalans made the better start to the game and took the lead after just four minutes, Alexia Putellas curling the ball into the corner from the edge of the box. Just eight minutes later, goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic was picking the ball out of her net again. From a corner, Irene Paredes headed against the bar but the rebound landed at the feet of Pajor, who made it 2-0 with an overhead kick. Bayern continued to struggle after that and fell 3-0 behind in the 27th minute, Brugts netting from a central position. The visitors didn’t give up, though, and reduced the deficit five minutes later, when Bühl finished off a pass from Franziska Kett. The Spanish champions had the last word of the first half, with Salma Paralluelo making it 4-1 in added time. 

Three goals in second half

It was a similar story after the change of ends. In the 49th minute, Lea Schüller thought she’d made it 4-2 but was ruled offside when she received the ball. At the other end, Pajor scored her second and her team’s fifth goal of the night from Alexia Putellas’ assist. Barça didn’t play with as much attacking purpose after that but still had the majority of the play, preventing Bayern from getting into their usual game. Shortly before full time, a quickfire double from substitute Clàudia Pina wrapped up a 7-1 victory for Barcelona.

Wolfsburg away then Juve

Having kicked off their Champions League campaign, the defending double winners face a crunch match in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga at VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday 11 October. Kick-off is at 15:00 CEST at the Volkswagen Arena. Just five days later, on Thursday 16 October at 21:00 CEST, the Munich girls welcome Juventus to the FC Bayern Campus in their second UWCL fixture.