Barcelona Femeni all but guaranteed their spot in the final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League after thrashing Wolfsburg in Camp Nou.
A new world-record crowd for a women’s game at 91,648 saw Barcelona beat Wolfsburg 5-1 in the first leg.
Alexia Putellas, as is often the case, scored twice with Aitana Bonmati, Caroline Graham Hansen, and Jennifer Hermoso were also on target as Barca extended their incredible winning run to 45 games in all competitions, dating back to last June.
Barca broke their own attendance record in women’s football set in the previous round when a crowd of 91,553 saw them beat Real Madrid in March.
Billed as the biggest test of the season for Barcelona Femeni against a side unbeaten in 17 games, there were questions about whether they can parlay their domestic dominance into a match against the side that already knocked them out in the 2020 semi-finals.
Any doubts about where the teams stood were quickly blown away in an incredible opening half by the home side.
Bonmati opened the scoring with just three minutes on the clock for Barcelona.
Sent through on goal by Friolina Rolfo, the former Wolfsburg player who scored the winner for the German side when these teams last met two years ago, put the ball past Almuth Schult.
Barca doubled their lead in the 10th minute when Graham Hansen drove into the area to score a sublime solo goal.
Wolfsburg, reminded the world of their footballing aptitude when Svenja Huth was set up by Roord, but she was denied twice, first by an Irene Paredes block and then by a Sandra Panos save to keep the scoreline intact.
Barca put that rare moment of danger behind them and soon had their third when Hermoso turned home after Putellas and Torrejon combined.
Ballon d’Or holder Putellas then had her first goal of the game before the break in the 38th minute as Barcelona went into half-time with a 4-nil lead.
The pattern resumed in the second half as well but missed chances and Almuth Schult kept things from escalating.
Jill Roord pulled one back for Wolfsburg with 20 minutes to play after a lengthy VAR check ruled she was onside.
More missed chances from Barcelona followed with substitute Claudia Pina hitting the bar and Asisat Oshoala missing two good chances before Putellas eventually made it five, adding her second of the night and her 10th in the Champions League this season from the penalty spot after being fouled by Dominique Janssen.
Barca settled for five in the end, with their hunt for four trophies this season still on track.
Having won the league and the Spanish Supercopa titles they have the Champions League and the Copa de la Reina in their sights.
Wolfsburg, the two-time winners of the Champions League remains on track for a domestic double this season.
The second leg will be played at the Volkswagen Arena next Saturday, with the winners facing Lyon or Paris Saint-Germain in the final in Turin on May 21.
