Barcelona Dominance Women’s Champions League Quarterfinals Bound
In a resounding display of dominance in the Women’s Champions League, Barcelona routed Rosengrad 7-0, securing their place in the quarterfinals. The standout of the match was Salma Paralluelo, who shone brightly with two remarkable goals for the hosts in a thrilling showdown on Thursday.
Defending champions Barcelona continued their flawless run, maintaining a perfect record after four rounds. English midfielder Keira Walsh and Norwegian attacker Caroline Hansen added to Paralluelo’s brilliance on the scoresheet. The victory marked the exit of Swedish side Rosengrad from the competition.
Barcelona took an early lead, heading into halftime with a 2-0 advantage thanks to goals from Walsh and Hansen. Paralluelo’s two impressive strikes before the hour mark solidified the team’s place in the last eight. Late goals from Spain’s Claudia Pina and Marta Torrejon, along with an own goal from Jessica Wik, sealed Rosengrad’s fate.
In another Group A clash, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Laura Freigang missed a crucial 90th-minute penalty, resulting in a 1-1 draw with Benfica, keeping both teams’ hopes alive for progressing to the knockout stages.
Meanwhile, Lyon secured a spot in the quarterfinals, despite a 2-2 draw against Norwegian side Brann. French midfielder Amel Majri and Norwegian attacker Aga Hegerberg established a 2-0 lead for Lyon within 13 minutes, but Brann fought back valiantly. Justine Kielland reduced the deficit before Brann netted a dramatic equalizer in stoppage time through 18-year-old midfielder Signe Gaupset.
In Group B, Brann holds the second spot with a six-point lead over Slavia Prague and St. Poelten, as their match was postponed due to a tragic shooting incident in Prague, claiming the lives of 14 people.
Additionally, Chelsea clinched a 3-1 victory against Swedish club Hacken, with Australia’s Sam Kerr finding the net. Meanwhile, Real Madrid faced disappointment with a 1-0 home loss to Paris FC, ending their hopes of advancing further in the tournament.
