Mapi León sparks Barcelona Women’s Champions League rout of Real Madrid

This was an extraordinary, historic night and it got a game to go with it. 91,553 people came to the Camp Nou, the biggest ever attendance for a women’s football match and if this is anything to go by, they will be back. In the semi-final, for a start. They haven’t had this much fun for a long time, maybe ever, ending the evening exhausted but elated. Goals from Mapi León, Aitana Bonmati, Claudia Pina, Alexia Putellas, and Caroline Graham Hansen saw Barcelona come from 2-1 down on the night to defeat Real Madrid 5-2 to win the clásico and reach the Champions League semi-finals.

They had been tested but ultimately this Barcelona team is just too good, the finest side in Europe, and by a very long way, delivering a performance worthy of an occasion that will never be forgotten, played out on a stage and in front of an audience never seen before.

“We’re going to try to repeat that what we did in the first game: be strong, aggressive,” the Real Madrid coach Alberto Toril said before kick-off. The task before them, though, remained huge and they were not really given the chance. Barcelona’s first shot came inside a minute, and they led within 10. Again, it was León, the central defender. Her long looping ball from the right curled inwards and bent goalwards, further than Misa Rodríguez had anticipated. Madrid’s goalkeeper tried to adjust but it was too high to reach, a roar greeting it as went over her and into the net.

If there had been a hint of good fortune in that – the ball in looked more like a cross than a shot – it was in keeping with opening minutes, which soon became a giant rondo from the home team. Barcelona controlled possession, Aitana providing he neatest touches in the middle, Hansen progressing on the right,