BACELONA, Spain — As the clock approached 7 p.m. in Barcelona, Alexia Putellas stood in a corner of the sold-out Spotify Camp Nou, acknowledging the crowd after she scored the opening goal against Real Madrid in the second leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarterfinal match on Thursday.
Putellas notched her 230th goal for Barça during her 500th appearance, igniting a remarkable night for the Catalan team, which ultimately secured a commanding 6-0 victory, earning a place in the semifinals against Bayern Munich with a 12-2 aggregate triumph over Madrid.
For Madrid, this week has been one to forget, enduring a disheartening series against their arch-rivals that included three matchups in eight days.
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In just a year, Madrid transitioned from their first-ever victory over Barça to appearing psychologically defeated in subsequent encounters against the Blaugrana. A previous 6-2 loss in the first leg was compounded by a 3-0 defeat in Liga F just a few days later, bringing Barça one step closer to clinching their seventh consecutive league title.
Thursday’s match saw Madrid’s despair deepen as Putellas’ opener was followed by two goals from Caroline Graham Hansen, along with goals from Irene Paredes, Ewa Pajor, and Esmee Brugts, leading to an effortless win for Barça, a result that was far from flattering.
There’s an undeniable magic when this team plays at Camp Nou. Competing before a record crowd of 60,067 since the stadium’s renovation, they maintained a relentless pace from start to finish.
“We aimed to play as if the score was tied,” Putellas shared with ESPN.
Madrid, under Pau Quesada, cannot offer any excuses. They have rightfully reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League for two consecutive years but should not crumble in the face of such quality from Barça.
What must be particularly frustrating for Madrid is the fact that they had felt like they were closing the gap when they defeated Barça last March. Prior to that win, they could argue that they were still catching up in the women’s game.
However, since that loss, Barça have asserted their dominance once more. Players have indicated they are particularly motivated by the prospect of Madrid closing in. In their six matches this season, the score stands at 25-2 in favor of Barça.
It’s been a challenging period for Madrid, who now must regroup as they prepare for the next season.
At the heart of this event was Putellas, whose opening goal brought her closer to surpassing César Rodríguez’s total of 232 goals on the club’s all-time scorers list. Only Lionel Messi (672) has scored more for either the men’s or women’s teams.
This match marked yet another historic moment: Putellas became the first woman to score at the old Spotify Camp Nou—against Espanyol in 2021—and is now also the first to score at the renovated venue.
She later assisted Graham Hansen, enabling her to head in Barça’s second goal, followed by Paredes’ effort for the third and Pajor’s fourth before halftime. The score could have been higher were it not for several impressive saves from Misa Rodríguez, who recorded five stops with a goals prevented rating of 1.62.
Barça pressed on in the second half, fueled by a crowd eager to see more goals, but finding it tougher to convert. Graham Hansen eventually added her second of the night with assistance from Putellas, while Brugts finished the scoring late in the match.
As 9 p.m. approached and the final whistle blew, Barça’s players donned shirts emblazoned with “Putellas 500” to celebrate their captain’s milestone. They lifted her into the air, with fans chanting “Alexia.”
“I was completely taken by surprise by what my teammates set up,” Putellas remarked. “I feel incredibly happy. I owe this to all my teammates throughout my journey.”
“Words can’t fully capture what I feel right now. It’s truly magical. Hearing that it would be my 500th game in such a match made me think… wow.”
At 32, one can anticipate more nights like this for her, although nothing is guaranteed. Her contract is set to expire this summer, and although president Joan Laporta is keen to renew her deal, no agreements have been finalized.
Before then, Putellas has her sights set on Bayern Munich as Barça aims for their sixth consecutive Champions League final—an opportunity for redemption after last season’s defeat to Arsenal.