In front of a record crowd of 24,000 spectators, Bayern Munich’s soccer team impressively disenchanted the star ensemble of FC Barcelona and set their sights firmly on the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Thanks to a strong start and great efficiency, coach Alexander Straus’ team beat the previously unbeaten Catalans 3-1 (2-0) in the Allianz Arena.
Birthday girl Klara Bühl (4th), captain Lina Magull (10th) and top striker Lea Schüller (60th) scored for the Munich team, who drew level with the Spaniards with nine points after four games and have a good chance of progressing. Brazil’s Geyse (65′) scored for Barca.
“We’ll clearly top the previous record of 13,000 spectators against Paris St. Germain in the spring and that will give our team another boost,” Herbert Hainer assured – and the FC Bayern president was right.
With a fast offensive game, the Munich team overran last year’s finalists, Bühl scored an early lead on her 22nd birthday after a cross from national team colleague Sydney Lohmann. Magull immediately followed up on a pass from Schüller.
However, without their injured world champion Alexia Putellas, the Catalans then took control of the game. The German runners-up, who had been shown their limits in the first leg two weeks ago at the Camp Nou, defended passionately and put the lid on through international striker Schüller after a Magull cross.