France’s superstar Kylian Mbappé also experienced the thriller on the grandstand in the Prinzenpark, while at home Thomas Müller had a fever with the footballers from FC Bayern Munich.
“It was a sensational fight with an unfortunately unfortunate outcome. Cheer up, you can be proud of yourselves,” tweeted the German national striker after the German champions’ bitter quarter-finals in the Champions League at Paris Saint-Germain. 27,262 fans watched the 2-2 win in the second leg on a memorable night for women’s football: 91,553 spectators in Barcelona set a world record.
Before the season, UEFA had given the women’s premier class more profile: for the first time group games, live broadcasts on DAZN and YouTube, more bonuses, their own anthem. But even the marketing experts at the headquarters in Nyon/Switzerland would not have dared to dream of such a Champions League evening. “It was a day of celebration for the fans of FC Barcelona and for women’s football in general,” wrote the Spanish sports newspaper “Marca” after the spectacular premiere of the Barça women at the Camp Nou.
“Message to the World”
Irrespective of the backdrop, the 5:2 (first leg: 3:1) of the defending champion around world footballer Alexia Putellas against Real Madrid was also impressive. The previous record for a women’s game came from the 1999 World Cup final between hosts USA and China, which saw 90,185 fans in Pasadena, California.
However, the previous world record for club games of 60,739 visitors who saw the Spanish league game between Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona in 2019 is a better comparison. The game at Camp Nou should “send a message to the world in favor of equality,” the club had previously stressed. Putellas predicted before kick-off: “I think it can mark a before and after in women’s football.” When the team bus arrived at the stadium, goalscorer Aitana Bonmartí later reported “we all freaked out”. Coach Jonathan Giráldez spoke of a “great day that we will remember for the rest of our lives”.
Bayern women not rewarded
The Bayern players will have very bitter memories of the game in Paris: an unnecessary 1: 2 in the first leg in front of 13,000 fans in the Allianz Arena, now a no less unfortunate 2: 2 after extra time in Paris, which the Swiss Ramona Bachmann (112 . Minute) decided. “I think we showed in both games that we are the better collective,” said coach Jens Scheuer. “We played better football, but football isn’t always fair, or rather it was the individual quality of Paris that made the difference.”
After a corona outbreak and a total of twelve failures, the Munich women only had Julia Landenberger (18) and Laura Gloning (16) on the bench. On the pitch, battered players like goal scorer Lea Schüller also fought their way through. Scheuer was rightly “incredibly proud of my team, who believed in themselves to the end despite the conditions.”