Women's Champions League semi-final second-leg report, highlights: Barcelona 4-2 Bayern (agg: 5-3)

Barcelona have become the first club to reach six consecutive UEFA Women's Champions League finals after ending the challenge of Bayern München at the Camp Nou.

Bayern came from behind to draw the first leg 1-1 and they also equalised today as Linda Dallmann cancelled out Salma Paralluelo's opener. However, Alexia Putellas soon struck and did so again in the second half, just before Ewa Pajor made it 4-1 on an afternoon when Aitana Bonmatí made her injury comeback. Pernille Harder pulled one back, but, for a joint-record fourth time, Barcelona will face OL Lyonnes in a Women's Champions League final, with the pair due to face off in Oslo on 23 May.

Match in brief: Barcelona power through

Barcelona brought in Clara Serrajordi in right midfield for Vicky López and Salma Paralluelo started ahead of Clàudia Pina on the left of their attack. They tore into Bayern from the start, putting pressure on a defence that had Stine Ballisager at left-back in place of the suspended Franziska Kett, who was sent off after equalising in the first leg.

It was Salma Paralluelo who broke the deadlock on 13 minutes, connecting at the far post with perfectly placed cross from the right by Oslo-born Caroline Graham Hansen. However, within four minutes Bayern were level, Bernadette Kakounan playing Pernille Harder clear to set up Linda Dallmann to slide her shot past Cata Coll.

Patri Guijarro swiftly went close as Barça pushed to restore their advantage, and five minutes after the equaliser the hosts led again, Alexia Putellas pouncing when Bayern were unable to clear a Salma Paralluelo cross. Graham Hansen shot just past a post as that dominance continued, though Georgia Stanway threatened from distance at the other end.

Close to the half-hour mark, Esmee Brugts pounced on a loose ball and forced a reflex save from Ena Mahmutovic. Salma Paralluelo then sent in a teasing cross which Graham Hansen headed over, but Bayern got to half-time only one goal down.

Nine minutes into the second half, though, their deficit increased, as first-leg scorer Ewa Pajor nodded in another Salma Paralluelo delivery. Graham Hansen was then replaced by Clàudia Pina, whose free-kick was headed on by Brugts for Alexia Putellas to turn and hook in.

Soon after, it was time for Aitana Bonmatí to be introduced, the Ballon d'Or holder having been out through injury since November. Nevertheless, it was Bayern who struck next, Harder sending a low shot beyond Cata Coll.

The Barcelona goalkeeper did brilliantly to deny both substitute Arianna Caruso and Vanessa Gilles, before a home break ended with Aitana Bonmatí sprinting clear and putting her effort just past a post – to the frustration of the 60,021-strong crowd. Dallmann then struck the woodwork from distance and Mahmutovic denied Pajor in a frantic end-to-end conclusion.

Vodafone Player of the Match: Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona)

Salma Paralluelo with her Player of the Match awardUEFA via Getty Images

"In addition to her goal and assist, she was key in breaking down the wing against Bayern's solid defence and made the difference with her crosses and passes into the box."
UEFA Technical Observer Group

Graham Hunter, match reporter

Just a wonderful afternoon of elite women's football. The Oslo final would be graced by either of these fine squads, but when you have a pair of Ballon d'Or winners in Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, it tends to make the difference. Bayern were clinical in their passing and their strategy; Barcelona weren't more clinical in their finishing, but they created a torrent of chances and, eventually, enough went in. Sublime drama.

Reaction

Pere Romeu, Barcelona coach: "Yes, this was a match with stress! But I guess Champions League semi-finals should be that way. We played a super first half, we started the second half really well, but at 4-1 up I put on a few midfielders in search of controlling the match and we didn't get what we were looking for. We suffered as a team, but that makes the ultimate victory all the sweeter."

José Barcala, Bayern coach: "This is a proud moment for all of us at the club. You've seen a huge forward trajectory from the first game here against Barcelona [a 7-1 loss], through the first leg of the semi-final to this match."

Ewa Pajor, Barcelona goalscorer: "There are a lot of emotions today. Both sides contributed to this being a top game, but we won. Our fans were amazing and we are so happy to achieve another final for this club. Now it's time to celebrate and then prepare very well for Oslo."

Aitana Bonmatí, Barcelona midfielder: "It's hard to explain the feeling I have today. There couldn't have been a better day to come back. It's been a very tough but rewarding five months. It's been a different challenge in my career, which I think has helped me both as a footballer and professionally."

Pernille Harder, Bayern forward: "We played a very good game. We were disciplined, we were clinical... but we also allowed four goals to go in. I think, given what we saw in the second half, maybe we should have begun to attack earlier in the match. But we will learn from the good parts of this and come back stronger."

Key stats

• Barcelona are the first team to reach the final six years in a row, breaking a record set between 2016 and 2020 by their Oslo opponents OL Lyonnes.
• Ewa Pajor's ninth goal of the campaign moved her back level as top scorer with Alessia Russo, who was on target yesterday in Arsenal's semi-final loss to OL.
• Pajor scored in all three Barcelona games against Bayern this season. Salma Parelluelo and Alexia Putellas also struck when Barcelona beat Bayern 7-1 on Matchday 1.
• Seven of Salma Paralluelo's 13 Champions League goals have come against German teams.
• This was Bayern's first competitive defeat since their loss at Barcelona on 7 October, and means they have been beaten in all three of their Champions League semi-finals (also by Barcelona in 2018/19 and against Chelsea in 2020/21).

Alexia Putellas made it five goals in four Champions League appearances at the Camp NouGetty Images

Line-ups

Barcelona: Cata Coll; Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Mapi León, Brugts (Camara 86); Serrajordi (Aitana Bonmatí 68), Patri Guijarro, Alexia Putellas (Kika Nazareth 86); Graham Hansen (Clàudia Pina 55), Pajor, Salma Paralluelo (Vicky López 68)

Bayern München: Mahmutovic; Gwinn, Viggósdóttir, Gilles, Ballisager; Stanway (Caruso 61), Kakounan; Dallmann, Tanikawa (Imade 71), Bühl; Harder