UWCL: Barcelona 4-2 Bayern — Barca Set Up Lyon Final with 5-3 Aggregate Win

Barcelona Vs Bayern
Barcelona edge Bayern

Alexia Putellas scores twice as Barcelona beat Bayern 4-2 to reach Women’s Champions League final.


Pernille Harder’s late goal was ruled out by VAR as Bayern’s 29-game unbeaten run ended...


Alexia Putellas scored twice as Barcelona edged Bayern Munich 4-2 in a six-goal semi-final on Sunday, advancing 5-3 on aggregate to set up another final appearance.


Barca will contest their sixth consecutive final and meet record eight-time winners Lyon, who eliminated holders Arsenal on Saturday in the other last-four tie.


Salma Paralluelo and Ewa Pajor also scored for Barcelona, helping them withstand late pressure from a determined Bayern side.


Pere Romeu’s team extended their unbeaten run to 31 games and took early control in front of a 60,000-strong crowd at Camp Nou.


Paralluelo first dragged a shot wide after pouncing on a defensive error, then put three-time champions Barcelona ahead minutes later. Caroline Graham Hansen delivered a cross to the back post that the Spain forward volleyed home in the 13th minute.


Bayern responded quickly, equalizing on the counter five minutes later as Barcelona’s defense scrambled. Pernille Harder set up Linda Dallmann to finish past Cata Coll.


Barcelona regained the lead through two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas.



Putellas
Putellas double fires Barcelona past Bayern into Women’s Champions League final


The veteran playmaker put Barcelona back in front after Bayern failed to clear a Salma Paralluelo cross, stroking home following a flicked effort that had hit the roof of the net minutes earlier.


Barca kept creating chances. Ena Mahmutovic reacted well to deny Paralluelo after the ball fell to the winger in the box.


Paralluelo, inconsistent this season but sharp on the night, almost set up another with a cross to Caroline Graham Hansen. The Norwegian’s header looped over.


Ewa Pajor made it 3-0 early in the second half with a header from Paralluelo’s left-wing cross, her ninth goal of the tournament to tie for the competition lead.


Alexia Putellas added a fourth from close range after a free-kick was nodded down to her, sparking a Mexican wave around Camp Nou.


Bonmati Returns to Rapturous Reception

Barca fans cheered Aitana Bonmati’s return as the playmaker came off the bench for her first appearance since breaking her leg in December.


Last season’s runners-up will need the midfielder’s creativity against former coach Jonatan Giraldez’s Lyon in the Oslo final on May 23. It’s the fourth meeting between the two sides since 2019, with Lyon winning the first two and Giraldez’s Barça taking the 2024 final in Bilbao.


Pernille Harder pulled one back for Bayern after Barcelona were caught trying to play out from the back, leaving the hosts to see out a nervy closing spell.

  
Bonmati returns as Barcelona hold off Bayern in six-goal thriller
Bonmati returns as Barcelona hold off Bayern in six-goal thriller  


Bayern pressed hard until the end, though Aitana Bonmati missed a 
decent counter-attacking chance wide.


Cata Coll kept Barcelona ahead with a strong save to tip Arianna Caruso’s shot onto the crossbar, as José Barcala’s side refused to let up.


Harder thought she’d scored in stoppage time, but VAR ruled it out for a foul on Patri Guijarro, frustrating Bayern.




The defeat ended Bayern’s 29-game unbeaten run and denied them a first final appearance, marking their third semi-final exit.



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