91,553 supporters watched the Blaugranes come from behind to beat arch rivals Real Madrid 5-2 at Camp Nou on Wednesday.
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Barcelona broke the women’s attendance record as 91,553 supporters watched their team come from behind to beat arch rivals Real Madrid 5-2 at Camp Nou on Wednesday in the Champions League fixture. The Catalan club went through to the semi-finals of the competition with an aggregate 8-3 victory. Barcelona first-team coach Xavi and former captain Carles Puyol were both in attendance to see the all-conquering Femeni team continue their superb form.
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E M P O W E R M E N T pic.twitter.com/pZqxDIsM65
— FC Barcelona Femení (@FCBfemeni) March 30, 2022
The previous record crowd for a women’s game has stood since 1999, when 90,185 fans watched the world Cup final between the United States and China at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
The previous highest turnout for a women’s club game came in 2019 when 60,739 people watched Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 2-0 at Wanda Metropolitano. The previous Women’s Champions League record was 50,212 for a game between Lyon and Frankfurt in Munich in 2012.
The Blaugranes usually play their home games at the 6,000-seater Estadi Johan Cruyff at the club’s training ground, but this match was moved to Camp Nou to accommodate the bigger demand for tickets. It is just the second time Barcelona Femini has played a competitive game at the 99,354-capacity stadium, and the first time with spectators.
Last season’s 5-0 win over Espanyol was also played at Camp Nou, it was played behind closed doors because of the COVID-19 restrictions. The defending champions were leading 3-1 from the first leg and roared on in front of a partisan crowd to secure a 5-2 victory in the El Clasico on the historic night.
“At the end of the match I had to hold my tears back because this is just too crazy,” Barcelona winger Caroline Graham Hansen told reporters afterward. “It’s one thing is to play at Camp Nou, but when it’s full, winning 5-2 in the Champions League and the fans aren’t leaving, they’re staying to celebrate with us!
“I did not imagine anything like it, goosebumps all over the place. It’s not only 91,500 here tonight, it’s 91.500 Barca fans here tonight and they have been singing all game and it’s been amazing. It’s something I never dreamt of happening, but we did it and hopefully it’s not the last time we do this.”
Maria Pilar Leon opened the scoring for Barca early in the match before goals from Olga Carmona and Claudia Zarnoza put the visitors ahead and briefly threatened to spoil Barca’s party.
But second-half goals from Aitana Bonmati, Claudia Pina, Ballon d’Or holder Alexia Putellas and Caroline Hansen sent the hosts through to the last-4 stage, where they will face either Arsenal or Wolfsburg.
