Barcelona dominated Real Madrid from start to finish in Sunday’s El Clásico as they recored an in impressive 5-0 win in front of a crowd of 38,707 at the Olympic Stadium.
Aitana Bonmatí, Caroline Graham Hansen and Mariona Caldentey all scored in the first half, with Clàudia Pina and Vicky López chipping in late on on as Barça maintained their perfect start to the season to move six points clear of Madrid at the top of Liga F.
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Madrid have closed the gap on Barça in recent years, finishing 10 points behind them in second place last season, but the Spanish and European champions reaffirmed their superiority here.
“I am really happy with the result, it’s not easy to win 5-0 like we have,” Bonmatí said after the game.
“The intention is always to keep going and to keep winning, especially against Madrid, the eternal rival. they came out strong and it seemed as if it was going to be an even game.
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“From the first goal, though, we took control of the game and we didn’t stop.”
Both teams were missing key players through injury — Madrid were without Caroline Weir while Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes were absent for Barça — but there was still plenty of quality on the pitch.
Colombia‘s Linda Caicedo caused problems for the away side early on, but once Ballon d’Or winner Bonmatí opened the scoring in the 17th minute after good work from Graham Hansen and Lucy Bronze, Barça motored through the gears.
Bonmatí, Graham Hansen and Salma Paralleulo were all denied by the woodwork at various points, with Graham Hansen and Paralleulo also guilty of missing further chances to double Barça’s lead.
The second goal finally arrived just before the break when Graham Hansen, who turned left-back Olga Carmona inside out throughout the game, scored from close range.
Caldentey, who received a standing ovation when she was taken off in the second half, then added the third in first half stoppage time, finishing expertly after Patri Guijarro had helped the ball back into the box.
Madrid made three changes at the break to try and stem the flow of Barça chances and, apart from a fine Misa Rodríguez save from Paralluelo, it largely worked until the final few minutes of the game.
Substitute Pina eventually scored the fourth in the 91st minute after a brilliant Bonmatí run, with 17-year-old López, also off the bench, completing the rout two minutes later.
Madrid defender Ivana Andrés spoke of not reacting too hastily after the disheartening loss to their rivals.
“In the heat of the moment, it’s best to wait a day to analyse the defeat,” Andrés said.
“We want to keep improving. We have to learn from this. We’re sad, of course.
“There are things to improve and we have to keep working hard and correcting our errors, but we leave with our heads high. Football continues.”