By the time Barcelona Femení had levelled their 2024/25 Champions League goal difference within 25 minutes on Wednesday night – a smooth individual goal from Caroline Graham Hansen and Clàudia Pina cleaning up a missed shot sweetly – it still felt like a similar rote performance as had been witnessed in the first half hour of their other recent games. A certain amount of ineffectiveness seemed to shroud the players, anxiously shooting from distance lest they succumb to the opposition press – except one.
Pere Romeu decided to bring Pina into the starting XI, his one change from Manchester. Given player loads and performances, it is perhaps not the squad everyone would have chosen ahead of the match, but it addressed two key issues that had held Barcelona back at the Joie Stadium. First, it got rid of the four-player midfield that had Alèxia Putellas hidden on the wing and was not as incisive as the “diamond” was on occasion last season, Patri Guijarro left with little to do while Alèxia (who we know is not at her best when not a focal interior, similar to the English old-school inside forward role from which it takes its name) similarly floundered.
Second: Pina. In the 2023/24 season, she played among the most minutes for the club (assisted by her continued withdrawal from the national team that made overload less of a concern) and didn’t always leave a visible mark but, if ever the team’s bite faltered, there she was to burst forward champing at the bit. She is a force of nature, a player who always has the verve for attack. When she was introduced to the pitch in Manchester, the effect was instant, generating forward momentum. On Wednesday against Hammarby, Barcelona had that from the start.
Barça Femení, first and foremost, is about individuals elevating the level of the team through whatever they do. And it was after Pina’s first goal, the second of the match, that everyone seemed to settle, to find their level. And what a level. The all-team performance saw Barcelona equal their biggest goal difference of the season so far, with goal difference potentially key in such a complicated Champions League group: Hammarby defeated St. Pölten (on matchday one), who nearly drew with Man City (on matchday two), who defeated Barça (on matchday one). Hierarchies begone.
Though they were playing more like we are used to seeing them play, Barcelona could only add a third goal and no more in the first half. The kinks hadn’t been entirely worked out. But whether it was whatever has been going on at half-time to set the metaphorical flames beneath their feet, or the exquisite header from Alèxia in the 45th minute granting epiphany to all, the team came out just a little shinier.
This isn’t to say Hammarby didn’t play well enough to justify their position in the competition, and they had chances they were unable to convert of their own – former Manchester City player Julie Blakstad almost emulated current City player Alanna Kennedy’s rocket in Vienna earlier in the night – as well as some good winning of the ball (followed by poor losing of the ball). But it was Barcelona who were brutal from set pieces on the night, Mapi León scoring in the 53rd minute from an Aitana Bonmatí delivery that opened the second half account. Pina notched up another slice of a goal and then tried the same shot, but just wide, to narrowly miss her hat-trick before being taken off to raucous applause.
In making those two key changes to the starting XI, Romeu did have to sacrifice a midfielder. It was a little surprising, on balance of current form, to see Keira Walsh be the chosen one. Some argue the best way to improve match form is to play matches, and Romeu’s faith in Patri certainly seems to have led her to her best performance of the season against Hammarby. Without speculating about any other motivations, it could also have been a tactical choice. Walsh may be uncharacteristically high on the list of Barça’s goal contributions this season, but Patri is classically more likely to join the attack: more suited for the intention to score early goals and support the team to regain some big game confidence. And, replacing Pina on the pitch around the 60′ mark, Walsh was a well-timed boost to frustrate an already-tiring Hammarby and to allow Barça some fresh fast legs and new width, in the form of Ona Batlle moving up to almost shadow striker territory with the addition of Walsh to the defensive roster.
Hammarby’s wonderful and dedicated travelling faithful never let up but, also proving that Barcelona can perform with a hostile crowd nearby, the blaugrana then became what looked rather appropriately vampiric. While they couldn’t literally be sapping the energy from their opposition to take for themselves, well, could they. Four goals rustled the back of the net in the last 20 minutes: Ewa Pajor received a cutback gift from Graham Hansen to continue proving how ruthless their partnership is, before Graham Hansen took her own brace after side-stepping Hammarby goalkeeper Anna Tamminen once again. Shortly after being subbed on, Esmee Brugts got on the scoresheet by rolling the ball into the net much like Pina’s second after a looping cross from Walsh to Pajor was defended, but only by being pushed back to her.
Graham Hansen was seeking out her own hat-trick, weaving past defenders in the box, when (to defy any viewers who may have thought the heavy play of Hammarby was them giving up) Jonna Andersson brought her down. With a grin, Fridolina Rolfö converted the penalty at the end of regulation time, for Barcelona’s ninth. That did cause Tamminen to lie face-down on the pitch, taking a moment, but duty called and in the added time she vigilantly attended. Culers called for a double digit scoreline, the away section cheering on every ounce of defensive pressure their team exerted. Hammarby, no dignity lost despite the scoreline, saw out the extra minutes without allowing the rampaging Barça get another good shot on.
