History was made on the hallowed turf of the Deutsche Bank Park last season, as Eintracht Frankfurt’s men’s team reached the knockouts of the UEFA Champions League for the first time.
And just a solitary season on, it was the women’s turn. They had reached the group stages for the first since their merger with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019 - but before that, they were four-time winners of UEFA Women’s Champions League as 1. FFC Frankfurt.
There’s no denying that they have some serious pedigree on Europe’s greatest stage, but Wednesday’s match was expected to resemble a changing of the guard, with the former powerhouse likely to be swept aside by the Blaugrana.
But on the night, in front of a bumper crowd of around 20,000, Eintracht Frankfurt looked more than capable of causing a monumental upset. Laura Freigang’s first-half strike wasn’t enough to see out a win though, with Salma Paralluelo and Mariona Caldentey both netting in the second half.
Story of the Match
Both teams were looking to build upon their European victories last week, but it was Barça that came closest to drawing the first blood as Lucy Bronze sent Aitana Bonmatí through on goal - though the Ballon d’Or winner wasn’t able to find a breakthrough.
Mariona Caldentey attempted to find the back of the net from range with a little over fifteen minutes on the clock after neat buildup play on the left flank, although her shot was held well by Stina Johannes.
Yet perhaps Frankfurt’s athleticism was best displayed when Salma Paralluelo was beaten to the ball by Pia Wolter, as the Spaniard looked to latch onto a sublime ball over the top.
When it would have been easy to become frustrated, Barcelona remained calm and composed. Caldentey saw an effort saved well by Johannes after weaving into the penalty area, just moments before Laura Freigang tested Sandra Paños with a speculative effort from outside the box.
Freigang would find the back of the net just before half-time though, smashing a headed effort through the legs of Paños after meeting Verena Hanshaw’s cross from the left.
Less than three minutes of the second half had passed before Paralluelo arrived on scene to silence the home crowd though, pouncing from close range to put Ona Batlle’s cross beyond Johannes to restore parity.
With the momentum heavily in their favour, Caldentey’s through ball for Bonmatí could easily have seen the Blaugrana come from behind to take the lead - though the Catalan midfielder could only direct her strike into the arms of Johannes.
But it was Caldentey herself that found Barça’s second of the night, bundling home from inside the box after chaos unfolded inside the area following a corner delivery.
And the rout didn’t look like coming to a close any time soon, as Barcelona began to prove their worth as the reigning European Champions. Paralluelo completed her brace in the 62nd minute with a first time finish from the penalty spot, with Johannes’ fingertips not strong enough to deny the Spaniard.
Yet Barcelona’s two-goal lead was cast into sudden doubt by a Paños error, as the goalkeeper spilled a ball into the box - but great recovery work and a wayward effort spared her blushes.
And thus, despite a spirited Frankfurt side that came close to reducing the deficit on a number of occasions, Jonatan Giráldez’s side will head back to Catalunya with three points under their belts after a first-half scare courtesy of Laura Freigang.
Player of the Match: Salma Paralluelo
In what was truly a match of two halves, Barcelona’s Salma Paralluelo was the standout star. Her second-half brace was influential in guiding the Blaugrana to another win in Europe.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that watched Spain during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup - after all, her pace is a valuable asset learned throughout her days as a track and field athlete.
A special mention must go to Frankfurt’s defence throughout the first half though, as they managed to frustrate the best side on the continent and provided the foundations for Freigang’s opener.