With a team depleted by casualties, Barça needed an hour to find its feet, but when they went into a higher gear they overwhelmed (5-0) an Eibar that defended itself as best it could. The Catalan team put the victory on track with four goals in a brilliant quarter of an hour, including a hat-trick by Brugts, who made her debut as a scorer in the Barça shirt. Graham Hansen, with a goal and an assist, shone again for another day and Ari Arias completed the victory with his first goal for the first team. Barça adds a new victory in the last League match of 2023 at the Johan Cruyff, where they will close the year on December 21 with the Champions League match against Rosengård.
Jonatan Giráldez had to invent an eleven that was very conditioned by the significant losses suffered by the team, especially in the defensive line. Mapi León was the last to enter the crowded infirmary. The center tore her meniscus in training on Friday and she will have to undergo surgery so she practically says goodbye to the season. The Aragonese was applauded by the Johan Cruyff crowd upon her arrival wearing a retro T-shirt from the Catalan club.
FC Barcelona is having very bad luck with injuries in 2023. Irene Paredes, who returned from training with Spain with a rectum injury, is also not available; Alexia Putellas, who is still recovering from a blow to her knee; nor Oshoala, Jana Fernàndez, Rolfö and Bruna Vilamala. What has forced Giráldez to build a squad with only 15 first team players.
Also thinking about the two Champions League matches that the team has against Rosengård in the next two weeks, the Blaugrana coach opted for rotations in the team, giving rest to Cata Coll in goal, Paralluelo, Bronze, Walsh and Ona Batlle, start.
With all these handicaps, Barça did not start with its best version. He dominated against an Eibar that was locked in behind, but he lacked spark. Without giving the usual rhythm to their football and with the armored team planted at the back with a line of six players, Giráldez’s team was unable to create excessive danger on Amaia Peña’s goal at times. The Basque goalkeeper blocked some timid shots and Pina hit a ball against the crossbar, but little else in the first 45 minutes that ended with a 0-0 scoreline.
Barça put the momentum they needed in the second half and as soon as Mariona Caldentey started she had the clearest chance of the game with a great shot that narrowly missed the gunner’s goal and Esmee Brugts crashed a ball into the post afterwards. of a great assistance from Aitana. The faster Barça combined, the more problems Eibar had in containing the Catalan team. And after an hour of resisting, Barça hit the key and ended the game with three goals in three minutes.
Caroline Graham Hansen opened the scoring with a real goal. The Norwegian soccer player received on the right wing, went towards the center, raised her head and made it impossible for Amaia Peña. She was not happy with it, she assisted Esmee Brugts in the next play, so that the Dutchwoman scored her first goal with the Barça shirt. Eibar struggled to contain the Blaugrana steamroller and were unable to stop Brugts at 3-0. Patri Guijarro assisted Mariona on the left and the Balearic player gave the ball away at the penalty spot so that the Dutchwoman only had to push the ball at the bottom of the net. The Blaugrana scorer would not stop here, as five minutes later she would complete a hat-trick after a good assist from Lucia Corrales.
With the game decided, Giráldez moved the bench to distribute minutes, bringing in more young promises such as Vicky López, Dragoni and Ari Arias, who rounded off the party with the fifth and final score in his first game this season with the first team, with which he debuted. at the end of last season.
Barça closes its last league game at the Johan Cruyff with a victory, a fiefdom in which it has not lost a game since the stadium opened. A field to which he will return in two weeks to say goodbye to 2023 against Rosengård.
