Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas both scored twice as Barcelona began their defence of the Women’s Champions League title on Tuesday with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Benfica, while a ruthless Lyon hit nine against Slavia Prague.
Barcelona are aiming to win the Champions League for the third time in four seasons and their strength in depth was summed up by the presence of six players in their starting line-up who played in August’s World Cup final in Sydney, when Spain beat England 1-0.
A crowd of fewer than 5,000 watched Putellas, who was a substitute in the World Cup final after missing almost all of last season due to a serious knee injury, head in the opener with quarter of an hour played.
Putellas then followed up to make it 2-0 on the line when a header by Esmee Brugts beat the Portuguese side’s goalkeeper, and Bonmati got the third with a composed finish just before the interval.
Putellas was replaced at the break and Bonmati then netted again seven minutes after the restart having been set up by Caroline Graham Hansen.
Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala wrapped up a convincing victory by scoring with an overhead kick just seconds after coming on as a substitute.
