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Fans broke the record for the largest audience ever to watch a women’s football match, with 91,553 in the audience for the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarterfinal between Barcelona and Real Madrid in Camp Nou, the largest football stadium in Europe.
Barcelona took advantage of the home support, winning 5-2 against Real Madrid and securing a place in the semifinals.
“The fans [are] not leaving for home, they’re just staying to celebrate with us. I didn’t imagine anything like it and it’s just goosebumps all over the place,” Barca forward Caroline Graham Hansen told reporters after the game.
“They have been singing all game and it’s been amazing. It’s something I never dreamed of happening and here today we did it. Hopefully it’s not the last time we’re doing this.”
The new record unseats the previous one in 2019, with 60,739 fans in the audience for the Atletico Madrid versus Barcelona match in the Metropolitano.
The attendance at Wednesday’s El Clásico also breaks the overall record for any women’s game, which was 90,195 in 1999 when the US beat China in the women’s World Cup final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
‘You LOVE to see it’
Football stars welcomed the new record.
In a tweet, US women’s national team superstar Megan Rapinoe wrote, “A crowd fitting for the team on the pitch! You LOVE to see it.”
Barcelona played to win, especially with the home support.
The team scored three quickfire goals in 10 minutes after trailing 2-1 early in the second half.
With the 8-3 win, Barcelona moves on to the semifinals for the fifth time in six years.
It will face either Arsenal or Wolfsburg for a place in the final.
“I’m speechless. It’s a dream come true. I can only answer with more work, getting better and winning games so we can give them a big spectacle,” said Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas, who was one of the goalscorers.
“I saw a lot of girls, children with that spark in their eyes. It’s amazing to be part of history.”
