Hoffenheim 0-5 Barcelona: Player ratings as champions cruise to UWCL win

Barcelona secured their place in the Women’s Champions League quarter-final with two group games to spare after a 5-0 away win over Hoffenheim in Germany.

The reigning champions had taken maximum points from their opening three games before kick-off and it proved to be no different this time. Alexia Putellas, Irene Paredes, Aitana Bonmati, Marta Torrejon and Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic were the goalscorers on a comfortable night.

Barça did have to be patient, however. They dominated the ball and created numerous chances throughout the first half, with Putellas and Fridolina Rolfo among those who went close.

Unlike a week ago in the reverse fixture in Spain, when it was 3-0 in little more than half an hour, Hoffenheim stubbornly dug in. But that resilience was broken shortly before half-time when Putellas was tripped in the penalty area by Laura Wienroither, converting from the spot herself.

The second for Barça courtesy of Paredes came in the form of a bullet header from a corner delivered by centre-back partner Mapi Leon.

The third was an excellent finish from Bonmati after a pull back from Fridolina Rolfo on the left, capping off a flowing team move that had started deep in their own half and covered most of the pitch from left to right and back again.

The hosts had goalkeeper Martina Tufekovic kept the score-line down for a while. That was until Torrejon made if four late on, connecting with a Claudia Pina cross as the substitutes combined, while Crnogorcevic then tapped in from three yards from a Rolfo pass just before the end.

All in all, this was a fairly routine win for Barça, who can now already look forward to the knockouts.

Barcelona player ratings

1. Goalkeeper & defenders

Sandra Panos (GK) - 6/10 - Not really tested, as probably expected.

Jana Fernandez (RB) - 6/10 - Competed well on the right.

Irene Paredes (CB) - 7/10 - Covered well on the rare occasions that Hoffenheim managed to get forward. Scored a bullet header.

Mapi Leon (CB) - 8/10 - Plenty of confidence bringing the ball out of defence and joining attacks. Assisted her centre-back partner with a corner.

Leila Ouahabi (LB) - 7/10 - Most of her work was attacking. Heavily involved in the move that created the third goal.

2. Midfielders

Aitana Bonmati (CM) - 8/10 - Capped off Barcelona's stunning third. Had been very good in the first half and was taken off early with the job done.

Ingrid Engen (CM) - 6/10 - Sprayed the ball around in midfield from deep.

Alexia Putellas (CM) - 8/10 - Had chances to score in the first half, before her quick feet secured the penalty that she herself converted. Ran things.

3. Forwards

Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic (RF) - 7/10 - Saw more of the ball in the first half than in the second but popped up with a late goal anyway.

Jennifer Hermoso (ST) - 6/10 - Couldn't mark her milestone 50th European appearance with a goal. Withdrawn immediately after it went to 3-0.

Fridolina Rolfo (LF) - 7/10 - Probably should have scored a goal of her own but was still heavily involved throughout and assisted the third.

4. Substitutes

Claudia Pina (CM) - 7/10

Mariona Caldentey (ST) - 6/10

Andrea Pereira (CB) - 6/10

Marta Torrejon (CB) - 7/10

Melanie Serrano (LB) - 6/10

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