Bayern Munich’s Women’s Champions League campaign began with a bang — unfortunately, it was Barcelona doing most of the banging. After a humbling 7-1 thrashing at the hands of the reigning European queens, Bayern winger Klara Bühl faced the music and delivered an honest post-match assessment: it’s time to step up.
The defeat was as painful as it was predictable. Bayern, strong domestically, once again found themselves outclassed on the international stage. Facing a Barcelona side that looked like they were playing a different sport entirely, the Bavarians were left chasing shadows at the Estadi Johan Cruyff.
Speaking to CBS W Golazo after the game, Bühl admitted that Bayern were simply too passive. “We thought that we could have maybe a bit more of the ball, to have our own actions, to get to the goal, to get some chances,” she said. “This night, it’s really, really tough. They played a great game. They created a lot of chances and we were just a bit too late… we were not good enough.”
Bühl, who was ironically linked with Barcelona last season before renewing with Bayern, was the only bright spark for the visitors. She produced a cool finish in the 30th minute, slicing through the Barça backline to make it 3-1 — a rare flicker of hope in an otherwise one-sided affair. The goal came after a slick move orchestrated by Arianna Caruso, whose cross-field ball found Franziska Kett before Bühl darted into space and buried her shot.
“It was cool,” Bühl said of her goal, managing a wry smile. “We got a bit of fresh air with the goal and hoped for a second before halftime. But of course, it’s difficult in the Champions League against those opponents. If we want to compete with them, we have to step up — and that’s what we want to do in the next game.”
Barcelona, however, had no interest in mercy. They piled on goal after goal, turning the match into a tactical horror film for Bayern fans. Still, it’s only Matchday 1 of the UWCL — and if Bühl’s words are anything to go by, Bayern plan to turn embarrassment into motivation.
Time to step up, indeed.
