Barcelona maintained their perfect Liga F record with a 7-0 victory over Real Madrid on Sunday, as Claudia Pina scored four times to send the champions five points clear at the top of the table.
More than 40,000 supporters watched the Clasico at Camp Nou, according to The Guardian, as Barcelona turned a dominant opening 45 minutes into a comprehensive win.
Pina opened the scoring after only four minutes, breaking into the penalty area before finding the net. Real Madrid were unable to establish sustained possession, and Barcelona doubled their advantage in the 28th minute when Pina followed up to score after Ewa Pajor’s initial attempt had been blocked.
The forward completed her hat-trick a few minutes later with a finish into the top corner. Caroline Graham Hansen then added a fourth before the interval, with Pina striking again before half-time to complete her four-goal performance.
Pajor made it 6-0 shortly after the restart, while Sydney Schertenleib rounded off the scoring late in the match with a long-range effort.
Three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati also returned to action, coming on for the final 30 minutes as she continued her recovery from a broken leg.
The result preserved Barcelona’s 100% start to the league season and extended their lead over their nearest challengers to five points. Barcelona have won the Liga F title in each of the past seven seasons, although Sunday’s result does not determine the outcome of the current campaign.
The scale of the victory was particularly notable given Real Madrid’s record in the fixture. The Guardian reported that Real Madrid had beaten Barcelona only once in 25 meetings in all competitions.
Bonmati’s appearance provided an additional boost for Barcelona as she works towards regaining full fitness. The match had been delayed by two hours after torrential rain affected Catalonia over the weekend, but the disruption did not prevent Barcelona from producing a commanding display once play began.
Barcelona’s next listed Liga F match is against Real Sociedad on October 18. Real Madrid are scheduled to play Espanyol on October 17.