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Barcelona cements powerhouse status with Camp Nou record

Alexia Putellas leads the field with a score of 92. (Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

FC Barcelona promised a spectacle for its record-breaking Champions League fixture at Camp Nou, and that’s exactly what fans got.

In front of a historic crowd of 91,533 supporters, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5-2, advancing to the UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals with an aggregate score of 8-3.

Wednesday’s stand was the first time the Barcelona women’s team played at the cavernous Camp Nou stadium in front of spectators, marking a significant turning point for the women’s game.

“Our responsibility is to make sure we do all our best to write this new page in the club’s history, the team’s history,” Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas told reporters Tuesday ahead of El Clásico. “I believe it will be a turning point for women’s football in Barcelona, in Catalonia, in Spain and, hopefully, all around the world.”

The match surpassed the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup final attendance record, which saw 90,185 fans fill the Rose Bowl to watch the U.S. Women’s National Team win. The new women’s soccer attendance record of 91,533 at Camp Nou ushers in a new era for the sport.

The quality on the pitch exceeded the anticipation leading up to the fixture, with Madrid and Barcelona executing top-quality finishes.

María Pilar León kicked off the scoring in the 8th minute, striking an in-swinging ball over Madrid’s keeper to put Barcelona up 1-0.

Less than 10 minutes later, a handball in the box awarded Madrid a penalty, which Olga Carmona calmly converted to level the score.

The visitors took the lead to start the second half as Claudia Zoronza struck the goal of the night, chipping Barcelona’s keeper in the 48th minute.

However, the advantage quickly evaporated. Aitana Bonmati slotted home a cheeky goal and Claudia Pina curled in a banger for Barcelona in quick succession to put the home team back on top.

Putellas also got in on the scoring in the 62nd minute, much to Camp Nou’s delight. The captain snuck a sputtering shot over the goal line, and then the reigning Ballon d’Or winner took a bow and blew a kiss to the adoring Barcelona fans.

Caroline Graham Hansen finished off the offensive masterclass from Barcelona, tapping in a deflected cross to put the game at 5-2.

In true Barcelona fashion, the club finished the match with 66 percent of the possession while outshooting Madrid 6-2.

“At the end of the match, I had to hold my tears back,” Graham Hansen told DAZN’s Serma Hunter after the game. “I didn’t imagine anything like it, and it’s just goosebumps all over the place.”

Barcelona is a certified powerhouse, with three-consecutive league titles, a Champions League trophy, a Ballon d’Or recipient in Putellas and a winning streak of 41 games. But though Barcelona seems undeniable, the Camp Nou event was anything but inevitable.

Marta Torrejón, a defender who joined Barcelona in 2013, has watched the club evolve at warp speed. She told The New York Times in 2021 that she remembers training sessions taking place in the evening to accommodate players who worked or went to school during the day.

The team of 2013 is a far cry from the club that dominated Chelsea 4-0 to claim its first Champions League trophy in 2021.

After the club fully professionalized in 2015, investments poured in, which brought in some big names like Lieke Martens, who signed with Barcelona in 2017.

For the most part, however, Barcelona has cultivated its core. Putellas, who joined Barcelona in 2012, serves as a shining example of the club’s ability to develop key players. A decade after her start, Putellas is an undeniable star and has scored seven goals in six Champions League matches so far this season.

The club’s success has rubbed off on Spain’s national team. In 2019, the Spanish women gave the USWNT a run for their money in the World Cup quarterfinal, nearly upsetting the eventual winners. Spain is currently ranked seventh in the world according to FIFA, jumping six places from its No. 13 ranking entering the 2019 World Cup.

Barcelona has steadily risen the ranks since its professionalization in 2015, making a Champions League semifinal appearance in 2018-2019 and a final appearance in 2019-2020 before raising the trophy in 2020-2021.

“In Barcelona, it’s not enough to win, it’s about how you play, and I think that’s in the roots of this team,” Barcelona midfielder Ingrid Syrstad Engen said.

That perfectionist ethos has elevated not just Barcelona but the international women’s game overall as the club sets a new standard for investment and performance.

“I believe that tomorrow can be the start of a new era because at the end of the day tomorrow’s match is going to be inspiring for so many girls, I am guessing, that will be coming tomorrow to Camp Nou or who will be seeing us from TV, and they will be seeing women playing in Camp Nou,” Putellas told media ahead of Wednesday’s win. “And I am sure in the future, in the mid or long run, we will be collecting the fruits of tomorrow’s match.”

Women’s soccer will undoubtedly collect the fruits of Barcelona’s Camp Nou triumph. And the marquee match may have also cemented Barcelona as the new epicenter of women’s soccer, a distinction that has been years in the making.

NWSL Star Trinity Rodman Debuts Player Edition Adidas Cleats

NWSL and USWNT star Trinity Rodman poses with her Adidas Player Edition cleats.
Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman will debut her new Adidas cleats this weekend. (Adidas)

Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman is gearing up to debut her Adidas Player Edition cleats this weekend, marking her return to the field by rocking the all-new F50 SPARKFUSION PE — a boot built by and for women athletes.

"Growing up as a kid in California, I could never have imagined a day where there would be a cleat literally inspired by me," the 2024 Olympic gold medalist said in a press release. "I can't wait to wear them."

According to Adidas's Thursday release, designers worked to specifically engineer the boots to "excel with the speed and agility demands of the modern women's game."

To do so, the sportswear company researched the unique anatomy of the female foot to address the discomfort reported by women athletes when competing in unisex cleats.

Consequently, the F50 SPARKFUSION PE boasts key design adjustments to improve fit, arch support, stability, and comfort for women athletes. The boots also contain features to boost players' agility across multiple pitch surfaces.

In addition to the performance improvements, Rodman's Player Edition boots come in the 23-year-old USWNT star's favorite colors.

Grounded by a pearlescent white base alongside vibrant light blue details and bold pink stripes — an homage to Rodman's signature pink hair — the attacker's cleats aim to create "a dynamic look that captures Trinity's energy and personality."

Rodman will sport her Adidas Player Edition boots for the first time on Sunday, when her Washington Spirit host the Portland Thorns at 12:30 PM ET on ABC.

How to buy the Trinity Rodman F50 SPARKFUSION PE cleats

The Trinity Rodman Adidas F50 SPARKFUSION PE cleats are currently available for purchase online at adidas.com.

Eight-Time Champions Brazil Face Colombia in Copa América Femenina Final

Brazil star Marta controls the ball during their 2025 Copa América semifinal.
2024 NWSL champion Marta will captain Brazil against Colombia in Saturday's 2025 Copa América final. (Franklin Jacome/Getty Images)

World No. 4 Brazil and No. 18 Colombia will take center stage on Saturday, when star-studded lineups full of NWSL talent will duke it out in the 2025 Copa América Femenina Final.

The Conmebol titans advanced to the continental tournament's grand finale via two distinctly different semifinals, as Colombia narrowly pushed past No. 32 Argentina in a penalty shootout on Monday before defending champions Brazil thrashed No. 63 Uruguay 5-1 on Tuesday.

Entering Saturday's match as the favorites, Brazil is led by reigning NWSL champion Marta, with the legendary attacker joined by fellow Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina as well as Gotham FC forward Gabi Portilho, Racing Louisville midfielder Ary Borges, and Kansas City Current goalkeeper Lorena.

Chasing a fifth straight and ninth overall Copa América title, there has never been a final in the tournament's 10 iterations to not feature Brazil.

On the other hand, Colombia is seeking their first-ever Conmebol crown behind a quartet of NWSL standouts: Washington Spirit midfielder Leicy Santos, Racing Louisville defender Ángela Barón, San Diego Wave defender Daniela Arias, and Utah Royals defender Ana María Guzmán.

Saturday's final will be the second straight and fourth overall to pit Colombia against Brazil, and comes just eight days after the pair faced off to a 0-0 draw in their final group-stage match — though notably, Brazil played the bulk of that game with 10 players after keeper Lorena earned a red card in the 24th minute.

How to watch the Copa América final

The 2025 Copa América Final kicks off at 5 PM ET on Saturday, with live coverage airing on FS1.

2025 Canadian Open Heats Up Ahead of Tennis World’s Final Grand Slam

US tennis star Coco Gauff celebrates a point during a 2025 Canadian Open match.
US tennis star Coco Gauff advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2025 Canadian Open on Thursday. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Image)

With the US Open rapidly approaching — the WTA season's final Grand Slam — the tennis world's hardcourt titans are tuning up at the 2025 Canadian Open.

This year's tournament is in full swing up in Montréal, allowing players to hone their skills before next week's Cincinnati Open sets the tone for the annual New York City Slam.

Though stars like world No. 5 Mirra Andreeva, No. 9 Jasmine Paolini, and No. 11 Emma Navarro stumbled out of contention in the tournament's first two rounds, many heavy-hitters are still in play, including all three 2025 Grand Slam winners: Australian Open champion No. 8 Madison Keys, French Open victor No. 2 Coco Gauff, and newly crowned Wimbledon champ No. 3 Iga Świątek.

Joining Gauff in punching her ticket to Saturday's Round of 16 is fellow US player No. 32 McCartney Kessler, while Keys and several others in the US contingent — No. 4 Jessica Pegula, No. 7 Amanda Anisimova, and No. 116 Caty McNally — will battle to advance from the Round of 32 on Friday.

Other fan favorites are also still in the mix, including Japan's No. 49 Naomi Osaka and the UK's No. 33 Emma Raducanu, while 18-year-old phenom No. 85 Victoria Mboko is impressing as Canada's last-standing contender in play.

Notably sitting out this week is world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, with the 2024 US Open champ prioritizing her mental and physical rest ahead of her title defense.

How to watch the 2025 Canadian Open

The 2025 Canadian Open's Round of 32 continues throughout Friday before the Round of 16 takes the Montréal court on Saturday.

Continuous live coverage of the tournament will are on the Tennis Channel.

Top Scorers Napheesa Collier and A’ja Wilson Square Off in WNBA Headliner

Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson drives against Minnesota Lynx standout Napheesa Collier during a 2025 WNBA game.
Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx bested A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces last week. (Ben Brewer/Getty Images)

Two of the toughest WNBA stars will square off this weekend, as Minnesota Lynx forward and 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier will battle it out against Las Vegas Aces center and reigning MVP A'ja Wilson in a Saturday showdown.

As the league's top two scorers, the 23.8 points per game put up by Collier will meet the 22.1-point average posted by Wilson for the second time this season, with Saturday's rematch coming just over a week after the Lynx toppled the Aces.

"Our defense is so good…. We just make it hard, and when every shot is hard, eventually it wears a team down, and that's our goal every night," Collier said after Minnesota routed Las Vegas 109-78 last Friday.

With less than two games separating third from sixth place on the league table, the WNBA standings have never been tighter, sending the stakes of this weekend's games through the roof:

  • No. 3 Phoenix Mercury vs. No. 5 Atlanta Dream, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): A mere half-game behind the Mercury, the Dream can leapfrog two teams to claim third with a win on Friday, as Phoenix aims to galvanize behind their own MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas.
  • No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 7 Las Vegas Aces, Saturday at 3 PM ET (ABC): Facing this season's undisputed top dogs on a two-game winning streak, the Aces will look to blank the Lynx at home in Las Vegas.
  • No. 6 Indiana Fever vs. No. 4 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ABC): The Fever have remained hot despite the absence of an injured Caitlin Clark, and a Sunday result against the Storm could push Indiana into the league's upper echelon.

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