Set for their maiden appearance in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, SK Brann Kvinner came up against the daunting task of attempting to overcome defending champions Barcelona – who had not ended up on the defeated side in a competitive encounter across all competitions in 32 games.

Brann manager Martin Ho made one alteration to the XI that lost 4-2 to LSK Kvinner FK in the opening weekend of the new Toppserien season, as Larissa Crummer replaced Anna Aahjem to lead the hosts’ line. Meanwhile, a plethora of changes for the visitors, as Lucy Bronze, Ona Batlle, Ingrid Syrstad Engen, Aitana Bonmatí, Patricia Guijarro, Mariona Caldentey and Salma Paralluelo all returned following the weekend’s 7-0 Liga F mauling of Costa Adeje Tenerife Egatesa. 

BRA: Mikalsen; Stenevik, Tynnilä, Østenstad; Kvamme, Haugland, Kielland, Lund; Gaupset, Engesvik; Crummer 

BAR: Coll; Batlle, Engen, Paredes, Bronze; Guijarro, Walsh, Bonmatí; Paralluelo, Caldentey, Hansen 

Having already claimed the honour of the Spanish Super Cup, Barcelona are still on course to lift four names of silverware. Needing only nine minutes to break the deadlock, the visitors displayed an exquisite exchange of passes, involving no fewer than three players, allowing Caroline Graham Hansen to send a sweetly-struck strike past Norweigan counterpart in Aurora Mikalsen.

The in-form striker nearly netted her second not long after, as she unleashed her effort only narrowly past the wrong side of the post. 

Salma Paralluelo and the 2023 Ballon d’Or Féminin winner Aitana Bonmatí would sting the palms of Mikalsen, but were ultimately left shellshocked against the run of play six minutes before half-time as Justine Kielland’s dangerous delivery across goal was fired home at the back post by an ecstatic captain fantastic in Cecilie Redisch Kvamme. 

Paralluelo then hit the crossbar for the Blaugrana in stoppage-time, but despite having 17 attempts on goal, Jonatan Giráldez’s side were forced to return to the away dressing room with no advantage following the conclusion of a frustrating first half of football.

Taking part in a ninth successive last eight stage visit to the UWCL, Barcelona unrelentingly began the second half in pursuit of reclaiming their lead. First, VAR dismissed any hopeful appeals from the visitors for a penalty after Ingrid Østervold Stenevik’s late challenge on Mariona Caldentey, moments before Graham Hansen fired another strike inches wide.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, the visitors’ dominance paid-dividends in the 72nd minute. A brilliant build-up by Bonmatí allowed Paralluelo to let the ball run in front of her before directing an unstoppable strike past Mikalsen to the exhilaration of the travelling support. 

Despite Brann’s bravery in front of a record crowd at the Asane Arena, Barcelona will take a slender lead that could have been more marginal if Mikalsen had not flicked Bonmatí’s effort onto the bar in added-on time, back to Spain for next week’s second leg. 

The odds will be against Martin Ho’s side, as they strive to cause one of the biggest-ever shocks that Women’s Football has ever seen at the Estadi Johan Cruyff next week. As it appears on paper, Jonatan Giráldez’s may be set to face Chelsea in the semi-finals of this season’s competition following the reigning Barclays Women’s Super League champions 3-0 victory over Ajax at the Johan Cruyff ArenA last night.