Barcelona Women secure historic place in Champions League semis

Xavi Llorens, the FC Barcelona manager, has been trotting out the same line in every interview he has given over the past two years: "It's still too early to win the Champions League, but we'll be ready in three or four years' time." That day seemed a long way off for a Barça side waging their fifth European campaign. We don't yet know when the day will come, but what we do know is that 29 March 2017 will go down in Cule history as the day on which they first qualified for the Women's Champions League semi-finals.

It is a historic achievement for Spanish women's football. They are the first LaLiga Iberdrola side to stake their claim to being one of the top four teams in Europe. The Mini Estadi was decked out for the occasion. They needed to make good on their 1-0 away win over Marta's FC Rosengard. Not only did they manage it, they did so in style with another victory. Jenni Hermoso (52') netted the first and Mariona Caldentey made it 2-0 on 93 minutes to kill off the tie.

A historic achievement! 

Congratulations to @FCBfemeni on becoming the first #LigaIberdrola side to ever reach a #UWCL semi-final!  pic.twitter.com/LcZGZoj4cF

— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) March 29, 2017

Rosengard came out in search of a goal to nullify the one which they had conceded in the first leg, and they created the first chances of the game. However, little by little, as the supporters began to fill the stadium, the home side started to take control of proceedings. The 7,350-strong crowd at the Mini made their presence felt. Barcelona began to dominate possession and Rosengard were unable to make an impact, their attempts straying wide and goalkeeper Sandra Paños always right where she needed to be.

After the interval, Vicky Losada found her way to the byline and pulled off an ingenious assist which Hermoso had no intention of wasting. The crowd went wild. Las Azulgranas were ahead again, and they managed to keep a firm grip on the game and hold out until the end of the 90. There was more drama to come though, with Rosengard finding the back of the net in injury time, only for the goal to be disallowed. Seconds later Mariona struck the killer blow to round off a historic 2-0 victory and send Barcelona into the semi-finals.

It is time to start booking that weekend in Barcelona on 22-23 April and in Paris or Munich on 29-30 April. Spanish women's football is set for an epic event, with Las Blaugranas preparing to play in the Champions League semi-finals.