Wednesday was the eighth time that FC Barcelona have won 5-1 at home in a European tie, and each time they have gone on to qualify.
Second 5-1 this season
Barça already won one game 5-1 in this season’s edition of the Champions League. That was
against Greek champions Panathinaikos, and Barça went on to finish top of their group.
In the Fairs Cup, UEFA Cup, European Cup and Champions League, FC Barcelona have always made good
of 5-1 wins, and will be hoping the story continues against Shakhtar Donetsk.
First example, Milan
Barça won their first opening leg 5-1 in the round of 16 on November 25, 1959 in front of
80,000 spectators against the side from Lombardy. Under manager Helenio Herrera they had already
won away, and Kubala, with a hat-trick, was the star of the show in a great match.
First time in UEFA Cup
In 1961/62 the Camp Nou was the venue for a UEFA Cup second round match against Dynamo
Zagreb. Evaristo Macedo scored three goals as the home fans revelled in a 5-1 win. The 2-2 draw in
the Croatian city two weeks later was enough to ensure passage for Barça.
Fifteen year later and the same score was repeated against Tulevik of Norway. This was in the
second leg after Rinus Michels’ side had already settled much of the affair with a 3-0 win in
Norway. Asensi scored two of Barça’s five goals in the second leg.
First game with Steaua Bucharest
In 1977/78, Barça played Romanian side Steaua for the first time. The 5-1 win left the UEFA
Cup first round tie as good as settled, and still managed by Michels, they won again, 3-1, in
Bucharest. Argentinian ‘Milonguita’ Heredia got two goals at the Camp Nou.
Heading for the final
In 1993/94, Barça won their first Champions League match 5-1. Their victims were Russian
outfit Spartak Moscow, a result that put Johan Cruyff’s side top of the group. Karpin opened
the scoring for the visitors, but Koeman (2), Amor and Romario all resoundingly finished off the
job started by Stoitchkov’s equaliser.
But the best remembered 5-1 win came in the quarter finals of the Champions League in
1999/2000. Louis van Gaal’s side had lost the first leg to Chelsea, 3-1, but in the second
bounced back with goals from Figo, Rivaldo (2), Dani and Kluivert in a game that went into extra
time.