Alexia Putellas scores 200th Barcelona goal

Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putellas scored her 200th goal for the Catalan club in Thursday's Champions League clash against Austrian side St. Pölten.

Putellas struck a left-footed finish into corner of the net to put Barcelona 4-0 up in the 57th minute and well on course for three consecutive victories in Europe after opening with a surprise defeat to Manchester City in October.

The goal continues Putellas' impressive start to the season as the two-time Ballon d'Or winner shows signs of returning to her best following an ACL injury which sidelined her for the majority of the 2022-23 season.

She returned to full fitness last year but was in and out of the side, starting the Champions League final win over Lyon on the bench, although she did come on to score the game-clinching goal.

New Barça coach Pere Romeu has returned her to the starting lineup on a regular basis this term, though, and she has responded with 10 goals and five assists in all competitions.

"When I started at the club, I never imagined I could reach 200 goals," Putellas told Diario Sport. "It's a figure we usually see more with strikers."

Putellas has been the top scorer in the history of Barça's women's team since moving past Jenni Hermoso's mark of 181 last season. The top five is completed by Sonia Bermúdez (123), Asisat Oshoala (117) and Mariona Caldentey (115).

Her 199th goal, scored against Real Madrid earlier in November, moved her past Luis Suárez's 198 goals and into the top three in the history of both the men's and the women's teams, too, behind only Lionel Messi (672) and César Rodríguez (232).

Putellas joined Barça for a second time in 2012, having previously spent a year at the club's academy, and scored her first goal for the club in the same year.

The 30-year-old has since gone on to make over 400 appearances for the first team, winning eight league titles and three Champions Leagues, among other trophies, and been named the best player in the world on two occasions.