At Your Feet, Caro: Caroline Graham Hansen’s Mastery in El Clásico

Every time Caroline Graham Hansen touches the ball, echoes of “there she goes with the ball at her feet, and no one can stop her” resonate in my mind, a modern adaptation of a legendary scene from Oliver and Benji. In the Alfredo Di Stéfano stadium, she played with the ease of a backyard game, deciding, with a goal, an assist, and the ‘MVP’ title, the fourteenth El Clásico for FC Barcelona.

Olga Carmona may well have nightmares about her for days or weeks to come because she couldn’t contain her. Graham Hansen outplayed her repeatedly, dominating the right wing and displaying excellent chemistry with Ona Batlle and Aitana. She played a crucial role in all three of Barcelona’s goals against Real Madrid, a victory that all but sealed the league title.

In the second half, with just a one-goal lead, she sealed the Clásico. Receiving a sublime pass from Walsh, she left Olga Carmona behind, spotted Aitana’s run, and provided the assist. Then, she crafted her own goal, the third and decisive one.

Her post-match remarks were as assertive as her performance on the field, asserting Barcelona’s dominance in Clásicos and emphasizing the team’s collective success over individual accolades. Despite her stellar numbers this season – 26 goals and 25 assists, making her the top scorer for Barcelona and La Liga’s leading goal scorer – she remains focused on team trophies, stating, “I want to win the Champions League, the league, and the cup. If we don’t, all these goals mean nothing.”