Chelsea vs Barcelona LIVE: Result and reaction from Women’s Champions League semi-final
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona: Caroline Graham Hansen gives Barca the advantage ahead of the semi-final second leg
Chelsea will need to overturn a one goal deficit when they travel to Spain next week for the second leg of the their Women’s Champions League semi-final against Barcelona.
In scenes reminiscent of the 2021 WCL final, Barca struck early in the game when Caroline Graham Hansen darted inside from the right wing and smoked a beautiful shot past the outstretched hand of Ann-Katrin Berger to open the scoring after just four minutes.
On the previous occasion Chelsea wilted to concede four goals before half-time but here they responded well. Stepping further up the pitch to control play in midfield the Blues seemed more composed. Guro Reiten even ahd a goal disallowed after a slight offside from Sam Kerr in the build-up.
However, as the second half progressed injuries and a lack of squad depth began to tell for Emma Hayes’ side. They managed to keep out a late Barcelona onslaught but the equaliser they desperately wanted remained out of reach.
Relive the action as Chelsea faced Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League semi-finals:
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
42 mins: Graham Hansen collects the ball out wide and wastes no time sending a cross into the middle. Carter rises highest and flicks the ball away.
Rolfo recycles it back into the area but Chelsea deal with this attack too.
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
39 mins: Mapi Leon joins Kerr in the book after a handball. Chelsea win a free kick over on the left wing and have the chance to whip the ball into the box.
Cankovic sends in the cross but Rolfo nods it clear.
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
36 mins: Emma Hayes’ tactical changes seem to have paid off for Chelsea. They’re playing a few yards further forward which is allowing them to compe more in midfield.
An interception from the visitors knocks the ball to Lucy Bronze who is hacked down by a lunging Sam Kerr. Barca win a free kick and Kerr gets booked.
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
33 mins: Another blind side run from Sam Kerr gets her inside of Mapi Leon and into the box as Erin Cuthbert chips over a pass. Irene Paredes gets across to cover for her centre-back partner and beats Kerr in the air.
The defender’s header loops the ball into the air and Sandra Panos jogs off her line to claim it.
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
30 mins: Wonderful from Lucy Bronze!
Chelsea send the ball up to Sam Kerr who dinks it into the box and picks out Guro Reiten making a diagonal run into the right side of the box.
She dances around the goalkeeper again and shoots but Bronze sprints towards the line and deflects the ball wide of the near post!
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
29 mins: Although the goal doesn’t stand it’s a warning to the visitors that Chelsea won’t just roll over this time around.
Kerr and Reiten in particular are trying to nip in behind the defence and if they time their runs correctly it could be a fruitful avenue for the Blues to exploit.
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
26 mins: Disallowed goal! Erin Cuthbert slides a through ball into Sam Kerr who makes a fine run in behind Barcelona’s high line. She carries the ball into the box then sends it over to Guro Reiten.
Reiten dribbles around goalkeeper Sandro Panos and slots it home but the offside flag goes up and VAR shows that Kerr just drifted offside in the build-up.
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
25 mins: Good work from Maren Mjelde! A Barcelona cross comes in from the right side of the pitch and falls nicely for Salma Parralluelo.
She shoots on the half-volley but Mjelde leaps in front of the shot and gets the block in.
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
22 mins: Better from Chelsea! Cuthbert takes hold of the ball in the middle of the pitch and flicks a nice pass over the top to Guro Reiten.
She brings the ball down inside the box, moves inside of Irene Paredes then lays the ball over to Sam Kerr. Kerr guides a side-footed effort at goal but Barca recover and get bodies behind the ball.
They block the effort.
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
19 mins: Barcelona have enjoyed the better of these opening 20 minutes or so. Berger goes down needing to stretch out a bit of cramp and Emma Hayes takes the opportunity to get her players over to the touchline to issue new instructions.
The Blues need to impose themselves on the game a bit more.
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