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
16 mins: Shot! A failed interception from Erin Cuthbert knocks the ball over to Lucy Bronze. Bronze sends the ball over to Caroline Graham Hansen who then squares a pass into the feet of Geyse.
Geyse checks to the right and smokes a low effort towards goal but Ann-Katrin Berger drops to the left and clings onto the ball.
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
13 mins: Chance! Lucy Bronze’s quality is well known but that doesn’t make it any easier to defend against her. She drives down the line, links up with Graham Hansen for a one two then flicks the ball back to the winger who darts into the box.
Graham Hansen shoots but her effort is timid and Berger has no issues scooping up the ball at the near post.
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
10 mins: Graham Hansen gets the ball once again over on the right wing. She looks confident and tries to take on Niamh Charles who holds her ground and recovers possession.
Charles has been given the nod ahead of Lauren James today, probably due to her commitment to get back and help out the defence.
Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona
7 mins: Barcelona also scored early in the 2021 WCL final against Chelsea. On that occasion the Blues shipped four goals before half-time and they can’t afford to do so again today.
The Blues have responded well though. A couple of attacks get them into the box but they aren’t clinical with the final pass and the visitors clear their lines.
GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona (Graham Hansen, 4’)⚽️
4 mins: That’s incredible! Caroline Graham Hansen receives the ball for Barcelona over on the right wing. She dribbles inside and runs across the edge of the penalty area.
Chelsea don’t engage her leaving the forward with time to shoot. She does and blasts a wonderful strike to the far corner leaving Ann-Katrin Berger no chance to keep it out.
Barcelona strike first!
Chelsea 0-0 Barcelona
3 mins: Barcelona commit a few players forward but Carter does well to take the ball off Aitana Bonmati. The Chelsea left-back releases a long ball up the pitch and almost sends Sam Kerr in behind.
Mapi Leon gets across to clear her lines and beats Kerr to the loose ball.
Kick off: Chelsea 0-0 Barcelona
Chelsea get the ball rolling for this semi-final clash. They lose possession early and Barcelona attempt to sweep down the left wing. Fridolina Rolfo whips a cross into the far side of the penalty area but Jess Carter is on hand to nod the ball away.
Chelsea vs Barcelona
Here come the teams!
Chelsea and Barcelona walk out onto the pitch at Stamford Bridge ahead of this crucial Women’s Champions League tie. Can the Blues defeat the Spanish champions this afternoon?
Chelsea vs Barcelona
Barcelona, whose Women’s Champions League semi-final record is won three, lost two have progressed in three of their last four ties at this stage.
Their only failure in that time coming against Wolfsburg in 2019/20.
How a dramatic 48 hours sparked a new era for women’s football
Two nights, two teams, and a momentous 48 hours for English clubs in the Women’s Champions League. Yet when Emma Hayes, drained after Chelsea’s head-spinning escape against Lyon, soaked in the buzz that lingered in the air at Stamford Bridge she recognised the importance of not just one victory, but two. “How brilliant was that, what a performance from them,” she said, but Hayes spoke of Arsenal’s display in their stunning win over Bayern Munich, not of Chelsea’s dethroning of Lyon to join the Gunners in the semi-finals.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal had taken huge steps forward in the competition, Arsenal in reaching their first semi-final since 2013, Chelsea in knocking out the eight-time winners after a night of the highest drama. Chelsea played their first knockout match in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge and delivered a comeback to stand among any in the club’s European history, on the night after Arsenal set new records and made the Emirates feel like a home. Jonas Eidevall said history was being written in front of their eyes, and there will now be bigger nights to come.
“I’m so happy for English football,” Hayes said, after a week that can accelerate interest in the club game - just as the Lionesses started to crackle during their run to the Euros final, before peaking with victory at Wembley. Should either Chelsea or Arsenal go all the way and end English’s football’s 13-year wait for a Women’s Champions League winner then there is potential for it to be a similar seismic moment. Leah Williamson is already attune to it, with the suggestion that Arsenal could one day make the Emirates their permanent home now said to be a realistic vision.
How a dramatic 48 hours sparked a new era for women’s football
Chelsea and Arsenal took a giant leap forward over a momentous couple of nights in the Women’s Champions League
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