Chelsea and Emma Hayes have one last hope after controversial Champions League exit

Defeat to holders Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final places even greater importance on the WSL title race

Emma Hayes didn’t want to talk about the football and, in the immediate aftermath of a historic night at Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea manager ensured that no one would be, either. Not after the “worst decision in Women’s Champions League history” turned this semi-final second leg Barcelona’s way and denied Chelsea and Hayes a final shot at the one trophy that has eluded them after 12 years together.

Hayes did not think Kadeisha Buchanan’s tackle on Patri Guijarro was a foul, let alone a second yellow card to leave Chelsea a player down against the best team in the world.

Uefa could decide to take action against Hayes following her criticism of the Romanian referee Iuliana Demetrescu, suggestion that the official was unequipped for a tie of such magnitude, or claim that Chelsea were “robbed” during a post-match news conference that brought occasional gasps from members of the Spanish media. Yet there would be little point, given she departs for the United States at the end of the season.

But perhaps, once the dust has settled, Hayes may reflect that it simply wasn’t meant to be for Chelsea in the Champions League - and that an agonising defeat to Barcelona was illustrative of a decade-long pursuit of European glory that has now fallen short.

Hayes is right to say that the Champions League would not define her legacy at Chelsea; not when the Blues have dominated the landscape of women’s football in England in the first years of the professional ear, winning five Women’s Super Leagues and six FA Cups; not when the thorn in Chelsea’s side has been this Barcelona team, with three defeats to the world’s best team coming in the last four seasons.

Chelsea’s improvement over that time was shown in how close they pushed Barcelona in front of a record Stamford Bridge crowd - they were unrecognisable to the side that fell apart against Barcelona in the 2021 final.

Hayes was left to rue that the big moments went against Chelsea, and not just in Buchanan’s red card either. Hayes accused Aitana Bonmati of being “clever” and drawing contact from Jess Carter and Ashley Lawrence in the equally contentious late penalty. Then Barcelona were fortuitous when Bonmati’s early strike deflected off Buchanan and past Hannah Hampton. Even before kick-off, Chelsea were unfortunate when Mayra Ramirez, the striker who had played such a key role in the first-leg victory in Catalonia, was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

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Yet there were also the missed chances, the sense that Barcelona remained superior and had the edge to get over the line that Chelsea didn’t. Chelsea were up against a team in Barcelona who proved their mental resilience in coming from 2-0 down to win last season’s final, and who relished the opportunity to come from behind again in the rain in England. "When you are talking about mentality I represent that,” Bonmati said. “I can be skilful or I can have talent but the best part of me is my mental strength. My whole team wins a lot but we want to keep winning every year. This is not easy and I am proud of my team.”

But Barcelona’s progress ensured Chelsea and Hayes have now just four games left, the final season now hinging on one trophy when just a month ago there was the quadruple. Chelsea will return to the WSL run-in on Wednesday and a title race that could come down to goal difference on the final day.

“You’ve got to get up and go again,” said Carter, as Chelsea prepare to head to Liverpool on Wednesday night. Hayes’s side trail leaders Manchester City by six points but it is one of Chelsea’s two games in hand. Chelsea will likely have to win out while scoring enough to overturn City’s superior goal difference, although Gareth Taylor’s side must also face third-place Arsenal this weekend - without their top scorer Khadija Shaw.

Now Hayes’s farewell will come not at Wembley, or in Bilbao for a shot at a first European crown, but at Old Trafford on 18 May. The Champions League is gone and there will be no FA Cup final. It could be a trophyless season, for the first time in five years. And yet Hayes could still only be four games away from signing off with a fifth league in a row.