Barcelona vs Chelsea LIVE: Women's Champions League result ...
Chelsea stunned Women’s Champions League holders Barcelona by becoming the first team to beat them away from home in more than five years as Emma Hayes’s side claimed a 1-0 win to take back to Stamford Bridge for next week’s semi-final second leg.
Erin Cuthbert scored the only goal of the game as an immense defensive performance ensured Barcelona failed to score in a game for the first time in two years. Alexia Putellas missed a golden chance in the final seconds as Chelsea held on, but Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton did not have a shot to save.
Chelsea’s first ever win over Barcelona, who have won the Champions League in two out of the last three seasons, means the English champions will go through to the Bilbao final if they avoid defeat at Stamford Bridge next Saturday.
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Barcelona midfielder Keira Walsh spoke to BBC after the game.
“We’re very disappointed. Nobody wants to lose at home and it’s a massive game.
“We played large parts of the game in their half and had most of the ball. We have so many special players and we’re really positive going into the second leg. The job is not done.
“It’s difficult in midfield. They were very intense, very aggressive.
We had more space on the outside. We can still move the ball a lot quicker side to side and that’s where the spaces were. We have things to improve on but we had clear chances and we can take that into the next game.”
On the return leg, she says that she imagines “Chelsea will play much the same and we know we have a massive job to do when we get there”.
Chris Wilson20 April 2024 15:15
Jess Carter deservedly won Uefa’s player of the match after a magnificent defensive effort, though goalscorer Erin Cuthbert won the award on Dazn. Both were tremendous today.
For Chelsea, attention remains solely on preparing for the return leg, which kicks off at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 27 April at 5.30pm.
The London side don’t play again in the WSL until 1 May, away against Liverpool. They currently lead the league on goal difference from Manchester City.
Chris Wilson20 April 2024 15:00
Emma Hayes is the first to speak to DAZN. The outgoing Chelsea manager says that it is “just half-time”, and she is “a little frustrated to be honest, but it’s a difficult place to come”.
“A lot of teams come here and go one or two down early on. They have unbelievable players that are world-class in everything they do, but I think for the most part we limited them.
“We’ve underperformed when we have played at home [in the past], but I think they have another level in them. We have to anticipate that.
“You need a little bit of luck. The way they play football is beautiful.”
Regarding next week’s return leg, she says that Chelsea “will only be as strong as the crowd that comes out”.
“It’s important that we pack Stamford Bridge out to give ourselves a chance against the best team in the world.
“If you switch off for one second, they will defeat us.”
Chris Wilson20 April 2024 14:53
For the home side, that’s their first competitive defeat since 2019.
Attention will briefly return to the Liga F, though it’ll be hard to fully concentrate on their fixture against Levante Las Planas in midweek.
The Catalan side currently lead the league by nine points on rivals Real Madrid in second, and they have a game in hand too.
Chris Wilson20 April 2024 14:43
Chris Wilson20 April 2024 14:38
So, Chelsea beat Barcelona for the first time and head back to Stamford Bridge with a slender lead in the tie.
They’ll be gutted that Ramirez hadn’t put them 2-0 up earlier, but they’ll be similarly relieved that Putellas couldn’t put that chance away right at the end. How costly could those two misses prove for each side?
The finalists will be decided a week today in London.
Chris Wilson20 April 2024 14:32
99 mins: CLOSE! That was the chance!
The free-kick is swung in and Bronze heads it across goal. Putellas meets it in the six-yard box and it looks like a certain goal, but she fires it wide!
That’s full-time, and Chelsea will head back to London with a one-goal lead in the tie!
Chris Wilson20 April 2024 14:30
98 mins: Almost the chance for Barcelona as Paralluelo breaks free and beats Hampton to it, but she can’t connect with the attempted lob.
Bronze then delivers a cross but Carter clears! Barcelona will have a dangerous free-kick after Leupolz concedes a foul.
Chris Wilson20 April 2024 14:27
96 mins: Lucy Bronze loses it in the Chelsea half and Reiten intercepts and carries the ball all the way into the Barcelona box under pressure from Broiinze. She finally gets free of the challenge and puts in a cross, but it’s just behind Macario.
Chris Wilson20 April 2024 14:26
95 mins: Time for one more chance?
Rolfo wins a throw after Cuthbert does well to block the cross, but the Sweden international then plays a pass out for a goal kick. Chelsea are close!
Chris Wilson20 April 2024 14:25
