Chelsea Women 0 – 2 FC Barcelona Women

Kadeisha Buchanan was proven a controversial pink card as Chelsea Ladies’s Champions League goals had been ended after holders Barcelona secured a 2-0 victory (2-1 on combination) in entrance of a sold-out Stamford Bridge.

With Chelsea main 1-0 after inflicting Barcelona’s first residence defeat in 5 years within the first leg, Aitana Bonmati’s deflected strike within the twenty fifth minute introduced the guests degree within the tie.

Chelsea did have probabilities to regain the benefit as Melanie Leupolz struck the crossbar from shut vary and Lauren James did not convert Sjoeke Nusken’s cutback.

The Blues’ wastefulness continued into the second half as Nusken’s effort hit the foot of the publish earlier than the sport modified with Kadeisha Buchanan’s pink card. The defender was proven two yellow playing cards in 5 minutes early within the second half, the second a controversial one with the defender showing to win the ball in a problem with Patri Guijarro.

With the participant benefit, Barcelona took management and Bonmati received a penalty after a foul from Lawrence, which Fridolina Rolfo transformed to ship Jonatan Giraldez’s facet into the ultimate the place they are going to face both PSG or Lyon in Bilbao on Might 25.

For Emma Hayes, defeat in her closing residence recreation at Stamford Bridge additionally noticed one other likelihood of a trophy slip away earlier than she leaves on the finish of the season to take over the USA nationwide crew. Nonetheless, consideration will now flip again to the Ladies’s Tremendous League the place Chelsea are locked in a battle with Man Metropolis for the title, with the Blues aiming to ship Hayes off with silverware.

Chelsea’s Ladies’s Champions League goals finish…

It was an brisk begin from each side. Barcelona had been urgent excessive, whereas Leupolz and Erin Cuthbert had been snapping into tackles as the 2 sides regarded to get management of the sport. Nonetheless, there have been nerves too, comprehensible for such an enormous recreation and event.

Barcelona finally began to point out their high quality with their risk popping out large from Lucy Bronze, Ona Battl, Rolfo and Caroline Graham Hansen.

The guests finally took the lead within the twenty fifth minute. They capitalised on a unfastened cross and Bonmati, the 2023 Ballon d’Or winner, received a shot away. The ball took a flick off Buchanan and arrowed previous Hannah Hampton and into the underside nook.

Chelsea responded nicely to going behind and may have been degree. Catarina Macario mixed brilliantly with Lauren James earlier than the latter rolled the ball to the again publish for Leupolz, who smashed an effort from shut vary onto the crossbar.

Macario’s shot from the sting of the realm was then pushed away by goalkeeper Catalina Coll earlier than Sjoeke Nusken pounced on a mistimed back-pass, however James couldn’t convert the cross as Barcelona had been handed one other big let-off.

After the break, Chelsea created the higher alternative, however Nusken was once more wasteful within the penalty space together with her side-footed effort clipping the skin of the publish.

However the recreation modified in 5 second-half minutes. Buchanan acquired the sport’s first reserving for a foul on Salma Paralluelo earlier than selecting up a second 5 minutes later after a problem on Guijarro. The referee reached for a second yellow card however replays urged Buchanan received the ball.

Chelsea confronted an enormous mountain to climb, and Barcelona capitalised on the participant benefit when Bonmati was introduced down within the penalty space by Ashley Lawrence. After an extended VAR verify, Rolfo transformed from the spot to present Barce the lead within the tie.

Ultimately, it proved to be the profitable second as Barcelona used their expertise at this degree to see out the sport to finish Hayes’ goals of profitable the Champions League with Chelsea.

Hayes on Buchanan pink: ‘Worst resolution in historical past of WCL’

After the sport Hayes described referee Iuliana Demetrescu’s sending off of Buchanan as “the worst resolution” within the historical past of the competitors.

“I did not assume it was a foul, not to mention a yellow card,” Hayes stated.

“I used to be stunned when she was chosen, she’s well-known for simple playing cards and I believe that’s most likely the worst resolution in UEFA Ladies’s Champions league historical past.

“I am gutted for [the players]. We had been robbed.”

She added: “I stood there and regarded on the fourth official and stated ‘absolutely that will likely be checked’ and he or she stated ‘it may possibly’t on a yellow’.

“The hardest factor to take is that we did not lose it. There’s nothing you are able to do when there’s such a horrible resolution and it is already onerous sufficient. They’re a high crew.

“If you work so onerous for days, weeks, months, years, you come right here and also you count on the perfect from the officers on the very least and it feels actually, actually onerous to take.”

‘WSL or bust for Chelsea now’

Evaluation from Sky Sports activities’ Oliver Yew and Charlotte Marsh:

“There will likely be no profitable the Champions League for Emma Hayes at Chelsea.

“The massive speaking level is Buchanan’s controversial pink card. There’s completely no getting away from it with the defender showing to get all the ball in making her problem. Hayes went straight over to the referee at full-time to makes her level. The house followers made their emotions recognized too because the referee headed for the dressing rooms.

“It is a resolution that will not have modified the end result. Chelsea had been wasteful and Barcelona confirmed their high quality, however it’s a resolution that had an influence on the sport with the tie locked at 1-1 on the time.

“Chelsea will really feel aggrieved however they’ll really feel proud. At full-time, they acknowledged the offered out Stamford Bridge crowd – the primary time this well-known previous floor has been at capability for a ladies’s recreation. Hayes has at all times stated it might be a dream to promote out the bridge for a ladies’s fixture, and in her closing recreation on the floor, she has achieved it.

“Moments will likely be pointed to, particularly on this leg, however it’s Barcelona who attain one other Champions League closing – their fourth in a row. There have been massive celebrations from the Barcelona gamers on the sphere and large celebrations from the Barca teaching workers simply in entrance of the dugout. That continued into the dressing rooms, exhibiting they knew they needed to dig deep to get previous this Chelsea facet.

However regardless of a gallant efficiency from the Blues in exiting Europe, it is one other trophy that has slipped via Chelsea’s fingertips after dropping 1-0 after additional time to Arsenal within the League Cup closing in March and their FA Cup exit after a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in April.

“It is now the WSL or bust for Hayes and Chelsea this season.”

What’s subsequent for Chelsea?

Chelsea proceed their bid to win the Ladies’s Tremendous League after they go to Liverpool on Wednesday Might, dwell on Sky Sports activities; kick-off 7pm.

They then host Bristol Metropolis within the WSL on Sunday Might 5, dwell on Sky Sports activities; kick-off 6.45pm.

Barca response: ‘Reaching one other closing particular’ |’We needed to give it our all’

Barcelona head coach Jonatan Giraldez: “We’re very glad. We deserved the victory. The primary leg we weren’t higher than the opponent. We deserved the qualification, so I’m actually glad.

“We thought that small particulars by way of attacking positions we improved lots for this recreation and the expertise in these video games. We’re in a position to. I’m happy with them.

“At this time we created extra clear probabilities with the ball. We did not count on their formation within the first leg and we did not create many probabilities. At this time we thought we needed to change small particulars and the efficiency was actually deserved.”

On reaching one other closing earlier than he leaves Barca, he added: “Once I determined in December, I needed to finish my contract in Barca, all of the individuals stated perhaps it was not a very good resolution at that second of the season, however I believe the efficiency of gamers was growing in the previous few months. The reference to the gamers is wonderful. I’m actually glad. To get one other closing in three seasons is particular.”

It’s wonderful, one other closing. We achieved it, it wasn’t straightforward as a result of we had a troublesome crew in entrance of us. We needed to sweat our t-shirts to attain it. I’m happy with my crew and let’s go in for one more closing.

Barcelona ahead Fridolina Rolfo: “It is an excellent feeling for the time being. I believe we did an excellent recreation. Ultimately we managed it and it was a pleasant feeling to have. We knew we needed to give it our all and I believe the mentality from the entire crew was so good as we speak.”

On coming from behind: “We had been on this scenario earlier than, the ultimate final 12 months we needed to rating targets and we had three within the second half. We all know what it is like to vary a recreation. We’ve a lot high quality on this crew, and also you imagine in it.”

When requested in regards to the distinction this week to the primary leg, she added: “I believe there’s many issues, however I believe as we speak we knew we needed to give it our all. We had an excellent angle final time however we did not create a lot, we could not create the areas. This recreation we had been extra affected person, extra calm, and actually believed in it.

“We’ve a profitable mentality within the crew. Everyone knows it is attainable. We’ve the individuals who can step up within the groups once we want them. Aitana Bonmati scores one purpose, she will get the penalty ultimately.”

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