Brilliant Barcelona stun 10-player Chelsea in phenomenal comeback

Saturday 27 April 2024

UEFA Women's Champions League 2023/24

1st Semi-Final Second Leg

Stamford Bridge, Fulham Rd, London SW6 1HS

Brilliant Barcelona stun 10-player Chelsea in phenomenal comeback

Aitana Bonmati and Fridolina Rolfo scored as Barcelona staged an incredible comeback to reach their 4th UWCL final in a row against 10-player Chelsea in the second leg.MATCH PREVIEW:

This is do or die for both teams. Defending champions Barcelona are in danger of elimination after they lost 1-0 at home to Chelsea in Spain, thanks to Erin Cuthbert's goal in the first half. They never took their chances and now, they arrive in London on the back of a 1-goal deficit. Chelsea are still competing to try and give their long-serving manager Emma Hayes a send-off to the USA with this trophy that eluded the team during her tenure. They have a chance to draw and reach the UWCL final for only the second time ever in their club's history. Whilst their title rivals Manchester City are putting the pressure on them, Chelsea are in pole position and it's their tie to lose. Who will go to Bilbao for the UWCL final, is the defending champions Barcelona, or the reigning WSL winners, Chelsea?

TEAM NEWS & FORM GUIDE:

One change for Chelsea from their narrow first leg win at Barcelona with, summer signing Catarina Macario starting in place of Mayra Ramirez. Formation: 3-1-4-2

Starting XI: Hampton, Charles, Buchanan, Carter, Leupolz, Lawrence, Nüsken, Cuthbert, Kaneryd, James, Macario.

Substitutes: Musovic, Bright, Ingle, Reiten, Kirby, Périsset, Mjelde, Cankovic, Beever-Jones, Björn

Form Guide: DLLWW

Apart from Lucy Bronze, 10 changes to the Barcelona team that beat Levante Las Planas 4-2 in the Liga F, with Cata Coll, Irene Paredes, Ingrid Engen, Fridolina Rolfö, Ona Batlle, Patricia Guijarro, Keira Walsh, Aitana Bonmati, Salma Paralluelo and Caroline Graham Hansen all recalled to the starting XI after a rest midweek. Formation: 3-5-2

Starting XI: Cata Coll, Batlle, Engen, Paredes, Rolfö, Guijarro, Walsh, Bonmati, Bronze, Paralluelo, Graham Hansen.

Substitutes: Panos, J. Fernandez, Pina, Torrejon, Caldentey, Putellas, Vilamala, Brugts, Font, Lopez, M. Fernandez

Form Guide: WWWLW

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Aitana Bonmati: The Ballon D'Or winner may not have had her best time out last week, but the 26-year-old is having a season to remember. The top assister in the competition, can she score and make an imapct?

Lauren James: The 22-year-old is having the season of her life. Currently the 2nd top-goal scorer in the WSL, her dribbling and shooting cannot be underestimated. A WSL winner, can she reach the final with her team?

KICK-OFF: First Half

A potentially thrilling 90 minutes in prospect, as the first half begins!! A final is at stake for both teams, and we can't wait to see one of these teams take a place at the final in Bilbao. There wasn't much to smile about for both sides, with teams full of quality. Barca carved the first chance on 21 minutes. Corner played short by Hansen and Paralluelo, in from the youngster, away by Nüsken, recovered nicely by Batlle, onto Bronze, in goes the cross, once again Chelsea head it away thanks to Jess Carter, AND HANSEN!!! WELL SAVED BY HANNAH HAMPTON! THAT CAME THROUGH HER LEGS AND ONTO HER HANDS!! WELL STRUCK, AND WELL SAVED. And the first goal came on 25 minutes. Buchanan has given it away, and Bronze goes for the cross, headed by Kaneryd, onto Leupolz, whose header find Bonmati. Guijarro, BONMATIIII!!!! AITANA BONMATI, HAS LEVELLED THE AGGREGATE TIE ON 25 MINUTES!! THE DEFENSE OF CHELSEA, ABSOLUTELY LACKED FOCUS AND WERE FORCED TO PAY THE PRICE. BONMATI TOOK FULL ADVANTAGE AND PLAYS A LOVELY ONE-TWO WITH PATRICIA GUIJARRO AND UNLOCKS THE CHELSEA BACKLINE WITH HER SHOT TAKING A DEFLECTION OFF KADIESHA BUCHANAN AND BEYOND HANNAH HAMPTON!! CHELSEA 0 - BARCELONA 1. THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS ARE IN FRONT!! 

Bonmati celebrates the first goal with Ingrid Engen and Fridolina Rolfö.

This is a real blow for Chelsea. Who have been a bit shaky with their defence and offensive wise, there hasn't been too many good chances. Their best one came on 35 minutes. Kaneryd skips past the defenders with such ease, finds Lauren James, who can't get the cross into the box. Tackled by Batlle, only as far as Macario, half a challenge on her, as the ball finds Erin Cuthbert, onto Ashley Lawrence, in goes the cross, headed away AND MACARIO HITS IT AND THAT'S A VERY GOOD EFFORT. BRILLIANT SAVE BY CATALINA COLL IN THE BARCA GOAL!! THAT WAS COMING TOWARDS THAT CORNER, AND THE SPANIARD HAS DONE VERY WELL TO DENY THE AMERICAN FORWARD!! 

This was by far the better half for Barcelona, as they continued to defend and hold off any Chelsea attack until the end of the half, with a couple of half chances, coming from Fridolina Rolfö. HALF-TIME AT STAMFORD BRIDGE. THE AGGREGATE TIE is fully in the balance. Anything can happen in the second half, we will just have to wait and see.

KICK-OFF: SECOND HALF

An important 45 minutes separates a place in Bilbao right here in London. Both sides again, continued to create chances, but the best one fell for the hosts on 56 minutes. Carter finds James with a nice pass, and brilliant switch of play onto the Canadian Lawrence, in goes the cross AND WHAT A CHANCE THAT WAS!! I cannot believe what I just watched. Sjöeke Nüsken!! What a missed opportunity for Chelsea to get back into the game!! The German meets Lawrence's cross so well, but cannot steer it into the back of the net!! The hosts were then reduced to 10 players on 58 minutes. Guijarro and Bonmati do great work in winning the ball back, Guijarro takes it from Bonmati. OHH, THAT WAS NOT A GREAT CHALLENGE FROM KADIESHA BUCHANAN. AND NOW, WHAT'S THE VERDICT OF THE REFEREE. IT'S GOING TO BE A SECOND YELLOW CARD FOR THE CANADIAN DEFENDER FOR A FOUL ON PATRI GUIJARRO! JUST AS THE BRIDGE WAS ALIVE AGAIN WITH CHELSEA FANS CHEERING, IT GOES FROM BAD TO WORSE!!

Buchanan's red card was shown after she fouled Patri Guijarro on 58 minutes.

And Barca almost took advantage on the hour mark. There has been some seriously good passing from Barcelona to unlock the weakened Chelsea defence. Back in by Rolfö, it's Paralluelo!! Just a bit too high with the header. A CHANCE THO REGARDLESS FOR BARCA! After a chance for either side within the space of 10 minutes, Barcelona won a penalty. Engen, finds Paredes, onto Lucy Bronze, who puts in a brilliant pass bisecting the two defenders to Bonmati, and DOWN SHE GOES, PENALTY TO BARCELONA!! IT WAS JESS CARTER AND ASHLEY LAWRENCE THE VICTIMS BEHIND IT!! 

Carter and Lawrence both fouled Aitana Bonmati in the penalty area.

Beautiful passing from the visitors, and now they have a chance to take the lead in the tie for the first time in this game. As we approach the 75th minute mark, all eyes are on Fridolina Rolfö. CAN SHE MAKE IT 2-0?? OF COURSE SHE DOES!! SUPER CALM AND COMPOSED FROM THE SPOT, A SIMPLE RUN-UP AND SENDS THE KEEPER THE WRONG WAY AND BARCELONA ARE AHEAD IN THE TIE BY 2-1. 

Fridolina Rolfö celebrates her penalty with Bonmati and Graham Hansen

There really isn't much time for Chelsea to find a way back into the game with this deficit looming into them. It doesn't matter what they do, the tie is well out of their reach and it's done, . One last attempt for Chelsea as the substitute Beever-Jones crosses it in, hoping to find someone at the near post, but no problems at all for Cata Coll. AND THAT IS THAT!! THE FULL-TIME WHISTLE HAS SOUNDED AT STAMFORD BRIDGE, AND BARCELONA ARE HEADING TO BILBAO AS THE FIRST FINALIST OF THE UWCL 2024!!

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: AITANA BONMATI

For her goal and contribution Bonmati was the player of the match

What a player she is! A goal for her on 25 minutes and she won a penalty on 75 minutes, drawing a foul from the two defenders. With the league title already settled, can she win her third crown, in a month's time?