UWCL: Ruthless Barcelona break Chelsea hearts | OneFootball

Chelsea’s Champions League dreams were shattered in ruthless fashion as Barcelona ran riot at Stamford Bridge.

Going into Sunday’s return leg at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea knew they needed to find perfection as they chased a three-goal turnaround. Of course, such a feat is easier said than done against the best in the business.

First half: Barça blitz leaves Chelsea reeling

Sonia Bompastor’s Blues started well, with Mayra Ramírez a constant nuisance to the Barça back line.

The hosts had the better of the opening twenty minutes, but were restricted to half-chances. A lack of quality with the final ball from Erin Cuthbert and Sandy Baltimore meant that chances for Ramírez came and went.

They were nearly masters of their own downfall with 17 minutes gone. A loose back pass from Lucy Bronze led to a corner that Ewa Pajor ultimately hammered over.

When you’re playing the cream of the crop, you can’t afford to pass up chances when they come. But that’s what Chelsea did. Baltimore shot straight at Cata Coll. Seconds later, Sjoeke Nüsken did the same after winning the ball back on the edge of the box.

Those misses proved to be costly. Just three minutes later, Aitana Bonmatí put the tie to bed. Picking the ball up in her own half, she strode forward and skipped past the desperate lunge of Niamh Charles.

With the Stamford Bridge pitch opening up in front of her, she rifled the ball high past a helpless Hannah Hampton.

Embed from Getty Images

Chelsea’s momentum had gone. A blocked shot from Baltimore was as much as they could summon as their shape and discipline evaporated.

Ewa Pajor made it two with five minutes to go until the break, tapping the ball in from a Caroline Graham Hansen cross.

Before the Spanish commentators next to me had a chance to finish celebrating the second goal, the Catalans scored a third.

A stunning whipped effort from Cláudia Pina left Hampton rooted to the spot and The Bridge stunned.

The halftime whistle was a temporary merciful release for Chelsea and their beleaguered players.

Second half: Barcelona cruise as Chelsea chase shadows

The second half was, perhaps unsurprisingly, a more low-key affair. For Barça, their work was done. They were only too happy to possess the football and look to pick Chelsea off when the chance arose.

For Chelsea, on the other hand, damage limitation was the sole aim.

Nüsken ran herself into the ground trying to make something happen. She fired over with ten minutes played, having nipped in to win the ball back as Barcelona sought to play their way out.

On the hour, the visitors would’ve had a fourth if it weren’t for some solid goalkeeping by Hampton. She denied Pajor with her trailing leg when the Polish international was clear through on goal.

Embed from Getty Images

Hampton was called on again to repel another Barça attack with fifteen minutes to go. The England keeper denied substitute Salma Paralluelo by standing tall on her goal line.

With the game long gone, Coll was forced into her first serious work of the afternoon to palm away Bronze’s header at the back post from a corner.

There was still time for the Spaniards to add a fourth. Charles didn’t deal with a long ball forward, and Paralluelo picked her pocket to nab Barça’s fourth and add insult to injury.

Weike Kaptein managed to get Chelsea on the scoresheet, but it was scant consolation on a chastening day for the WSL pace-setters.

Chelsea were beaten out of sight, and Barcelona are Lisbon-bound. The reigning UWCL champions will face Arsenal in the 2025 final on 24 May.

Related articles from Her Football Hub: