Barcelona dismantled Chelsea on Sunday night scoring four times at Estadi Johan Cruyff though Ewa Pajor, Claudia Pina and Irene Paredes to leave Chelsea needing a miracle at Stamford Bridge next week. For the third year running Chelsea and Barcelona met in the UEFA Women’s Champions League semi final. This time both sides had new head coaches on the touchline with Pere Romeu now in charge of the home side and Sonia Bompastor sitting in the Chelsea hot-seat.
Chelsea made no changes from the side that beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup last weekend. Aggie Beever-Jones retained her place after striking a late winning goal in that match against Liverpool but the Blues were without Lauren James who was ruled out with a hamstring issue.
In stark contrast Barcelona made eight changes from the side that beat Sevilla 5-1 on Wednesday night with only Cata Coll, Patri Guijarro and Ewa Pajor keeping their place in the starting eleven. Caroline Graham Hansen started after missing training on Saturday, she passed a late fitness test on Sunday.
Barcelona had dismantled Wolfsburg in the quarter finals winning 10-2 on aggregate against the German giants. Since losing on the opening day the Catalan side have scored 36 goals in seven games in the Champions League. Chelsea on the other hand demonstrated their resilience in the quarter finals clawing back a two goal deficit from the first leg to beat Manchester City 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
The Line ups:
BAR: Coll, Batlle, Paredes, León, Brugts, Bonmatí, Guijarro, Putellas, Hansen, Pajor, Paralluelo
CHE: Hampton, Bronze, Björn, Bright, Baltimore, Walsh, Cuthbert, Kaptein, Rytting Kaneryd, Ramirez, Beever-Jones
The Action:
The home side had the first effort on goal of the match. After good defending initially from Sandy Baltimore, ingenuity from Salma Paralluelo ensured the ball did not escape for a goal kick, and she found Patri in the midfield. Patri took aim from outside the box but Nathalie Björn blocked the effort which enabled Hannah Hampton to make an easier save than she might have had to.
Before the tenth minute Barcelona had a penalty, from a corner Irene Paredes headered goalwards and the ball bounced off the arm of Björn. Alexia Putellas stepped up before Hampton saved with her feet from the Barcelona captain.
Chelsea had their best spell of the match after Hampton had provided the Blues with a reprieve. Chelsea were pressing Barcelona high up the pitch but Barcelona looked to restore their rhythm in the way they know best, their passing game. Aitana Bonmatí looked to involve herself in proceedings and her fizzing shot from distance was well stopped by Hampton on the 25 minute mark.
Putellas showed her class as Barcelona turned the heat up on the visitors, she took a few steps to her left in the box before Cruyff turning and placing a brilliant ball into the path on Ona Batlle at the bye line. The former Manchester United full back clipped the ball to the far post but Brugts was just unable to get any meaningful contact on the ball.
But Barcelona would not have to wait much longer for the breakthrough with ten minutes remaining in the first half, a long ball forward caused issues in the misshapen Chelsea back line. A magnificent piece of control from Putellas followed by a reserve pass in between Bright and Baltimore found Polish star striker Pajor clean through in behind. The Barcelona striker made no mistake to find the bottom corner with aplomb. Barcelona had the lead that their attacking play had warranted.
Chelsea had their first attempt on target of the half when Beever-Jones took aim from a free kick on the edge of the box but Coll was equal to the effort and saved down to her left side.
In the early minutes of the second half Barcelona had pinned Chelsea back into their own half but Chelsea did well to survive. After a long stoppage due to an Erin Cuthbert injury Barcelona doubled their lead. It was the substitute Claudia Pina who doubled the score. After Batlle found her way past Baltimore who went to ground too easily, she played an inch perfect ball across to Pina who had drifted inside and was able to find the net from point blank range.
Against the run of play just minutes later Chelsea expertly kept themselves in the tie, substitute Caterina Macario played the ball across the pitch to Sandy Baltimore who fired the ball into the far corner and halved the deficit for Chelsea.
However Barcelona threatened to get a third goal after Putellas set up Pina whose shot on goal found the grateful arms of Hampton. Chelsea had received some false hope after Naomi Grima was introduced from the bench. But the Catalan side would make good on their threat and made it 3-1 shortly after as a corner to the far post from Pina found the head of Irene Paredes who bulleted her header home. Barcelona were smothering Chelsea and the Blues’ resistance was undone once again as a wonderful back heel from Putellas set up Pina who fired home once again making it 4-1 to Barcelona.
Chelsea will welcome Barcelona to Stamford Bridge next Sunday knowing that they will need to repeat the trick they conjured against Manchester City and then some in order to overturn a three goal deficit.
Barcelona Player Ratings
Cata Coll– 6/10 – Made a smart save at the end of the first half after having precious little to do in the first half.
Ona Batlle – 8/10 – Batlle was able to get up and down the pitch extremely well today. Assisted excellently for Barcelona’s second goal.
Irene Paredes – 8/10 – Made the necessary interceptions when required and controlled the defence well. A wonderful header at the back post put Barcelona on track for a magnificent win.
Mapi León– 6/10 – Should have been booked in the first half for an off the ball challenge on Mayra Ramirez. Came off at half time after clutching her right thigh when leaving the pitch.
Esme Brugts – 7/10 – Demonstrated some excellent defensive play and her ability to dribble her way out of trouble from deep was impressive.
Patri Guijarro – 8/10 – Another convincing performance from the deep lying midfielder, keeps Barcelona ticking.
Aitana Bonmatí – 6/10 – Played largely in the shadow of her midfield partner, Chelsea were able to manage her as a threat far better than they could Putellas.
Alexia Putellas – 9/10 – Her penalty was poor but the two time Ballon d’Or winner did not let that stop her, she was involved in everything this evening. Putellas was the lynchpin for Barcelona, her assist for the opening goal was majestic only matched by her back heel assist for Barcelona’s fourth.
Caroline Graham Hansen – 6/10 – Had a fascinating battle with Baltimore which she came off the worst in.
Ewa Pajor – 7/10 – Took her chance expertly to find the bottom corner and give her side the lead. A clinical finisher.
Salma Paralluelo – 8/10 – Some wonderfully inventive attacking play came from the Spanish forward in attack. She was the biggest threat in the first half for the home side.
SUBS:
Ingrid Engen – (46′ for Mapi León)
Claudia Pina – (66′ for Caroline Graham Hansen)
Fridolina Rolfö – (82′ for Esme Brugts)
Vicky Lopes – (89′ for Salma Paralluelo)
Chelsea Player Ratings
Hannah Hampton – 8/10 – Kept a cool head to save a penalty from Alexia Putellas within 10 minutes, just a vital save to make as Chelsea’s game plan would likely have been scuppered otherwise. The evening could have been much worse for Chelsea had it not been for Hampton.
Lucy Bronze – 6/10 – Looked assured against her former club, played as a player who knew her task and stuck to it. Seemed to be everywhere early in the second half but faded like much of the Chelsea defence late on as Barcelona ran riot.
Nathalie Björn – 6/10 – Gave away the penalty but there was little she could have done to change the outcome, bounced back well after the penalty. Chelsea fell apart defensively when she came off.
Millie Bright – 5/10 – Had made two clearances within the first 30 seconds which epitomises what her game is about. Bright was caught out by Putellas’ quality for Barcelona’s first goal. Attempted to dribble out of her own box and was dispossesed, should have been punished late on by Pajor.
Sandy Baltimore – 7/10 – Defended impressively well against Hansen limiting the Norwegian’s influence on proceedings, was disciplined in her defending. Should have stayed on her feet when defending against Batlle for Barcelona’s second. Took her goal extremely well.
Keira Walsh – 6/10 – Struggled to get her foot on the ball and control proceedings for Chelsea which was always going to be a challenge.
Weike Kaptein – 5/10 – The Dutch midfielder has been a revelation this season, but this one passed her by, she struggled to get into the game. Was lucky not to be punished when giving the ball away in and around the Chelsea box early in the second half.
Erin Cuthbert – 7/10 – Did well to unsettle the Barcelona midfield at times, marked Bonmatí with the intensity required against the best player in the world. The Scot had the better of their individual battles in the first half.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd – 7/10 – The Swede is so quick and is such an excellent dribbler, she provided a nourishing outlet for the away side. Was not afraid to get involved throughout, at times her end product was lacking.
Mayra Ramirez – 6/10 – Worked extremely hard up front for Chelsea in what can be a thankless task against Barcelona. Was let down by the officiating today which went against her at every turn.
Aggie Beever Jones – 6/10 – Had Chelsea’s first shot on target late in the first half, made the keeper work when she had the opportunity to.
SUBS:
Cat Macario – (62′ for Aggie Beever-Jones)
Guro Reiten – (62′ for Wieke Kaptein)
Naomi Girma – (81′ for Nathalie Björn)
Sjoeke Nüsken – (86′ for Mayra Ramirez)
The Halfway Line Player of the Match: Claudia Pina
The substitute was magnificent against Chelsea, Pina came off the bench to score twice and set up another ensuring that her side carry a healthy advantage to Stamford Bridge. The top scorer in the Champions League this season was unstoppable today and was the difference between her side demonstrating their domination on the score line or allowing Chelsea to come away with the veneer of respectability.
