Barcelona Overpower Chelsea, Positioning Themselves Strongly for Another Final Appearance

Defending champions Barcelona asserted their dominance over Chelsea with a commanding 4-1 victory in the semi-final first leg of the Women’s Champions League on Sunday, courtesy of a brace from Claudia Pina.

The Catalan side, aiming for their third consecutive title in the tournament, controlled the match while Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea team looked to hold on and take some hope back to Stamford Bridge.

Alexia Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, missed a penalty for Barcelona in the first half, only for Ewa Pajor to put Pere Romeu’s team ahead, with Pina doubling their advantage shortly after coming on as a substitute.

Sandy Baltimore’s strike in the 74th minute gave Chelsea a glimmer of hope, but Irene Paredes quickly responded by heading in from a corner, restoring the two-goal cushion before Pina sealed the emphatic win in the final moments.

“It’s a positive result; we played a complete match and hold a three-goal advantage,” Pina remarked to TV3.

“We have a slight lead, but it’s not over yet.”

While Barcelona may not quite match the level that secured them a quadruple last season under Jonatan Giraldez, they remain in the hunt for another stellar campaign, while Chelsea are equally determined to achieve their own ambitions.

“We’re looking to push forward and turn things around in the second leg,” commented Chelsea coach Bompastor, whose Lyon side triumphed over Barcelona in the 2022 final.

“It’ll be a challenge, but in football, belief is crucial.”

This marks the third consecutive year these teams have met in the semi-finals, with Barcelona having come out on top in both previous encounters.

Barcelona also handed Chelsea a heavy 4-0 defeat in the 2021 final, and the west London club is eager to reverse their fortunes against the three-time Champions League winners.

However, changing this narrative proved to be a formidable task as Barcelona quickly seized control in front of a record crowd of 5,750 at the Johan Cruyff Stadium.

Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton denied an Irene Paredes header that touched Nathalie Bjorn’s arm, and after a VAR review, Barcelona was awarded a penalty. Putellas’ execution was lacklustre, straight down the middle, allowing Hampton to keep it out.

Though Chelsea occasionally threatened on the counter, it was Barcelona who found their stride, taking the lead in the 35th minute through Pajor, who clinically finished after receiving a well-timed pass from Putellas.

‘No One Thinking About Lisbon’

Sensing the need to slow the game down, Chelsea seemed comfortable with being just one goal behind in the second half.

However, Pina, the competition’s leading scorer with nine goals, had other ideas, converting from close range after being set up by Ona Batlle.

Baltimore then struck unexpectedly, netting a low shot that flashed past Coll to rekindle Chelsea’s hopes.

Yet Pina’s corner found Paredes at the back post, and after evading Lucy Bronze’s marking, she headed in to restore Barcelona’s two-goal cushion.

Chelsea bolstered their squad with the signings of Bronze and midfielder Keira Walsh from Barcelona to bridge the gap with the tournament’s most dominant side, but Saturday’s performance showcased there’s still work to be done.

A brilliant back-heel from Putellas found Pina in the dying moments, and she capitalised on a slight deflection to round off the scoring.

“Once they scored a few goals, we tired a bit and let the game slip away from us towards the end,” Bronze told DAZN.

“We’ve proven in the Champions League that we can win 3-0 at Stamford Bridge; we possess that capability.”

The second leg is scheduled for April 27 at Stamford Bridge, with the winners set to clash with either record eight-time champions Lyon or Arsenal in the final in Lisbon.

“We were efficient, effective, and superior today – we’re two very similar teams,” Romeu stated.

“It went as we hoped, but it doesn’t always go to plan, so we must remain vigilant.

“No one is thinking about the Lisbon final just yet… we expect a more aggressive Chelsea in the second leg.”