Kadeisha Buchanan was shown a controversial red card as Chelsea Women’s Champions League dreams were ended after holders Barcelona secured a 2-0 victory (2-1 on aggregate) in front of a sold-out Stamford Bridge.
With Chelsea leading 1-0 after inflicting Barcelona’s first home defeat in five years in the first leg, Aitana Bonmati’s deflected strike in the 25th minute brought the visitors level in the tie.
Chelsea did have chances to regain the advantage as Melanie Leupolz struck the crossbar from close range and Lauren James failed to convert Sjoeke Nusken’s cutback.
The Blues’ wastefulness continued into the second half as Nusken’s effort hit the foot of the post before the game changed with Kadeisha Buchanan’s red card. The defender was shown two yellow cards in five minutes early in the second half, the second a controversial one with the defender appearing to win the ball in a challenge with Patri Guijarro.
With the player advantage, Barcelona took control and Bonmati won a penalty after a foul from Lawrence, which Fridolina Rolfo converted to send Jonatan Giraldez’s side into the final where they will face either PSG or Lyon in Bilbao on May 25.
For Emma Hayes, defeat in her final home game at Stamford Bridge also saw another chance of a trophy slip away before she leaves at the end of the season to take over the USA national team. However, attention will now turn back to the Women’s Super League where Chelsea are locked in a battle with Man City for the title, with the Blues aiming to send Hayes off with silverware.
Chelsea’s Women’s Champions League dreams end…
It was an energetic start from both sides. Barcelona were pressing high, while Leupolz and Erin Cuthbert were snapping into tackles as the two sides looked to get control of the game. However, there were nerves too, understandable for such a big game and occasion.
Barcelona eventually started to show their quality with their threat coming out wide from Lucy Bronze, Ona Battl, Rolfo and Caroline Graham Hansen.
The visitors eventually took the lead in the 25th minute. They capitalised on a loose pass and Bonmati, the 2023 Ballon d’Or winner, got a shot away. The ball took a flick off Buchanan and arrowed past Hannah Hampton and into the bottom corner.
Chelsea responded well to going behind and should have been level. Catarina Macario combined brilliantly with Lauren James before the latter rolled the ball to the back post for Leupolz, who smashed an effort from close range onto the crossbar.
Macario’s shot from the edge of the area was then pushed away by goalkeeper Catalina Coll before Sjoeke Nusken pounced on a mistimed back-pass, but James could not convert the cross as Barcelona were handed another huge let-off.
After the break, Chelsea created the better opportunity, but Nusken was again wasteful in the penalty area with her side-footed effort clipping the outside of the post.
But the game changed in five second-half minutes. Buchanan received the game’s first booking for a foul on Salma Paralluelo before picking up a second five minutes later after a challenge on Guijarro. The referee reached for a second yellow card but replays suggested Buchanan got the ball.
Chelsea faced a huge mountain to climb, and Barcelona capitalised on the player advantage when Bonmati was brought down in the penalty area by Ashley Lawrence. After a long VAR check, Rolfo converted from the spot to give Barce the lead in the tie.
In the end, it proved to be the winning moment as Barcelona used their experience at this level to see out the game to end Hayes’ dreams of winning the Champions League with Chelsea.
Hayes on Buchanan red: ‘Worst decision in history of WCL’
After the game Hayes described referee Iuliana Demetrescu’s sending off of Buchanan as “the worst decision” in the history of the competition.
“I didn’t think it was a foul, let alone a yellow card,” Hayes said.
“I was surprised when she was selected, she’s famous for easy cards and I think that is probably the worst decision in UEFA Women’s Champions league history.
“I’m gutted for [the players]. We were robbed.”
She added: “I stood there and looked at the fourth official and said ‘surely that will be checked’ and she said ‘it can’t on a yellow’.
“The toughest thing to take is that we didn’t lose it. There’s nothing you can do when there’s such a terrible decision and it’s already hard enough. They are a top team.
“When you work so hard for days, weeks, months, years, you come here and you expect the best from the officials at the very least and it feels really, really hard to take.”
‘WSL or bust for Chelsea now’
Analysis from Sky Sports’ Oliver Yew and Charlotte Marsh:
“There will be no winning the Champions League for Emma Hayes at Chelsea.
“The big talking point is Buchanan’s controversial red card. There’s absolutely no getting away from it with the defender appearing to get all of the ball in making her challenge. Hayes went straight over to the referee at full-time to makes her point. The home fans made their feelings known too as the referee headed for the dressing rooms.
“It’s a decision that may not have changed the result. Chelsea were wasteful and Barcelona showed their quality, but it is a decision that had an impact on the game with the tie locked at 1-1 at the time.
“Chelsea will feel aggrieved but they can feel proud. At full-time, they acknowledged the sold out Stamford Bridge crowd – the first time this famous old ground has been at capacity for a women’s game. Hayes has always said it would be a dream to sell out the bridge for a women’s fixture, and in her final game at the ground, she has achieved it.
“Moments will be pointed to, especially in this leg, but it’s Barcelona who reach another Champions League final – their fourth in a row. There were big celebrations from the Barcelona players on the field and big celebrations from the Barca coaching staff just in front of the dugout. That continued into the dressing rooms, showing they knew they had to dig deep to get past this Chelsea side.
But despite a gallant performance from the Blues in exiting Europe, it’s another trophy that has slipped through Chelsea’s fingertips after losing 1-0 after extra time to Arsenal in the League Cup final in March and their FA Cup exit after a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in April.
“It’s now the WSL or bust for Hayes and Chelsea this season.”
What’s next for Chelsea?
Chelsea continue their bid to win the Women’s Super League when they visit Liverpool on Wednesday May, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 7pm.
They then host Bristol City in the WSL on Sunday May 5, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 6.45pm.
Barca reaction: ‘Reaching another final special’ |’We had to give it our all’
Barcelona head coach Jonatan Giraldez: “We are very happy. We deserved the victory. The first leg we were not better than the opponent. We deserved the qualification, so I am really happy.
“We thought that small details in terms of attacking positions we improved a lot for this game and the experience in these games. We are able to. I am proud of them.
“Today we created more clear chances with the ball. We didn’t expect their formation in the first leg and we didn’t create many chances. Today we thought we had to change small details and the performance was really deserved.”
On reaching another final before he leaves Barca, he added: “When I decided in December, I had to end my contract in Barca, all the people said maybe it was not a good decision at that moment of the season, but I think the performance of players was increasing in the last few months. The connection with the players is amazing. I am really happy. To get another final in three seasons is special.”
It’s amazing, another final. We achieved it, it wasn’t easy because we had a tough team in front of us. We had to sweat our t-shirts to achieve it. I’m proud of my team and let’s go in for another final.
Barcelona forward Fridolina Rolfo: “It’s a great feeling at the moment. I think we did a great game. In the end we controlled it and it was a nice feeling to have. We knew we had to give it our all and I think the mentality from the whole team was so good today.”
On coming from behind: “We had been in this situation before, the final last year we had to score goals and we had three in the second half. We know what it’s like to change a game. We have so much quality in this team, and you believe in it.”
When asked about the difference this week to the first leg, she added: “I think there’s many things, but I think today we knew we had to give it our all. We had a great attitude last time but we didn’t create much, we couldn’t create the spaces. This game we were more patient, more calm, and really believed in it.
“We have a winning mentality in the team. We all know it’s possible. We have the people who can step up in the teams when we need them. Aitana Bonmati scores one goal, she gets the penalty in the end.”
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Source : Sky Sports
