The match was a daunting task for the Blues, who had to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit to advance. Barcelona had won their last 19 home games in Europe, making it an even more challenging task for Emma Hayes’ side.
Caroline Graham Hansen slotted in the opener in the 63rd minute after a devastating counter-attack. However, Chelsea found an equalizer four minutes later when Guro Reiten struck home after Sam Kerr’s smart run. The Blues pushed for a winner, but it never came.
The result meant Chelsea’s pursuit of a Treble ended. Still, they remain firmly in the Women’s Super League title race and will compete with Manchester United for the Women’s FA Cup. For Barcelona, they head into the final for the third successive year, looking to reclaim the crown they lost to Lyon last year. They face the winner of the second semi-final between Arsenal and Wolfsburg.
Chelsea was aware of the task ahead; producing arguably the greatest performance in their history to overturn the first-leg deficit. The atmosphere before kick-off was carnival-like, with Barcelona’s fans draped in the club’s colours waiting to greet the team bus. The Blues’ gameplan was clear: frustrate Barcelona, keep them at bay, and stay in the game for as long as possible. They did it well initially, and Barcelona could not manage a shot on target in the first half, although they squandered several chances.
The hosts, however, kept causing problems until the final minute, and Chelsea was unable to muster another chance as their Champions League dream slipped away for another year. Nevertheless, it was an impressive display of resilience and determination from Chelsea, who were more than worthy opponents to a formidable Barcelona side. The Blues can hold their heads high knowing that they gave it their all in pursuit of European glory, but it was not meant to be this season.
