Highlights as Chelsea hold lead over Barcelona in UWCL tie

When Chelsea crashed out of the UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) last season, manager Emma Hayes was under no illusions about the reason why.

"We’re not going through because of the home tie," she said after her side held Barcelona to a semi-final second-leg draw at the Camp Nou. "It’s very difficult to come here."

The Chelsea boss was right. The Blues had turned in a valiant display in Catalonia but they had left themselves with a mountain to climb after their 1-0 first-leg defeat at Stamford Bridge. Now, as the two teams prepare to meet again in west London, Chelsea must ensure they do not let history repeat itself.

Last weekend's victory at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys was amongst the most impressive of Hayes' tenure. Captain Erin Cuthbert's stunning first-half strike was enough to give the Blues a slender advantage heading into Saturday's decisive clash but this remains only a job half-done - something Hayes was keen to remind her players of at the full-time whistle.

"I’m not here to break records, no disrespect to Barcelona, but that’s not a trophy for me," she said after the game. "We’re here to compete for the Champions League and we’re at half-time against the best team in the world, who didn’t have their best game today."

It was Barcelona's first home defeat since February 2019 and the first time they have failed to score in a game since April 2022. That Chelsea managed to topple the Liga F behemoths in their own backyard speaks volumes about how the Blues' European pedigree has improved since that galling Champions League final defeat in Gothenburg in 2021.

For Hayes, too, it felt like a milestone win. Prior to Saturday's game, Barcelona were the only one of Chelsea's 19 Champions League opponents she had failed to beat during her time at Kingsmeadow.

But she will know better than anyone that her final season at the club will be measured not by the journey, but by the destination, and, as such, Chelsea must ensure they take a huge step towards the finish line this weekend.

It must be noted that Barcelona do not take kindly to losing. They have won their domestic league in each of the last four seasons and, with a 12-point buffer over nearest rivals Real Madrid, they look likely to do the same again this term.

They have also shown themselves to be adept at bouncing back from adversity. After losing the 2022 UWCL final to Lyon, Jonatan Giráldez's side responded by winning the competition the following year.

In that final, against German giants Wolfsburg, they came from two goals down to win 3-2. Even in midweek, against third-from-bottom Levante Las Planas, Barcelona demonstrated their resilience by twice coming from behind to secure a hard-fought 4-2 victory.

"On a mental level, we have worked a lot over the years; we are a stronger team in that aspect," Giraldez said after last weekend's defeat. "I have full confidence that we will go there to win the game — something we are used to doing."

It was a potent reminder, if Chelsea needed one, that Barcelona are not to be underestimated. A wounded animal is a dangerous animal and, if the post-match assessment from Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder Aitana Bonmati is anything to go by, the European champions have certainly been bruised by the events of Saturday afternoon.

"We had talked about Chelsea playing like this, which for me is playing dirty," she told Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo. "We have warned the referee, but it is not up to us if they allow it. We have to know how to play with it."

Last season, Hayes' side went into the second leg as underdogs. The statistics from Barcelona's last win at Stamford Bridge show the Blues were second-best in nearly every metric, with 30 per cent possession to their visitors' 70 per cent and six shots to the Catalans' 16.

The numbers weren't too dissimilar in last weekend's game however there was a level of maturity to Chelsea's performance that has perhaps been lacking in all of their previous meetings between the two sides. Defender Jess Carter, who was partly culpable for at least two of Barcelona's four goals in the 2021 UWCL final, barely put a foot wrong at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

Record signing Mayra Ramirez, although she didn't score a goal, was a handful for the Catalans' defence while matchwinner Cuthbert was relentless in the middle of the park.

"It might not mean a lot," the Scotland international said of her goal. "It is the first leg. The importance of it will only truly be known after the second leg. It's a great start."

Although Cuthbert's strike may not prove decisive in the context of the tie, it does mean Chelsea go into the second leg as favourites and they will have to shoulder the extra pressure that comes with that. It is unfamiliar territory for Hayes' side against this calibre of opposition and the Blues boss will hope the support of a home crowd helps them get over the line.

"It’s essential," she said when quizzed on the importance of selling out Stamford Bridge. "We’ve watched many clubs sell stadiums in the biggest games," the Chelsea boss said. "Our girls deserve it. They deserve to play in front of a full house to give ourselves the best possible chance because we are going to need them. Barcelona will throw absolutely everything at us."

Certainly, Giraldez's side will not feel like Chelsea are infallible. The Barcelona manager was in the stands at Leigh Sports Village to watch Manchester United dump the Blues out of the FA Cup less than two weeks ago and will feel his side are more than capable of inflicting a similar fate on the west Londoners this weekend.

With that in mind, Chelsea will know that they need to be at their very best if they hope to reach the last two. The Blues have shown they can land some punches on Barcelona but now they must prove they have what it takes to deliver the knockout blow.

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