When at last the final whistle went and 70,000 people erupted, Barcelona’s anthem booming round the Camp Nou at last taking the tension away, their players collapsed to the floor exhausted. Chelsea’s gathered in a circle in the middle of the pitch; they had this team to edge, competing to the last, but it is the Catalans who made it through, a 1-1 draw on the night taking them to a third consecutive Champions League final, their fourth in five seasons.
On the touchline, Emma Hayes could be proud of her team, who came from one down here, Guro Reiten equalising Caroline Graham Hansen’s opener, but the Norwegian’s first leg goal at Stamford Bridge had ultimately decided this. Having defeated Lyon another extraordinary feat was a step too far; Chelsea eventually beaten by a very special team. In the end, there was just not quite enough. They had though got close. For a lot of the night that had not looked likely, but the rebellion came.
Hayes had rightly talked of Chelsea’s ability to defend after the first leg, but that scoreline required something else here. “We can’t let then have 80% of the ball,” the Chelsea coach had said, and her side began on the front foot, or tried to. Good intentions though are one thing, reality another and it wasn’t long before this settled into a familiar pattern. Barely a couple of minutes in fact, Barcelona quickly making the ball their own and making openings too.
Asisat Oshoala’s first effort, scuffed across the six yard box, had come inside four minutes and Barcelona thought they had the lead soon after when Magdalena Eriksson’s mistake saw her let Fridolina Rolfö’s cross go all the way through to Graham Hansen at the far post. Graham Hansen was judged to have handled before putting the ball in the net, but that was a warning, if one was really needed.
This was already looking like a long evening for Eriksson and indeed for Niamh Charles. That time Hansen had come from behind her, most of the time, she was going straight at her, and that was usually a prelude to seeing her flying past. Electric, Graham Hansen just kept coming, a clarity and subtlety to go it her pace. It was hard enough trying to stop her; when Aitana Bonmatí floated to the right to join in, it was pretty much impossible. Then there was Mariona Caldentey, busy being everywhere.
Given teammates to play off, Graham Hansen was enjoying this. A neat one-two with Caldentey saw her blocked shot fall to Oshoala, who sliced the follow up. Another combination, this time with Bonmatí, who cleverly let the ball run, then led to Caldentey shooting over. When Rolfö and Eriksson clashed heads it gave Hayes an opportunity to gather her players. The game was only fifteen minutes in but there was already a lot to say.
Doing something about it was different of course. Ann-Katrin Berger had to claw away a Bonmatí shot. Next Graham Hansen was blocked, which would do for now: it was enough to resist, the game not just played in Chelsea’s half but their final third, and Chelsea did that well. Bonmatí, feet so fast it’s like she’s wearing skates and so smooth that actually maybe it’s slippers, escaped again only for the final ball in to be intercepted.
When white shirts got into the Barcelona box five minutes from the break, Irene Paredes across quickly, it was almost the first time, although they returned soon after, Sam Kerr not seeing Charles. And it was still 0-0, after all. Chelsea though would need a goal from somewhere – Lauren James spent the break warming up – but it was Barcelona who were closest as the second half began, Cuthbert stepping on front of Bonmatí and Rolfö’s long shot flying wide. And although Chelsea stepped out a little, this team can defend too.
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They can also break. A wonderful cushioned pass on the volley from Caldentey sent Bonmatí dashing through the middle, carrying all the way to the area and waiting for just the right moment to release the ball into the path of Graham Hansen to score. If Barcelona thought it was done, Chelsea’s response was swift. Just three minutes later, the equaliser arrived. Erin Cuthbert’s superb tackle on Caldentey saw the ball reach Melanie Leupolz whose neat clipped pass found Kerr, free at last. Sandra Paños saved the shot but the excellent Reiten followed up.
This was a different game now, a big finish seemingly set up. Barcelona were on edge, their assuredness shaken. Chelsea could sense that their time might have come, Irene Paredes having to block Kerr as the visitors pressed. Pernille Harder and James were then introduced, the momentum building if not bringing clear chances. Cuthbert’s long shot was caught comfortably by Paños and when James got a sight of goal, space opening before her, she snatched at it, slicing over. At the other end, Berger had to dive to palm away from Salma Paralluelo.
There were just a couple of minutes left, Hayes on the touchline urging her players to reach for one last shot, tension taking them all. But it wasn’t to be, Barcelona heading to Eindhoven in the end.
