Barça, in its third final followed by ‘Champions’
The blaugrana suffered against Chelsea but will be, with Alexia, in Eindhoven
BARCELONA, 27 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Barça Femení drew this Thursday against Chelsea (1-1) at the Spotify Camp Nou, in the second leg of the Champions League semifinals, and will be thanks to the 0-1 first leg at Stamford Bridge in the Eindhoven final , the third in a row and the fourth in the last five years for the blaugrana.
There couldn’t be a full party because Jonatan Giráldez’s team couldn’t win, and this wasn’t the game for Alexia Putellas’ return after almost 10 months of injury. But there were celebrations, and well deserved ones, because Barça was superior overall in the tie and they will be in the final. One more.
Caroline Graham Hansen is the name of this semifinal, with her great goal in the first leg and her goal in this return match at a Spotify Camp Nou with more than 72,000 souls rowing in favor of the ‘culers’. But the Norwegian, in the absence of ‘Queen’ Alexia, was the best and the key player who allowed her to start dreaming of Eindhoven.
It is the fourth final in five years, the third in a row. Of the three previous ones, the blaugranas won Chelsea in 2021, precisely, in Goteborg (4-0), but they lost those of 2019 and 2022 against Olympique de Lyon, on both occasions. Now, in the Netherlands, they will seek the second continental title.
With this tie, yes, the streak of 18 consecutive home games won in the Women’s Champions League was broken. And that Barça, except in the final minutes when Chelsea went all out looking for extra time, was better at home. The tie cannot be considered unfair at all, but it can be a bit. Barça had more chances and Chelsea barely enjoyed the goal.
In minute 8′, Graham Hansen’s goal was annulled by hand, but the Norwegian did not miss her appointment with the goal in these ‘semis’ in minute 63, with a goal that came from a quick play started in her own half with Excellent driving by Aitana Bonmatí, assisted first and with a lot of class by Mariona Caldentey. Aitana did not release the ball until she accurately gave the goal to Graham Hansen, whose shot Carter tried to reject, without luck.
That 1-0 set everything back on track, but Chelsea reacted quickly. Four minutes later, against Chelsea – the VAR saw no fault in the recovery of the English -, Sam Kerr received in the race and his lob attempt was deflected well by Sandra Paños, but the rebound fell to Guro Reiten, who knocked on an empty door. First play with a shot on goal for the ‘blues’. And just one of two, with a final shot by Cuthbert on 80′.
Chelsea did little more than, with Pernille Harder as refreshment, did manage to lock Barça in their area for a few nervous minutes. But the certain thing is that the final minutes and the discount went back to be blaugranas. Geyse, who also came on from the bench, did not manage to finish off a deadly pass and Salma Paralluelo put rival goalkeeper Berger to the test, who deflected her low shot to a corner.
That was missing, a second goal, for the Camp Nou to collapse. That and that Alexia Putellas would have been able to play after his injury, after almost 10 months of suffering outside the team. The captain will have to wait, because it was not a game to risk with ‘The Best’. Alexia will return to the team in the F League looking to be the protagonist in that final in Eindhoven, in which Barça Femení will try to write another golden page in its history.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: BARCA FEMENÍ, 1 – CHELSEA, 1 (0-0, half-time).
–EQUIPMENT.
BARÇA FEMALE: Cloths; Torrejón (Crnogorcevic, min.73), Paredes, Mapi León, Rolfö; Walsh (Engen, min.60), Aitana Bonmatí (Geyse Ferreira, min.84), Guijarro; Graham Hansen, Oshoala (Paralluelo, min.60) and Mariona Caldentey.
CHELSEA: Berger; Périsset (Rytting Kaneryd, min.81), Mjelde, Eriksson, Carter; Leupolz, Cuthbert, Reiten (James, min.76); Kerr, Fleming (Harder, min.75) y Charles.
–GOALS.
1-0. Min.63, Graham Hansen.
1-1. Min.67, Reiten.
–REFEREE: Esther Staubli (SUI). She booked Reiten (min.18) and Cuthbert (min.90) at Chelsea.
–STADIUM: Spotify Camp Nou, 72,262 viewers.