“My dressing room believes a lot more in our ability after these two games,” said Chelsea manager Emma Hayes after her side lost 2-1 on aggregate to Barcelona in last season’s Champions League semi-final. “They believe (Barcelona) are beatable.”
One year on and Chelsea have turned belief into reality.
They knew they needed to take a scoreline back to Stamford Bridge which kept the tie alive. An away first leg was Hayes’ preference but they had to make it count. And they did, recording their first win against reigning champions Barcelona, a side who have not lost at home in more than five years.
Starting games off well is always a key factor for Chelsea and in the vast amphitheatre of Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium, their defensive efforts were Herculean. Barcelona failed to register a single shot on target in the first half and went into half-time behind for only the second time this season. Chelsea grew into the game too, becoming more aggressive and winning more individual duels (53.7 per cent to Barcelona’s 46.3).
Hayes’ decision to play a back five with Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Ashley Lawrence at right and left full-back allowed Chelsea to have a very effective low block out of possession and a high press. Lawrence and Kaneryd had licence to push up on the wings but defended astutely, while player of the match Jess Carter timed her sliding challenges perfectly to nullify the usually electric Salma Paralluelo.
Hayes was more animated than normal on the sideline, clapping every ball won and urging her players to keep fighting.
Given how Barcelona dominate possession, the temptation is to chase the ball but in the first half Hayes’ side were disciplined, maintained their shape well and denied Barcelona space. It was a marked improvement from last year’s semi-final.
Emma Hayes and Millie Bright celebrate a gritty Chelsea win (David Ramos/Getty Images)
“We were more disciplined this year,” said captain Erin Cuthbert. “We weren’t chasing spaces. As a midfielder, you can have somebody in front of you, to the side, left (or) right but I wasn’t drawn out of position. We weren’t drawn out of areas that we didn’t want to be in because I know they want to exploit the spaces that we then leave.”
The Chelsea midfield trio of Cuthbert, Sjoeke Nusken and Melanie Leupolz remained compact. In Barcelona’s Keira Walsh’s words, they were “intense” and “made it really difficult in midfield”. Cuthbert, much admired by Barcelona head coach Jonatan Giraldez, said she felt “comfortable” playing in the 5-3-2 and being so disciplined, which is quite a statement when Barcelona’s style of play usually suffocates you.
“Even if I made a mistake, I jumped out or I didn’t quite get to the ball, I knew my team-mate was behind me,” Cuthbert said. “It didn’t matter if anybody made a mistake today. We all backed each other up and were comfortable in the spaces. We got the shape and the execution absolutely bang on.”
For all of Chelsea’s discipline, however, they knew they had to be clinical in front of goal. “Emma wants discipline but sometimes you just have to take a chance if you see it,” said Cuthbert.
Cuthbert and Nusken combined for the only goal of the game in the 40th minute but it started with Chelsea’s aggressive press. They penned Barcelona in, pressing them deep onto their own byline. Lawrence intercepted the ball and played it to Cuthbert, who made a first-time pass to Nusken. Last summer’s signing just managed to control the ball, spun out of trouble and squared it to Cuthbert.
“I’ve made the one-two with Sjoeke, it’s kind of my signature, I like to go again after the ball,” said the Scotland international, who listened to a congratulatory voice note from national team-mate Lisa Evans before speaking to reporters. “Sjoeke picked me out really well. I was going to take it early but I think (Ingrid) Engen blocked it really well. So I took the extra touch, I just created that half-yard and I’m delighted it went in.”
There’s Only One Erin Cuthbert 🤩🤪
pic.twitter.com/pvnkvyvnom— Chelsea Women Supporters Group (@ChelseaWomenSG) April 20, 2024
Barcelona’s chance came, however, in the 53rd minute when referee Stephanie Frappart pointed to the penalty spot after Kadeisha Buchanan handled the ball but the video assistant referee (VAR) overturned the on-field decision as Paralluelo was offside in the build-up.
“The penalty incident really gave us a lot of energy,” said Cuthbert. “That can go one or two ways. It can then be an onslaught, but at that moment we stepped up, we looked each other in the eye and said, ‘We can do this. This is our game for the taking.’”
Chelsea disrupted Barcelona’s rhythm and used Mayra Ramirez as an outlet on the counter. Her physicality and pace rattled a Barcelona defence which does not like defending one-v-one. Having done all the hard work, muscling off Barcelona captain Patri Guijarro, Ramirez should have scored Chelsea’s second in the 75th minute but fired wide. Hayes put her head in her hands.
As Chelsea drew fouls and ran down the clock, the 36,428 Barcelona fans shouted ‘Fora!’ in Catalan, a mark of disapproval. The piercing whistles grew ever louder as Chelsea eked out the seconds of additional time. Those could have turned to cheers in the 99th minute had Alexia Putellas, who was unmarked, converted from close range but she missed the target. Much to Barcelona’s frustration, Chelsea managed the game to a tee.
“I’m not a fan of playing with these interruptions,” said Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati. “But we knew it, we talked about Chelsea playing like this, playing ugly. We have to learn to play like this too.”
All attention now turns to the second leg at Stamford Bridge next Saturday. Chelsea have gained a huge psychological boost by defeating Barcelona but “nobody should get carried away” said Hayes, who was disappointed her side did not get a second goal.
With only a 1-0 lead, it is still all for the taking.
After the game, Barcelona’s vociferous fans chanted: ‘Si, se puede’ (‘Yes, we can’). “If anybody can turn it around, it is this team,” said Walsh.
“It is only halfway,” said Cuthbert. “Barca are going to come for us.”
(Top photo: Adria Puig/Anadolu via Getty Images)
