CHELSEA STOPPED BARCELONA winning a home match for the first time in four years but fell short of a place in the Uefa Women’s Champions League final.
Guro Reiten’s second-half goal at the Nou Camp secured a 1-1 draw for Emma Hayes’ side and they pushed for a winner on the night but it was the Catalans who claimed a 2-1 victory on aggregate. 72,262 fans watched on.
Barcelona have won 60 straight domestic matches at home dating back to February 2019, while the last time they did not win a Champions League match on home soil was against Lyon back in 2018.
Going into the clash having lost the home leg meant Hayes’ side, who were beaten 4-0 by Barca in their maiden final two years ago, faced a majorly uphill battle.
They were again without first-choice centre-back pairing Millie Bright and Kadeisha Buchanan as well as Fran Kirby, while England defender Lucy Bronze missed out for Barcelona following knee surgery, but Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas was on the bench after 10 months out injured.
The hosts thought they had scored in the eighth minute as Chelsea’s defence hesitated but Graham Hansen handled the cross before poking the ball home.
For the rest of the first half Barca had the majority of possession and chances without really threatening to add to their lead – Asisat Oshoala and Maria Caldentey firing over from good openings.
Chelsea were just looking like they might offer some threat up front in the early stages of the second half when the hosts took the lead, 64 minutes in.
The influential Aitana Bonmati carried the ball to the edge of the box and slipped it to Graham Hansen, who scored her second goal of the tie despite the best efforts of Jess Carter on the line.
Avui som 72.262 espectadors 🔝🔝🔝 pic.twitter.com/XdWxgbD0u6
— FC Barcelona Femení (@FCBfemeni) April 27, 2023
If that appeared to have ended the tie, Chelsea clawed their way back into it just three minutes later.
A fine tackle from Erin Cuthbert ended a Barca attack and Melanie Leupolz fed Sam Kerr, whose shot was saved by Sandra Panos only for Reiten to smash the ball in from the edge of the box.
Kerr had a couple of half openings as the visitors sought an unlikely winner but the clear chance did not come and Ann-Katrin Berger produced a fine save from Geyse to earn a draw on the night.
Barcelona move through to a third-straight final, where they will take on Arsenal — home of Ireland captain Katie McCabe — or Wolfsburg in Eindhoven on 3 June.
