Chelsea 0–4 FC Barcelona
Barcelona produced one of the greatest performances in the history of women’s football, totally dismantling Chelsea to win their first Champions League title.
Whilst Spain might not quite have broken through to the top level in international women’s football as yet, it seems to be merely a matter of time. In Barcelona’s 25 player squad, 20 are Spanish and nine came through their academy. The bulk of these players know each other inside out after playing together for both club and country; something which is a big part of both the club’s success and Spain’s emerging status in Europe.
Barcelona average 60% possession domestically and scored 128 goals in a 26 game campaign. Only five Spanish sides scored against them all year – Granadilla, Levante, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Deportivo la Coruna. In doing so, Barca won the league by 16 points from nearest challengers Levante, who they humiliated 7-1 in a league clash.
The danger facing Chelsea was not just limited to Spain’s all-time leading scorer Jenni Hermoso. Eight other players scored more than seven goals this season – Alexia Putellas netted 16 with their other hot shots including Asisat Oshoala (15), Lieke Martens (11), Aitana Bonmati (nine), Caroline Graham Hansen (eight), Bruna Vilamala (eight), Mariona Caldentey (eight) and Marta Torrejon (seven).
Adding to the pre-match interest was Chelsea star Pernille Harder facing off against former VfL Wolfsburg team-mate Hansen – the Norwegian superstar has created 12 goals in addition to the eight she’s scored this season. There was also the battle for the UWCL Golden Boot as Chelsea’s Fran Kirby was tied with Hermoso on six goals.
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes recognised Barcelona’s wide threat by swapping Jess Carter and Niamh Charles’ backline positions in a bid to counter Martens and Hansen.
That attacking presence was emphasised from the kick off with Martens dancing down the left and firing in a shot which crashed off of the bar and came back immediately to Hansen on the right. Her first time ball in wasn’t quite dealt with by Magda Eriksson and a shot deflected off Melanie Leupolz into the net.
Going into this game, a common thread of thinking was that Barcelona would not be able to cope with the quality of Chelsea’s attack because they would not have faced such quality since their 4-1 defeat to Olympique Lyonnais in the 2019 Champions League Final.
What had been glossed over pre-match was the fact that such has been Chelsea’s dominance in England this season – even against the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal – they were not used to facing a side with so many attacking weapons. The top FAWSL sides are relatively ponderous in attack compared to this incredible Catalan side.
Whilst Barcelona kept both Ji and Kirby quiet all night long, Kerr and Harder were in evidence with the Dane having two excellent chances – first from a Carter ball across the six yard box which she got a toe to, and then on nine minutes when Leupolz found Kerr. The Australian played a glorious back heel to Harder, who was denied by a superb tackle from Marta Torrejon.
Despite Carter moving sides at the back in a bid to combat Hansen, it clearly wasn’t working. With 12 minutes played, the Norwegian escaped her with ease and rolled a ball towards Hermoso, who went down under a tackle from Leupolz. The penalty was given somewhat harshly and Putellas dispatched it comfortably.
Barcelona’s dazzling footwork saw Chelsea floundering at the back with 21 minutes gone. The pressure and split runs from the Catalans’ offensive five left the Blues struggling to pick out who to close down and how to do it. Carter was caught badly again in the centre with Hermoso running through, which allowed Aitana Bonmati to dispatch with ease.
With ten minutes of the half left, the wide players took Chelsea apart again. A long ball out to Martens on the left saw her get past Charles as if she wasn’t there and play a low pass through Millie Bright’s legs which Hansen was able to touch home comfortably for four.
The set-up of the Barcelona midfield and attack simply enabled them to pick out their passes and keep the ball moving rapidly. Mentally, Chelsea never recovered from going behind so early, perhaps a downside of their domestic dominance in England.
Last week I wrote that Chelsea don’t have the strength in depth defensively that they can boast in offensive positions, something emphasised by this final.
Chelsea’s first choice back four is good enough in the FAWSL. With them, Chelsea win against the top teams and dominate them. Winning is a habit, but when you come up against top quality sides who are totally ruthless, switch the play in ways you haven’t faced before and move with such pace, then it’s a shock and you get exposed. Chelsea aren’t used to coping with a team attacking them so relentlessly and it showed.
Barcelona suffered a four goal humiliation in their first Champions League Final. The aim now for Chelsea is to come back from a similar thumping to claim European club football’s greatest prize in the future.
Teams: CHELSEA: Berger, Carter, Bright, Eriksson, Charles, Leupolz, Ingle, Ji, Kirby, Harder, Kerr. Substitutes: Musovic (GK), Blundell, England, Reiten, Fleming, Cuthbert, Spence, Andersson, Telford, Fox, Beever-Jones.
Scorers:
FC BARCELONA: Panos, Torrejon, Guijarro, Leon, Ouahabi, Bonmati, Hamraoui, Putellas, Martens, Hermoso, Hansen. Substitutes: Codina, Serrano, Losada, Caldentey, Coll, Crnogorcevic, Oshoala, Fernandez, Vilamala, Font.
Scorers: Leupolz OG 1, Putellas (pen) 12, Bonmati 22, Hansen 36.
Referee: Riem Hussein (GER)
Route to the Final:
CHELSEA:
1st Rd – Benfica (POR) (5-0, 3-0), 2nd Rd – Atletico Madrid (ESP) (2-0, 1-1), QF – VfL Wolfsburg (GER) (2-1, 3-0), SF – Bayern Munich (GER) (1-2, 4-1).
FC BARCELONA:
1st Rd – Pomurje (SLV) (4-0, 4-2), 2nd Rd Fortuna Hjørring (DEN) (4-0, 5-0), QF Manchester City (ENG) (3-0, 1-2), SF Paris St. Germain (FRA) (1-1, 2-1).
