Chelsea’s slim hopes of pulling off a Champions League fightback were comprehensively ended by Barcelona who won 4-1 in their semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge to triumph 8-2 on aggregate.
Trailing 4-1 from last Sunday’s meeting at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, Sonia Bompastor’s side kept the tie alive for all of 25 minutes in west London before Barca began their onslaught, scoring three times before half-time to end Chelsea’s European interests at this stage for the third season running.
Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati got the first with a driving run through a non-existent Chelsea defence that culminated in a bullet finish into the roof of the net, then Ewa Pajor tapped in their second moments later to finish the tie as a contest.
Our Champions League journey comes to an end. #UWCL pic.twitter.com/7pS6YDjKqm
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) April 27, 2025
Claudia Pina curled in the third before the break as what remained of the home side’s resistance crumbled before a shocking mix-up between Niamh Charles and goalkeeper Hannah Hampton in the 90th minute let in Salma Paralluelo to rubber-stamp the capitulation.
Wieke Kaptein scored a consolation for Chelsea at the death.
There remains the matter of wrapping up a sixth consecutive Women’s Super League title and first under Bompastor. That can be achieved with victory against Manchester United on Wednesday if other results go their way, but there was no disguising the bitter disappointment at having fallen short yet again in their bid for a first European crown, and particularly so given the emphatic nature of the defeat.
It might have been different but for wasteful finishing at 0-0. Mayra Ramirez ran the ball to the byline and picked out Sandy Baltimore who shanked her finish from six yards, then Sjoeke Nusken wasted Chelsea’s best chance of the match, failing to place her shot either side of goalkeeper Cata Coll who dropped and saved with her legs.
Then came Barca’s 18-minute blitz. Bonmati was well inside her own half when she collected the ball but in front of her lay swathes of unguarded Chelsea territory into which to advance. Millie Bright slid in but failed to take the ball, leaving Bonmati a clear run at Hampton who she beat expertly with a drilled finish high into the goal from an acute angle.
Before half-time it was 2-0 and it was another simple Barca goal. Charles was left isolated on the right against Caroline Graham who ran around her with ease, pulling the ball back across goal to where Pajor dipped in front of Bright to tap home.
Pina scored the goal of the tie moments later to bury Chelsea and end any lingering hopes they might have had of salvaging a result. The forward was given room on the edge of the box to stop, take a touch and size up a curling effort that pinged against the inside of Hampton’s post and in.
Paralluelo took advantage of Charles’ hesitance to tap in a fourth at the end before Kaptein’s finish gave Chelsea the last word and sent an appreciative cheer around the ground.
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