Chelsea Women: 3 takeaways from first leg UWCL defeat to Barcelona

Despite giving up an early goal in the first half, the Chelsea Women showed immense resilience to get back into the game against arguably the best side in European football.

With nearly 28,000 fans behind them at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon, the Chelsea Women went toe to toe with arguably the best team in European women’s football at the moment. Once the draw came out February 10, it was clear the Blues were going to have the most difficult path to Philips Stadium. Going up against a team that has scored 105 goals in domestic play, Emma Hayes’ side may have sat back a little too much to protect Barcelona from running up the score with a second leg still to play.

In the quarterfinal tie against Roma to earn a chance to play for a place in the final, Jonatan Giraldez’s side took down the Italians on the road by just a goal. Barca came back for the home leg at Camp Nou and netted five unanswered goals to put the tie out of reach. That is what the Blues should be terrified of, but nevertheless, there was plenty of positives to take from a match still give Emma Hayes’ team a chance to earn a trip to their second-ever Champions League final.

Carolina Graham Hanson’s stunning left-footed strike from outside the box in just the 4′ of the match was enough to provide the current Spanish champions with a slim lead heading back to Camp Nou on Thursday evening. Despite many critics calling the west Londoners out for not creating enough, the three-time defending WSL champions kept Barca at bay from the 4′ on.

While Chelsea got outshot by 10, the Spanish side only mustered two more shots on target than the Blues through 90 minutes. It was just the third time this calendar year that the 2021 Champions League winners had six or fewer shots on net in any competition. Ann-Katrin Berger, at times had to come up with the big save, but the Blues’ back three of Jess Carter, Maren Mjelde and Magdalena Eriksson provided that kind of stability they needed throughout the match. Without the club’s two best centerbacks, the defensive display by the home side was quite extraordinary.

Sam Kerr was just a hair offside in the 25′ as she played a perfectly weighed ball into Guro Reiten who calmly passed it into the back of the net by Sandra Panos. Reiten would get another chance in front of goal just a few minutes later. Lucy Bronze got her body in front of Reiten’s shot with Panos was out of position.

The chances came for the west London outfit throughout the first 45 minutes, but against a side like Barca, you have to be able to execute on the few opportunities you do get. Coming up against Giraldez’s side, that was a display Hayes can certainly build on with 90 minutes remaining to find an equalizer. Here are three takeaways from a match that sets up what looks to be a can’t miss showdown on the coast of Spain.

3 takeaways from Chelsea’s one-goal defeat at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

1. Emma Hayes’ side started the match far too slow against a top side like Barca

Right out of the gate, it was evident Hayes and the west London outfit gave the Spanish powerhouse far too much respect. The goal by Graham Hanson was a perfect example of that. The Blues watched the Norwegian international glide from the wing into shooting position at the top of the box. Not much resistance was thrown her way as Erin Cuthbert’s last ditch tackle came in just a fraction too late.

As the game progressed, the home side made their presence known in the middle of the park with the physicality of Cuthbert and Melanie Leupolz. That is the energy Hayes’ team must come out with in the second leg. It was as if Chelsea backed off for the first four minutes, observing the quality that Barca has on the ball. A 0.3 xG for the home side may be a little bit deceiving, but it is without question that putting more emphasis on the attacking side of things will be a priority on Thursday.

The Blues made 29 tackles in total with Leupolz executing seven, three more than any of her teammates. Seeing Lauren James on the bench to start the match was a clear indication that Hayes was more focused on preventing a goal than scoring on from the opening whistle. Hayes needs to find a happy medium between providing more of a threat going forward and defending the most potent side in European football in the second leg. Barca is used to breaking down defenses that tent to bunker down, but if the west London outfit can flip the script and assert themselves early on in Camp Nou, the second leg could get interesting.

2. Maren Mjelde leads superb defensive display after conceding the goal

Considering how much talent that Barca has throughout its roster, the depleted west London defense held its own. Without Millie Bright and Kadeisha Buchanan, Hayes’ side is missing quality on the ball, leadership, and experience on big stages like the UWCL. Carter, Eriksson, and the hero against Lyon, Mjelde frustrated an attack that featured world-class talents like Salma Celeste Paralluelo Ayingono, Graham Hanson, Geyse, and Aitana Bonmati.

Mjelde and Carter combined for an astounding 20 clearances through 90 minutes at the Bridge, rescuing the Blues at times with the away side attacking the backline with purpose. Five different players totaled three or more tackles as the west London outfit used a team effort to keep a side averaging 3.2 goals per game since February 11 to just one. Hayes’ defense was consistently in the right place at the right time, firing the ball up the field to reset the potent Barca attack.

Despite not receiving much playing time throughout this 2022/23 campaign, the Norwegian international Mjelde continues to demonstrate why she is a the definition of a true professional both on and off the pitch. Hayes can slot the 33-year-old on the wing, in the midfield, or in the center of the defense. She seamlessly filled a massive void left by injuries, showing up on the big stage in the Champions League for the west Londoners once again.

3. Down by a goal heading to Spain is not a bad place to be

The atmosphere at Camp Nou is unlike any other the west London outfit will encounter in world football. Coming back from down a goal against Barca is a task that is going to test this side to the max, but at least the margin is not more than a goal. If the Spanish juggernaut were to beat Berger even one more time at the Bridge, the CL final would be far out of reach for the injury-riddled Blues. The chances were few and far between for the Blues in the first leg, but there was enough for the west London outfit to be able to see that they can break down Barca’s defense.

Pernille Harder made it back on the pitch for the first time since November, providing some positive signs that she may be able to play a much larger part in the leg away from home. En route to the 2021 final, the west London side came back against Bayern Munich a goal down after the first leg, netting four just a week later in the second 90 minutes to lift Hayes’ team to its first Champions League final. Barca has not lost a second leg of a Champions League tie since 2018 in the quarterfinal loss to Lyon. 

Giraldez’s side has let in three goals all season under the lights at Camp Nou, proving it can be done. If it was not for the heroic defensive display by the home side, the west London side would be in a much larger hole heading to east coast of Spain. It is all about capitalizing on the chances that do come the Blues way next time out. One moment of magic on the offensive end. That is all it takes to send shock waves throughout a squad that is not used to facing any sort of adversity domestically.