Barcelona show gulf in quality again as stunned Chelsea hope for miracle
As the final whistle blew at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, the frustration on the faces of the Chelsea players shone through. Lucy Bronze chucked her headband on to the floor in anger; Erin Cuthbert shared frustrated words with the referee; the rest meanwhile just stood on the pitch looking stunned with the cacophony of noise from jubilant Barcelona fans rubbing salt in the freshest of wounds.
This was not how the script was meant to go. Defeat at the hands of Barcelona – with such a gulf in quality on the field – was meant to be a thing of years gone by; a distant memory buried in the history books of that painful final of 2021. For Chelsea have been building a squad with the clear intention of lifting the coveted Champions League trophy themselves. Big money has been spent on coveted assets – the acquisition of Mayra Ramírez and Naomi Girma both breaking transfer records; Bronze and Keira Walsh brought in from the Spanish champions themselves – and the arrival of Sonia Bompastor to replace Emma Hayes at the helm, an individual who has won this competition twice as a player and once as a manager.
Chelsea's form at home has perhaps lured people into a false sense of security. Unbeaten domestically, Bompastor's team closing in the Women's Super League title, having overcome every obstacle that has stood in their way.
Maybe it should be of little surprise that there are perhaps a few growing pains hiding underneath the surface; ones that were expected in the autumn after the transition from the decade-long Hayes regime.
On this sunny Sunday evening in Barcelona, however, the gulf in quality on the pitch was clear to see. The hosts oozed elegance and control, their experience shining through. Even if they were not completely at their fluid best, they picked off Chelsea, sliced through their press and provided the kind of clinical finishing that was missing at the other end of the pitch.
It was an also an illustration of how a team can add pieces to the puzzle that truly make the quality higher. With the addition of Ewa Pajor to their ranks last summer, Barcelona have finally found themselves a true number nine, a forward to lead the line and allow the players around her to flourish.
The Poland international's numbers are almost ridiculous – her opener on this occasion was her 34th strike in 35 appearances for the Blaugrana. The 28-year-old is a seasoned striker with speed, a tireless work rate and instinctive finish that not many others in world football possess. Her arrival has allowed Salma Paralluelo to stay out on the flank where she can thrive, while she has rekindled her partnership with Norway winger Caroline Graham Hansen from their Wolfsburg days.
A saved Alexia Putellas penalty did little to disrupt Barcelona's rhythm in the first half as they suffocated a disjointed Chelsea. The visitors seemed, perhaps a little naively, to be caught in two minds about whether to sit back and remain compact or to try and take the game to their opponents. The result was the spaces that opened up in the midfield and down the flanks that Pere Romeu's side picked apart with aplomb.
Pajor's opener was a direct example of this indecision and inability to adapt to Barcelona's energy. A long ball forward was initially dealt with but when Paralluelo beat Bronze in the second phase, the hosts spotted their opportunity. A perfect through-ball from Putellas split the defenders allowing Pajor to burst through and show the kind of clinical finishing that she has produced all season.
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The hosts' second came with 20 minutes to play after Chelsea had come out much improved after the break. This, in contrast, was an illustration of the versatility of their attacking play; a quintessential Barcelona goal. It was a beautifully constructed team move that swept from back to front and left to right before Clàudia Pina, on the field for just three minutes, turned the ball into the back of the net. She added her second in injury time as she took her tally to nine in the Champions League this season. The Spaniard is the top scorer in the competition currently and it was just another sign of how much strength in depth they possess.
It was Chelsea's first encounter with this new-look Barcelona side and this 90 minutes will prove to be a huge learning process for them. Bompastor's side are known for their strong mentality and they will still believe that they can perform a miracle at Stamford Bridge next week. Nevertheless, this occasion was a strong reminder that there is still much work to be done if they are to get closer to the only tournament left for them to conquer; the one that has proved to be the most elusive one yet.
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