Barcelona 0-1 Chelsea: Blues earn first-leg win

Chelsea became the first team in more than eight years to stop Barcelona from scoring at home in the UEFA Women's Champions League as Erin Cuthbert's classy first-half strike gave the resolute Blues a first-leg advantage at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.

Match in brief: Disciplined Chelsea hold on

Against opponents with an imperious home record, Chelsea performed admirably to absorb waves of early pressure and prevent their storied hosts from producing a shot on target before the break.

Caroline Graham Hansen was a frequent threat for the holders, the Norway winger proving typically instrumental in offering the width and supply line to repeatedly threaten an opener, with Aitana Bonmatí scheming skilfully through the centre alongside Salma Paralluelo's scintillating speed.

Kadeisha Buchanan and Niamh Charles were among the visiting players whose precise marking and alert blocks held Barcelona off, and the English side took their best chance of the half in style.

Cuthbert curls in her fourth goal of Chelsea's campaignChelsea FC via Getty Images

After Mayra Ramírez – well known to Barcelona from the forward's time with Levante – won possession in a dangerous area, Sjoeke Nüsken's quick feet and thinking inside the penalty area set up Cuthbert, whose deft turn preceded a beautiful curling strike to put Chelsea ahead.

Jonatan Giráldez tweaked Barça's tactics, sending Aitana Bonmatí further forward and giving Graham Hansen the freedom to accompany Salma Paralluelo in attack, as well as affording Fridolina Rolfö greater attacking scope.

Alexia Putellas came on to add more ingenuity and firepower, and the two-time Ballon d'Or Féminin winner went closest, firing a first-time finish wide from close range seconds before full time.

Chelsea could have had a second by then, Ramírez wriggling free inside the box but clearing the target. After a resolute display and seismic result, their one-goal lead means this remains a semi-final poised on the finest of margins.

Visa Player of the Match: Jess Carter (Chelsea)

"She defended the box superbly and covered direct attacks well all day, as well as leading the backline effectively to maintain compact spaces behind midfield."
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Chelsea's Jess Carter collects the Player of the Match awardUEFA via Getty Images

Graham Hunter, match reporter

This happens, sometimes, even at the top level. It'll be hard to define why the champions played without their usual fluency and spark here. The other half of the equation is simple to talk about: Chelsea were simply excellent. Total concentration, barely a single error all afternoon and extremely clever at pressing, denying Barcelona either time or space. But Giráldez's team faces that equation over and over again, almost always finding solutions. Here they were slightly off the pace, lacking their usual verve. Now they're up against it.

Reaction

Jonatan Giráldez, Barcelona coach: "We made too few good chances to score. Maybe that last one from Alexia was scoreable but Chelsea were defending 5-3-2 and that meant we played 'inside'. The few times we played in behind and threatened, we were a little better – but it wasn't good enough as a performance today. I have a lot of confidence in my team. All we have to do at Chelsea is win the game."

Keira Walsh, Barcelona defender: "We were fully in control of the match and playing in their half, especially during the second half. But that final bit of sharpness was missing. It wasn't for lack of trying. We need to find it next week. You have to give credit to Chelsea: they were intense and didn't give our midfield a lot of time. Everybody wants to reach the final and it's not over – we know we have another level."

Aitana Bonmatí, Barcelona midfielder: "This wasn't our best game but it was against a great rival. There's another game and nothing is done yet. We need to prepare well and do better in the next leg. We're in the semi-finals of the Champions League and this was Chelsea, so the fact that it was difficult isn't a shock. Thanks to our fans, who were right behind us as ever. It wasn't to be today but we'll try again next week."

Barcelona had gone 25 home matches unbeaten in the competition since losing to Lyon on 28 March 2018Getty Images

Emma Hayes, Chelsea coach: "It's just half-time. Nobody should get carried away with that and, to be honest, I'm disappointed we didn't get the second goal. It's a difficult place to come and they carried out the game plan I asked them to do – so from that perspective, I'm happy. Barcelona are a phenomenal team who make it difficult with their quick passing game. They try to pull you out of position to create gaps in bad areas and I thought we were really compact for large periods of the game."

Erin Cuthbert, Chelsea goalscorer: "If you say we were very near perfect, that's a fair reflection of how we've performed. We had one day, including learning the game plan, travelling and training. It was a lot to absorb and everyone's gone the extra mile. We were very organised. I'm so proud of this team. It's important to stay disciplined against a team like Barcelona, who try to drag you into spaces where you don't want to be."

Jess Carter, Chelsea defender: "We had a game plan and I think it's safe to say that this season we haven't always followed that, so it was a big bonus to get it spot on today. It's tough to come to Barcelona; they are an incredible team. They push you. Everyone did their best and we had to take our chance when we had it. I'm pretty vocal – that's something I find easy. To be honest, the more I can get other people to do, the less I have to do. I like it to be organised in front of me."

Key stats

• Chelsea's win means they have now beaten all 19 clubs they have played in Europe under coach Emma Hayes.
• They became the first team to take the lead at Barcelona since 17 March 2023, when the hosts recovered to win 5-1 against Valencia. They were last behind at home in the Women's Champions League against Real Madrid on 30 March 2022, going 2-1 down in a quarter-final second leg which they won 5-2.
• The Women's Super League side are unbeaten in their last ten Champions League matches (W6 D4) – their longest unbeaten run in the competition.
• Hayes' players have kept six clean sheets in their last ten Champions League away matches.
• Barcelona have matched Lyon's (2007/08 – 2012/13) record by participating in the semi-finals for a sixth season in a row.
• The Spanish club had only failed to score in one of their previous 39 Women's Champions League matches. They last went without a goal in a Champions League home game in a 0-0 draw against Paris on 23 March 2016.

Line-ups

Barcelona: Catalina Coll; Ona Batlle (Bronze 63), Irene Paredes, Engen (Alexia Putellas 63), Rolfö; Aitana Bonmatí, Walsh, Patri Guijarro; Graham Hansen, Salma Paralluelo, Mariona Caldentey (Vicky López 73)

Chelsea: Hampton; Lawrence, Carter, Buchanan, Charles; Cuthbert, Leupolz; Rytting Kaneryd, Nüsken, James (Macario 73); Ramírez (Reiten 90+2)