Chelsea take on Barcelona at home on April 27 for the second leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final.
Barcelona face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on April 27 for leg 2 of the UWCL semi-final in front of what looks to be a sell-out crowd.
These are two of the highest achieving clubs in Europe, stacked with some of the most revered international players and cabinets brimming with trophies.
The weekend’s matchup promises to be a high stakes showdown that will see two powerhouses battle it out for a place at the UWCL final in Bilbao on May 25.
The first leg
Leg one of this UWCL semi-final saw Chelsea take the win against Barcelona at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on April 20.
Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert scored the one goal of the match, a monumental result that marked the first time Barcelona had lost at home in five years.
Chelsea coming into the semi-finals
Chelsea entered the semi-final with a sting in their tail after their back-to-back cup losses in their previous few matches, the likes of which is unheard of for the Blues under Emma Hayes.
After being beaten by Arsenal at the Conti Cup final then losing to Manchester United at the FA Cup semi-final, Chelsea arrived in Barcelona with a point to prove.
Then, to Barcelona’s horror, Emma Hayes’ side came out and delivered, coming away victorious with a 1-0 win.
Barcelona’s standings
The Blaugranas reign over the Liga F, the Spanish women’s league, with eight championships to show.
They currently sit at the top of the table, miles ahead by a full 12 points and a mind-blowing goal difference of 63.
Barcelona are the current champions of the UWCL, having won twice in the last three years.
A team that boasts world class players, such as Ballon D’Or winners Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, is certainly a team to be feared.
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What it means for Chelsea
Chelsea are England’s reigning champions, having won the WSL six times and the FA Cup five.
The Champions League, however, has always eluded Head Coach Emma Hayes.
With both the quadruple and the treble off the cards for Hayes, Chelsea’s hunger for the double has only increased.
Chelsea now set their sights on winning the WSL and the Champions League.
Chelsea have already proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with and, brimming with talented international players like goalscoring machine Lauren James and whirlwind force Mayra Ramírez, this match will be no easy feat for Barcelona.
The coaches’ last hurrah
Barcelona’s Head Coach Jonatan Giráldez will be looking to go out on a high before he leaves for Washington Spirit at the end of the season.
Hayes will leave Chelsea at the end of the season to take up the position of Head Coach of the US Women’s National Team and Chelsea aim to give her the fairy-tale ending they feel she deserves.
Watch Chelsea vs Barcelona in the UWCL semi-final leg 2 live on DAZN and TNT Sports 3 on April 27 at 17:30 BST.
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