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Here is Suzanne Wrack’s report.
Bonmatí and Rolfo score to send Barcelona into the final at Chelsea’s expense
Updated
Sat 27 Apr 2024 14.39 EDT
First published on Sat 27 Apr 2024 11.30 EDT
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Key events
Hayes is speaking to the team in a huddle on the pitch. Every looks, understandably, pretty upset.
The Chelsea fans are booing. They do not seem happy with the end result.
The boos are halted to give Hayes a big cheer.
Barcelona are having the time of their lives on the pitch.
Full time: Chelsea 0-2 Barcelona (agg 1-2)
Barcelona were the better team overall at Stamford Bridge but they were helped by a couple of generous refereeing decisions to help them make the Champions League final.
90+4 mins: Engen is penalised for a handball, despite the ball making no contact with her hand, giving Chelsea a free-kick around 30 yards from goal. Perisset lifts it into the box, Beevor-Jones goes down, leading to calls for a penalty but there is nothing in it.
90+2 mins: Pina sends a cross into the six-yard box but Chelsea scramble it away.
When Chelsea do win the ball back, they are immediately looking for Bright.
Bonmati is on the deck and says she needs to go off. This is pure timewasting. The referee needlessly stops the game. Putellas comes on.
90 mins: Barcelona are knocking the ball around to run down the clock.
Six minutes added on …
89 mins: Bright wins the ball and goes through Engen for good measure. The Barcelona defender lies down to kill some time.
88 mins: Hampton does well to come and claim with Paralluelo ready to pounce, getting a little kick for her troubles.
The referee books Charles for dissent.
86 mins: Graham departs, Pina on.
It is hammering it down in west London.
84 mins: Kirby, Bright and Perisset are coming on. The final throw of the dice from Hayes. Lawrence, Kaneryd and James off.
Bright up top to cause some chaos.
82 mins: Chelsea are battling to create a chance in the box but they are crowded out by yellow shirts.
80 mins: Stephen Holliday emails re the pen: “‘Bonmati runs into Lawrence and goes down.’
“I think that’s a bit unfair - the Barca player gets a nudge from one Chelsea player (no pen in isolation) into another Chelsea player who tangle legs (possibly no pen in isolation). But you put the two together and I think it’s a clear penalty. Unfortunate of course but a penalty nonetheless.”
78 mins: Bjorn Isaksson emails: “I am not sure it was not an offensive change, to take out Batllle who have had a hard time dealing with Kaneryd. I think it was more defensive, putting Rolfö in the defense to stop Kaneryd rather than getting one more offensive player on the pitch. Rolfö have been very good defensively since she was put and Barca have gone through two left backs that have not been better than Rolfö during that time.”
76 mins: Two very very very soft decisions look like they will be decisive. Not a great one for the ref.
Beever-Jones is coming on for Chelsea. Leopolz off.
GOAL! Chelsea 0-2 Barcelona (Rolfo, pen, 75) agg 1-2
Rolfo does the honours.
73 mins: It’s all a bit soft. Bonmati runs into Lawrence and goes down. VAR are checking but I wouldn’t hold out much hope. It is not a penalty for me.
73 mins: PENALTY TO BARCELONA.
72 mins: Bonmati is fouled by Cuthbert and the Spaniard asks for a yellow, which is not forthcoming. The referee should actually, according to the rules, book Bonmati but fails to do so.
Barcelona are having all the ball.
70 mins: Hampton needs to race 30 yards out of her goal to clear, just beating Paralluelo to the ball.
39,398 in attendance at Stamford Bridge, a record for Chelsea.
68 mins: Kaneryd shows her pace once more to reach a Cuthbert pass, cutting in onto her left foot and shooting but her effort from 17 yards is straight at the goalkeeper who holds on.
Batlle exits, Caldentey arrives. It is an attacking change.
66 mins: Among the complaints about VAR, why can the referee not be offered the chance to see the monitor for such an important decision in a big game? Such a stupid system poorly implemented.
The ref’s poor decision looks like it could ruin this match as Barcelona are in complete control.
Hampton makes a smart save to stop Batlle giving Barcelona the lead in the tie.
64 mins: Macario is off, Reiten on. Chelsea playing 4-4-1 with James alone up top.
Hampton has made a miraculous recovery.
62 mins: I am suspicious that Hayes will be raging about the red card. The fourth official might want to put some ear defenders on.
Barcelona will love the extra space. Paralluelo almost immediately takes advantage of having the extra player but she heads Rolfo’s cross just over.
Hampton has sat on the floor to get some pretend treatment so Hayes can get the players over to the touchline to offer some instructions.
They keep showing the challenge for the second yellow and I am not even sure it is a foul.
RED CARD! Buchanan (Chelsea)
60 mins: Buchanan cannot believe it. She is handed a second yellow after a block tackle on Patri. It is not a yellow for me. A big call from the referee.
57 mins: OFF THE POST! Lawrence gets to the byline on the left and pulls the ball back for Nusken to shoot but her effort hits the base of the post and goes wide.
55 mins: Kaneryd is looking dangerous down the right against Batlle, who cannot cope with the Swede’s pace. Maybe Chelsea can try to target the Barcelona full-back.
53 mins: The referee evens things up by penalising Bonmati for a kick on Macario but this one is definitely a foul. Chelsea lump the resulting set-piece into the box but it comes to nothing.
51 mins: Barcelona are looking very lively at the moment. They seem to think a second goal will deflate Chelsea. The Blues need to increase their intensity.
The referee gives a free-kick to Barcelona for a foul by Macario on Walsh but it looks a bad decision, leaving the striker fuming.
49 mins: Some chaos in the Chelsea box; a mix of late challenges and blocked shots but the hosts survive the scare.
47 mins: Kaneryd and James combine well on the right to release the winger, who sends a teasing cross into the box but Coll claims.
“Enjoying your coverage of the game. It’s been a bit scrappy but very interesting - that’s the game not your coverage ...
“Chelsea need to get Kirby or Reiten on, to provide more threat, instead of the ineffectual Nusken. Whereas Barca can bring on Putellas who will likely turn things in their favour.”
Cheers Gordon. Plenty of scrappy coverage to come.
Second half
Here we go again!
There is currently a Premier League taking place, too.
Half time: Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona (agg 1-1)
Bonmati’s deflected strike is the difference at the break but Chelsea have shown signs of promise since conceding. It should be an intriguing second half.
45 mins: Rolfo has a chance from distance but her shot flies a few yards wide of Hampton’s goal.
Three minutes added on.
44 mins: Graham takes aim from around 25 yards but her shot is deflected off Buchanan’s thigh and loops over the bar. The corner comes to nothing.
Hayes does not look too happy about life at the moment.
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