There is simply no better team in the world of women’s football today than Barcelona. The reigning UEFA Women’s Champions League champions are still dominating the scene at home and abroad, and no one has yet figured out how to beat them.
Chelsea came very close last year at Camp Nou. In a smaller stadium, can we finally cross the finish line in the first leg of this Champions League semi-final?
Date hour : Saturday April 20, 2024, 12:30 GMT; 7:30 a.m. EDT; 6:00 p.m. IST
Place: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
Arbitrator: Stéphanie Frappart (FRA)
Forecast: Sunny and a gentle breeze
On TV: TNT Sports 2, DAZN1 (UK); none (UNITED STATES); somewhere else
Streaming: discovery+ (UK); DAZN (United States)
Barcelona team news: It’s hard to imagine how this is possible, but this year Barca have evolved further from last season’s form. In Liga F, they have a goal difference of +96 in 23 matches, with just one draw in that period.
In fact, Barca have yet to lose a match this season. Their last defeat dates back to May against Madrid CFF, in the last league match of the previous season.
To top it off, they have almost a clean slate in terms of injuries. The only absence is defender Mapi León, whose knee injury has kept her from playing since November.
Chelsea team news: Most teams in the world would celebrate a 3-0 league victory before a continental cup clash. But manager Emma Hayes demands very high standards, and the emphatic victory against Aston Villa last Wednesday – in which we could have scored more goals if we had been prepared to push – has still left some wanting more.
However, limiting our efforts against Villa could yield a positive result in Spain. Players like Ève Périsset and Melanie Leupolz received well-deserved rest, while attackers Guro Reiten, Mayra Ramírez and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd only played a few minutes.
Unlike Barça, we haven’t had much luck with injuries. Defenders Aniek Nouwen, Maren Mjelde, Millie Bright and Nathalie Björn, as well as attackers Mia Fishel and Sam Kerr, remain out of the running.
Previously: The Blues traveled to Camp Nou and put up a good fight against the eventual Champions League winners. The 1-1 draw ties a 22-game winning streak.
There is simply no better team in the world of women’s football today than Barcelona. The reigning UEFA Women’s Champions League champions are still dominating the scene at home and abroad, and no one has yet figured out how to beat them.
Chelsea came very close last year at Camp Nou. In a smaller stadium, can we finally cross the finish line in the first leg of this Champions League semi-final?
Date hour : Saturday April 20, 2024, 12:30 GMT; 7:30 a.m. EDT; 6:00 p.m. IST
Place: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
Arbitrator: Stéphanie Frappart (FRA)
Forecast: Sunny and a gentle breeze
On TV: TNT Sports 2, DAZN1 (UK); none (UNITED STATES); somewhere else
Streaming: discovery+ (UK); DAZN (United States)
Barcelona team news: It’s hard to imagine how this is possible, but this year Barca have evolved further from last season’s form. In Liga F, they have a goal difference of +96 in 23 matches, with just one draw in that period.
In fact, Barca have yet to lose a match this season. Their last defeat dates back to May against Madrid CFF, in the last league match of the previous season.
To top it off, they have almost a clean slate in terms of injuries. The only absence is defender Mapi León, whose knee injury has kept her from playing since November.
Chelsea team news: Most teams in the world would celebrate a 3-0 league victory before a continental cup clash. But manager Emma Hayes demands very high standards, and the emphatic victory against Aston Villa last Wednesday – in which we could have scored more goals if we had been prepared to push – has still left some wanting more.
However, limiting our efforts against Villa could yield a positive result in Spain. Players like Ève Périsset and Melanie Leupolz received well-deserved rest, while attackers Guro Reiten, Mayra Ramírez and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd only played a few minutes.
Unlike Barça, we haven’t had much luck with injuries. Defenders Aniek Nouwen, Maren Mjelde, Millie Bright and Nathalie Björn, as well as attackers Mia Fishel and Sam Kerr, remain out of the running.
Previously: The Blues traveled to Camp Nou and put up a good fight against the eventual Champions League winners. The 1-1 draw ties a 22-game winning streak.