With domestic leagues starting to wind up across Europe and some teams edging closer to landing silverware in cup competitions, the main focus of the weekend was the first legs of the UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals.
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Barcelona crumble at home against Chelsea
Champions League holders and hot favourites to retain their crown this season, Barcelona were stopped in their tracks on Saturday by an impressive Chelsea team who came away from the semifinal first leg in Spain with a huge 1-0 win thanks to Erin Cuthbert‘s first-half goal.
Emma Hayes’ side leaned into every bit of their experience to tip the scales in their favour as their back five clogged up the final third and they pressed hard all around the pitch. But rather than rise to the occasion, Barça buckled to put in one of their worst performances in recent memory.
Barcelona had been unbeaten at home in five years, while the last time they failed to score was back in April 2022. But world-class stars like Caroline Graham Hansen and Keira Walsh went missing and Barça’s match was typified by Alexia Putellas‘ last-minute effort from the centre of the area, which the two-time Ballon d’Or winner somehow managed to slice…
