Tranmerekat on Tour: Rinse and Defeat

Chelsea Women host Barcelona Femeni in the UWCL Semi Final Second Leg at Stamford Bridge

The Blues host the Garnet and Blue in a repeat of the two previous Champions League Semi Finals. Getting boring now. We were here last year to see the Blues lose having come back from the away leg with a narrow lead. That’s not the case this year. They got battered in Spain and got a late consolation to make it 4-1. A big ask to get anything today. They have to play it as a one off and just try to win it. Sonia got it horribly wrong in Barcelona and needs to do something very different tonight. The Blues squad is missing LJ who was injured on international duty. Sam Kerr is nearly back but not quite ready yet. Natalie Bjorn was injured in the away leg on 81 minutes. The 3rd goal came straight after that change which unfortunately had to happen when defending a corner. The line ups are out. Hannah is in goal with Millie and Naomi G in front. Naimh is left back opposite Lucy on the right. In the middle are Erin, Kiera and Sjoeke. Sandie, JRK and Mayra are up front. Guru is on the bench having played 30 minutes in the away leg. The Garnet and Blue have the last 2 Ballon D’Or winners on the pitch. The core of the team is still Spanish but some of the pace on the wings come from elsewhere in the the shape of CGH and Rolfo. Are they wingers or whingers, we’ll see later. Last year there were loads of Barca shirts in the Shed. This time we are in the West Stand and the stewards were stopping away fans outside and sending them back to the ticket office. The sun is shining but we’re in the shade. Bet it’s toasty in the East Stand. We didn’t see Basil outside. He will make his presence known when the match starts. We have clackers so will be joining Basil in the percussion section today 🥁.

The Spanish champions are on it from the whistle with Aitana and Alexia getting early chances. The Blues pick themselves up a bit and it gets scrapy and broken up for a while. It’s Chelsea’s turn to get a couple of chances but Sandy misses and Sjoeke’s shot is saved. It’s 25 minutes played when Aitana picks the ball up in her own half. The Chelsea defence are out of shape and she runs clean through them to smash it past Hannah from inside the box. Knife through butter springs to mind. Or maybe it’s plant based spread these days. 0-1. Need to stop that happening again. The Chels need 4 goals to level it now. The Blues keep their heads up and get a flurry of corners and chances. It’s Sandy with the chances, forcing a block and a save. It’s soon all over for the Blues as Payor puts in a CGH cross from close range on 41. 0-2. Pina hits a long curling shot from wide. Hannah looks like she leaves it but it curls into the top corner. Hannah’s third touch of the ball is to pick it out of the net again. There is another bunch of chances to extend the lead with shots from Pina (saved) and Batlle (blocked). Chelsea are trying to press but are far too sloppy in possession. They really need to be clinical with every chance but that’s not happened yet. First half is over. 7-1. Playing for pride in the 2nd half.

Sonia makes two changes at the break. Aggie replaces Mayra up front. Ashley Lawrence replaces Naomi and slots in at left back with Niamh moving across to centre back. It’s scrappy for a while but neither side able to control the ball for long. Chelsea get a couple of chances. Sandy comes very close but it’s just wide and Sjoeke blazes over. Not clinical enough at all. Sonia makes some more changes on the hour mark. Nothing to lose now. Kaptein replaces Baltimore and Kat Merario replaces Erin Cuthbert. Not sure who is playing where now. Barca make some changes too. CGH goes off (hooray) to be replaced by Paralluelo (oops). Also leaving the pitch are Parades and Pina and coming on are Fernandez and Brughts. The changes seem to disrupt the Spaniards and Chelsea get the upper hand for a while. Kat misses (again) and JRK’s shot is blocked. A couple of corners result in a good header for Nusken but it’s saved. Can’t afford to not take these chances. It now slows down with neither team able to do anything with the ball. Hermano replaces JRK who hasn’t been at her best. At 75 minutes it all goes a bit mad. Alexia starts it with a miss. Nushen has a shot saved then Lucy misses. It’s Parallelo up next but somehow Hannah manages to make the save. It’s still end to end as Lopez has her shot blocked just after she comes on for Pajor. Hermano takes her turn but shoots over. Selma Paralluelo sees another great shot scrambled away by Hannah. The chances come for Chelsea again as Aggie gets her head on a corner but it misses the target. Lucy’s shot is saved. Millie’s is blocked and Kat misses a sitter🤦🏼‍♀️. Not her first. She needs to find her shooting boots quickly 👢. The clock hits 90 as Paralluelo finally gets her goal. It was coming, she‘s been a real handful. The consolation finally comes on 90+1 as Kaptein puts it past Cata Coll into the top corner ⚽. We celebrate like it’s a winner. All over. 8-2 on aggregate.

Well that was awful. A carbon copy of the away leg. Barcelona are good but Chelsea didn't even step up until the very end. Not sure why the same tactics were supposed to work today when they failed so badly last weekend. Emma tried to out Barca Barca with a high pressing game and it worked a treat in the first leg. Barca figured it out, changed tactics and won the home leg and the tie. Barca adapted to the Chelsea press by playing long before and it worked again today. It’s made worse by the fact that Arsenal overcame their home leg deficit to beat Lyon away. A Barca v Arsenal final will sting the Blues even more. We aren’t going though, so good luck to the Gunners, hope you can get it done in Lisbon. Enough moaning about the game, it’s always nice to be at the Bridge even though we didn’t see Basil. That’s our Champions League fun over for this season. We’re already looking forward to some group games on freezing nights in North and West London.

POTM: is difficult due to the totally lacklustre performance in which no-one really did themselves proud. It goes to the person who created one of the standout moments. It was a Milliedozer sliding tackle. Nothing like a bit of petulant thuggery to get a cheer from the crowd. Thanks Millie.

The following may contain moaning👇🏼

Ref: Refs always seem to be frightened of the reputation of Barca and so are afraid of giving controversial decisions against them. Hence they get away with everything. It’s the opposite for Chelsea who are not allowed to touch the Barca players at all. The same effect happens is the WSL when ‘lower’ teams play Chelsea. No ref wants to stick their head above the parapet and be the one who ends the 20 game unbeaten run. Also inconsistent with the rules when she stopped the match for a head injury while Chelsea were in possession, then she gave the drop ball to Barca. QED.

Basil watch: No sign of him, before, during or after the game. Very sensible but hope he is OK.

The Scan’O’meter had a day off but will be pleased to hear that all bottles and top were allowed in.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾