In a repeat of 2020-21 final, Chelsea Women welcome Barcelona Women at Stamford in the first leg of the 2022/23 Women’s Champions League semifinal.
CHL-W vs BAR-W Match Details
Date: Saturday, 22 April 2023
Time: 12:30 (BST) / 17:00 (IST)
Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
CHL-W vs BAR-W Match Preview
It was a dramatic evening at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea triumphed 4-3 in a nail-biting penalty shootout against Lyon Women after Maren Mjelde scored a 128th-minute spot-kick in extra-time to rescue them in the first place. Carrying a 1-0 lead from France through a Guro Reiten’s strike, the Blues failed to resist Vanessa Gilles from levelling the aggregate score in the 77th minute. Substitute Sara Dabritz’s low shot in the extra time caused the visitors to lead the tie for the first time but then a controversial last-minute penalty was awarded for a trip on Lauren James and then the subsequent shootout knocked the holders of the competition out. That set a cracking semifinal tie with Barcelona whom they lost 4-0 in the Champions League final three years ago. Chelsea will like to make much of the opportunity at home to carry a strong result against last year’s finalist to Camp Nou. They could dream about something special having not lost their last three semifinal tie at home in the Champions League. The Blues are also hunting for a majestic treble this season, closely fighting the WSL title with Manchester United and setting a FA Cup final with them next month with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa Women last weekend.
Barcelona’s train kept on moving in the league with a 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid Femenino taking them to 75 points in Liga F from 25 games and over a century of goals scored. With another league title seemingly in the bag, the Catalan giants will be looking to add the Champions League once again to the cabinet having missed out last season losing 3-1 in the final to Lyon. Barcelona faced Roma Women in the quarterfinal stage and while the Italian side did manage to match the Spanish giants in the 1-0 defeat at Stadio Olimpico there were no hiccups at Camp Nou. Fridolina Rolfo scored twice in between a Mapi Leon screamer before Asisat Oshoala and Patricia Guijarro joined the party to claim a 5-1. The clinical nature of the side will be a big test for the opposition to stop them and the ability to keep clean sheets is another trait to watch out for. So far, Barcelona have been a formidable side in the competition losing only to Bayern Munich Women away. That was the only poor result endured by the visitors who have kept eight consecutive clean sheets on the travel in all competitions and will be confident to take something positive at Stamford Bridge.
Recent Form (all competitions)
CHL-W: WWDLW
BAR-W: WWWWW
Recent Form (Champions League)
CHL-W:
BAR-W: WWWWL
CHL-W vs BAR-W Team News
Chelsea are still without their first-choice center-back pairing Kadiesha Buchanan and Millie Bright so Maren Mjelde and Magdalena Eriksson will continue in their place. Fran Kirby is a long-term absentee. Ann-Katrin Berger will regain her spot as the number one as the only change coach Emma Hayes will make to the side that won against Aston Villa in the FA Cup semifinal. Pernille Harder recovered from her hamstring injury to feature on the bench last weekend, she could play some part this weekend if needed in this crucial clash.
Claudia Pina and Asisat Oshoala have shaken off their injury issues to make the travelling squad to London. Alexia Putellas is recovering from her ACL injury but the first leg comes too soon for her to feature for the first time this season being out for the long term. Lucy Bronze and Salma Paralluelo will come back into the starting eleven after being rested in the win against Atletico Madrid last weekend.
CHL-W vs BAR-W Predicted Lineups
CHL-W: Ann-Katrin Berger; Eve Perisset, Maren Mjelde, Magdalena Eriksson, Jessica Carter; Erin Cuthbert, Melanie Leupolz; Lauren James, Jelena Cankovic, Guro Reiten; Sam Kerr
BAR-W: Sandra Panos; Lucy Bronze, Irene Paredes, Mapi Leon, Fridolina Rolfo; Aitana Bonmati, Keira Walsh, Patricia Guijarro; Graham Hansen, Salma Paralluelo, Geyse
CHL-W vs BAR-W Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Berger (8)
DEF: Carter (8.5), Leon (8.5), Mjelde (8), Rolfo (9)
MID: Cuthbert (8.5), Bonmati (9), Reiten (9)
FW: James (8.5), Kerr (9), Geyse (8.5)
Vice-captain: Guro Reiten or Aitana Bonmati
Captain: Sam Kerr
