In the first leg, with a goal in the 4th minute of the Norwegian Caroline Graham Hansen, Barcelona had already dominated the Blues (1-0).

The Norwegian was still very much in legs on Thursday and multiplied the offensives in front of the goal of Chelsea and the 72,000 spectators of the Camp Nou.

After a counter led by Barça and Aitana Bonmati who fixed the Chelsea defense, Graham Hansen opened the scoring with a flat foot (64th).

But the Blues, who eliminated PSG in the quarter-finals, did not sink and quickly equalized (67th) despite a beautiful first parade of goalkeeper Sandra Panos. On Chelsea's second shot of the match, the other Norwegian Guro Reiten, followed well (67th).

As in the first leg, it was the two Norwegians who were the most prominent on Thursday night.

The first half was largely dominated by Barça, especially because of a very complicated start to the match for the Londoners. They had a lot of trouble building the game and getting the ball out.

FC Barcelona's Norwegian striker Caroline Hansen (r) opens the scoring against Chelsea, on April 27, 2023 at Camp Nou © LLUIS GENE / AFP

On the other hand, Jonatan Giraldez's players tried a lot, with 9 shots and 5 corners, without really worrying the Blues goalkeeper. A goal was disallowed for Barça, because of a hand (8th).

The bus greeted by a crowd of supporters

In the second half, the Barcelona women gradually faded, less and less impressive, and lacked impact.

Back on a match sheet for the 1st time since her serious injury in July 2022, Ballon d'Or Alexia Putellas, who had received a medical green light to play again, did not enter the field.

Barcelona's Salma Paralluelo (l) battles with Chelsea's Danish striker Pernille Harder, on April 27, 2023 at Camp Nou © LLUIS GENE / AFP

Barcelona also had to do without English defender Lucy Bronze out of injury in the first leg, hit in the right knee.

Before the match, the Catalanes bus was greeted by a crowd of fans outside the stadium, an image still rare in women's football.

In the other semi-final return next Monday, Arsenal will host Wolfsburg Wolfsburg at the Emirates Stadium, in front of more than 50,000 people (2-2 in the first leg).

The final will take place on 3 June in Eindhoven.

© 2023 AFP