Chelsea boss Emma Hayes claimed Barcelona benefited from the “worst decision in Women’s Champions League history” as the defending champions reached the final with a controversial 2-0 win on Saturday.
Trailing 1-0 from the semifinal first leg, Jonatan Giraldez’s side took the lead through Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s Kadeisha Buchanan was sent off in the second half for a contentious second booking. And Fridolina Rolfo wrapped up Barcelona’s 2-1 aggregate victory with a debatable penalty.
In the final in Bilbao on May 25, Barca will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Lyon, which meet in the second leg of their semi-final on Sunday with Lyon holding a 3-2 lead.
It will be Barca’s fourth successive final berth as it looks to lift the trophy for the third time.
Hayes was furious with the decisions that went against her side, saying: “The second half we were coming on top. Then when you get such a shocking officiating decision, there’s nothing you can do about it.
“It’s hard when you’ve got 11. When you’ve got 10 it’s virtually impossible.
“Even the Barca players said they knew the referee was helpful for them. I didn’t think it was a foul, let alone a yellow card.
“I was surprised when I saw the referee selected. She’s famous for easy cards. I think that’s probably the worst decision in Women’s Champions League history.”
Chelsea’s first-leg victory last week is the only defeat Barca has suffered this season, ending the club’s five-year unbeaten record on home turf.
Hayes, who leaves to take charge of the U.S. women’s national team at the end of this season, said Chelsea would have to produce a perfect display to overcome “the best team in the world” again in the rematch.
Chelsea was unable to rise to the challenge and their wait for a first Champions League crown goes on.
It has now lost to Barca in successive Champions League semifinals after being beaten by the Spanish club in the 2021 final.
“We are very happy. We deserved the victory. The first leg we were not better than the opponent. Today we created more clear chances,” Giraldez said. “The connection with the players is amazing. I’m proud of them. I’m really happy to get another final. It’s special.”
Bonmati fired an early warning shot that Hannah Hampton dived to her right to save.
It was a threat that Chelsea failed to heed and Bonmati punished the Blues to open the scoring in the 25th minute.
Conceding possession in sloppy fashion, Chelsea was unable to stop Bonmati, who cleverly side-stepped Niamh Charles on the edge of the area before unloading a fierce strike that deflected in off Buchanan.
Hayes’ side should have leveled when Sjoeke Nusken lunged for a shot that cannoned back off the post early in the second half.
To her intense frustration, Buchanan received her marching orders in the 59th minute after a challenge on Patri Guijarro that appeared to take the ball but was deemed worthy of a second yellow card.
Barca delivered the knockout blow in the 75th minute when Bonmati was fouled in the area by Jess Carter and Ashley Lawrence.
Once again, Chelsea complained vehemently but Rolfo stepped up to send Hampton the wrong way with a composed spot-kick as Barca wrapped up another final appearance.
smg/nr
© Agence France-Presse
I haven’t watched this game but EMMA HAYES is beginning to get on my nerves.
First she was in the news for attacking ‘physically the coach of Chelsea for rightfully protecting his players from ‘cheating’ that HAYES team initiated. I have not heard one apology from her about this unfortunate incident she created during the handshake, but instead wrongfully stays behind her comment of ‘male aggression’. Now we have another incident after she loses blaming a referee call on her team’s loss. WOW, where have I heard this complaint before….”She’s famous for easy cards”….BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. She may be right on the characterization of this ref, WHO KNOWS, but this ‘blowbag’ has again acted up after a loss to a team who likewise beat her last year…Go figure….
Frank, this was not a “soft” yellow card. It may have been a careless tackle but definitely not reckless. I would not have called it a foul at all.
Gambling is ruining professional sports.
It was a “Step-On-Foot” Follow-Thru, as Buchanan was attempting to Block the Outside of Toe Flick that Opponent was Performing… Very Unfortunate that she “Stomped” on the Opponents Toenail… Might have Damaged the Polish… Buchanan DID Actually Contact the Ball, before Stomping on the Toe Nails… So, I don’t think it was a Yellow Card, Especially a 2nd Yellow… And Where the Heck was the VAR.!?!?!?… Should have Over-Ruled the Center Ref.!!!
This is something that The Refs have REALLY been Enforcing this Season… But, A Ref or VAR that has some Clue in “Playing The Game” would know the Difference between Intentional STOMP and Feet coming together in a Tackle.
Santi have noticed how often players step on each others feet during the game…that used to be so rare and now it happens about every 15min or mid even
Not sure, if More than Previous, But, it’s Got to hurt, especially with the Thin Ballerina Slippers that they wear Nowadays
Santi, I can’t figure it out. You know I can’t remember ever stepping on a players foot ,but today it’s like happening so often..
Just during Corner Kicks.!!!!… Hahaha
With respect Santiago1314, your comment regarding, “…where was the VAR….”, is moot”…. Pursuant to the VAR Protocol, within the IFAB Laws of the Game, there are four reasons whereby the referee will engage the VAR, which I have quoted directly…. Please take note of “c”:
a. Goal/no goal
b. Penalty/no penalty
c. Direct red card (not second yellow card/caution)
d. Mistaken identity (when the referee cautions or sends off the wrong player of the offending team)
Based on the dialogue with the others in this thread, would you not agree that a second yellow in a match should consider a review if warranted? The impact of this call is obvious!
Finally, your comment does not require misogynist verbiage to be effective… as in “Might have Damaged the Polish”
Oh Ref… Lighten Up … I guess you Never Lost Toenails to being Stepped On, by the Opponent… I still got a Couple that never Grew Back Properly, And I can Never get the Right Shade of Polish to Cover up the Blackness Underneath.!!! 😉😆
oRef… Definitely agree that a 2nd Yellow, that leads to a Red Card, should be Reviewable by VAR;
What was IFAB thinking.!?!?!?
The Consequences are the Same to the Game.!!!
ohreferee, I haven’t met Santi, and don’t want to know his identity, but my impression is that his “curmudgeon” personality is feigned for humor and role-playing.
While he talks like the ultimate pragmatist he also has a romantic streak in love with the beautiful game.
Definitely into “Role Playing”… 😉😆😂🤣😭… Hahaha
I thought the pen for the second goal was a non-foul. Bonmati’s right leg kicks the defender and she goes down–not a foul. Very clear in the replay, I can understand the ref whistling it but that’s what VAR is supposed to be for, no? Chelsea still second best on the day and Hayes–understandably bitter since it’s 2 years in a row they lose to Barca in the semis–should be more circumspect. And shame on clever Bonmati for the dive.
The Collision of Legs, was Caused by the PUSH in the Back by #7, Carter … She Pushed Bonmati, into the Legs of Lawrence…
The Foul was probably called on #7. I guess the VAR Audio Tape would clear that Up.
R2; Take it from Someone who was the Master of “Kicking Out” the Leg to Draw a PK.(Even unscrupulous Enough to Teach the Kids how to Do it)… Bonmati Did NOT, “Kick Out” to Create Contact… She was in Normal Running Motion, and Tried to Continue Normal Running Motion when Pushed into the 2nd Defender… I’m pretty Sure that it was the 1st Foul and Not the 2nd one that was “The Call”
Bob, there are calls by refs all the time that are of a disputed nature…that’s nothing new in soccer..it is what it is. The problem I have is with Emma Hayes and her behavior…
I don’t care for whining either, but I try not to let that distract me. It was a game-changing bad call.
Agreed, though, I thought Farça was going to Score at some point, and the Game would go to OT probably PKs… Chelsea was Without #1 Forward Ramirez, and James was Not 100% and had to be Subbed out… Marcario Started at the #10, and did a Respectable Job … The PK, WAS A PK … But, would they have gotten thru playing against 11.???
Emma needs to Look in the Mirror as to why they Lost…
She got Out-Foxed by the other Coach…(How can this guy, be Available to Coach D.C., but Not the USA.???)… I refresh your Memory…
Santiago1314 says:
April 22, 2024 at 4:32 pm
Bob; Very Interesting that you say this:
“horizontal passes to “build out of the back” is bad soccer.”
One of the things that Really Hampered the Farca Tiki-Taka in this game was, the way they were almost Always playing SQUARE and to the Right in this Game…
All 4 of their Defenders are Right Footed, and so they Tended to always play to their Right..
Emma had clearly Scouted this… as she Sprang a “Trap” every time the ball went out to the #22 Right fullback for Farca… Forcing Turnovers in the defensive third or more Back Passing to the GK…
Farca could not get a Rhythm going out of the Back.
Santi, right footed defenders have habit of passing more to their left than to their right, especially when facing downfield
Nah, Right Footed Center backs pass to their Right. If you have a defender in front of you, you don’t want to expose the Ball, to the “Box” between you and him, by Passing across your Body and His…
You are both correct of course.
When facing upfield, they typically pass to the left.
Under pressure from the front they keep the ball on their right foot so they turn and face right. So under pressure they typically pass to the right.
Tactically slow CBs are not going to pass before the pressure comes to them.
Santi, if you’re dribbling straight up with the ball ,rightfooted and you have no pressure but plenty of space and time then yes it wil go usually to the right but if slightly pressured than trying to pass to right requires an extra step and slight turn with body to pass to the right. But is I play with 2centerbacks ,which I will never do, the left centerback will be leftfooted for cross passes to the right and vice versa…this requires less time….
If you’re midfield has two left footed players, left and centermid, then the right flank tend tend to get the ball more….This is why you always need a leftfooted left half and a rightfooted centermid….
if pressured somewhat it will go to more towards left of center…If rightfooted
Guys…. Just watch the Difference between Tim Ream, Left Foot-Foot Centerback and Right Foot-Left Centerback Richards… When Ream makes a Pass, he doesn’t Play the Ball INSIDED, with his Left Foot… He plays it Outside, with the Inside of his Left Foot. (Agree, that it does Require an extra Step, for Adjustment of Body) … But almost ZERO Centerbacks nowadays MOVE-Up as they are Passing… They are Stationary … Knock it off to a Wingback or #6 and JOB DONE.!!! They don’t even Want the Ball Back.!!!! … So, It’s SQUARE and SAFE.!!! .. Passing off in Plenty of time to avoid Turnovers… I think if we ALL had it our way, we would see a bunch of Beckenbauers Rampaging up the Field and Using THE OUTSIDE OF THE FOOT FLICK to Pass to their Right… (Did Beckenbauer ever use his Left-Foot for anything but Standing on it.!?!?!?)
The Farça Coach switched his WEAK RIGHT Defender #22, to the LEFT side and Brought in Lucy Bronze to play Rt. Back… What should have been Emma’s Counter-Move.???
(This is a TEST for your “A” Liscence.!!!){and Yes, I know the Answer… Who’s got a Guess ???}
Hint#1:
I posted this from the First Leg;
“Emma had clearly Scouted this… as she Sprang a “Trap” every time the ball went out to the #22 Right fullback for Farca… Forcing Turnovers in the defensive third or more Back Passing to the GK…
Farca could not get a Rhythm going out of the Back.”…
As a Coach, How would you Adjust your Tactics,???… if the Opposing Coach Moved their Weak-Link from Rt.Def, To Left Defense.???
OK,,, No one Biting..
Answer is…
Instead of having Your Forward; “Trap”(Cut the Field in Half) to Force Play to the Right… Do the Reverse and Force the Other Defenders to Play OUT-OF-The-Back to the LEFT… and into the Feet of the Weak Ball Handling #22… Thereby Disrupting the Flow of the Tiki-Taka, that Farca was Establishing on the Right with Bronze and Bonmati….
VERY SIMPLE Correction, that Emma DID NOT Make.!!!
As a player in those circumstances I would give the weak opponent on the weak side 15+ yards, until the instant that the pass was struck to him. When marking the strong player I would very closely mark them so that they would not receive a pass.
This way you force the first pass to go to the weak player regardless of which side they are on.
For really weak players, I would time my movement so that I was sprinting at them when they looked up to pass. Movement draws the eye. It a reflex action. 90 percent of the time they would kick the ball out of touch. The other 10 percent they would turn over the ball to a team mate.
Ordinarily I would not post something like that on line, but I expect every experienced adult player already knows this. I don’t think of it as an “A” license level of knowledge.
You are Exactly Correct Bob,
And that 15 yard Cushion, along with Cutting Field In-Half to the right, and Propensity of Right Footed Players to Pass to the Right Coming Out-of-the-Back; is exactly what Emma did to #22 in the 1st Game…
Why they didn’t adjust and Force Play to #22 at on her Even Weaker Positioning on the Left Side, AMAZED ME…(has me a Little Worried that Emma can’t “Coach-on-the-Fly”) … Also; Bringing in Bronze at Right Def, and having Bonmati, Drop more into Right-Positional “Pocket” in the Midfield was what DOOMED Emma.
By Forcing Play to #22, it would have Killed 2 Birds with One Stone… Forced play to Weaker Player on left and Kept ball away from Bonmati… Pretty Easy Correction, if that was the Game Plan in Game 1… Maybe Emma just got Lucky, didn’t even know what was Occurring in Game 1, as it may have been due to “Blind Luck” the way Farca “Stifled” Their Own Play by going thru #22 so much at Right Back… Either Way; It doesn’t Bode Well that Emma couldn’t Replicate Game 1 Success into fixing her “Bonmati” Problem in Game 2.
Frank, I was Very Impressed by Bonmati… She made Many Turns, Dribbles, Movements that Reminded me of Cruijff… See if you agree with me… Game is on uTube.
“#14” … cause she has First Name on Jersey… Aitana
Santi, you’re right she is a step above technically and confident above the others…I just watched very briefly. She doesn’t’ remind me of Cruyff at all for she basically distributes more in her actions rather than create attacks on her own or to others. She just looks for short passes, she reminds me more of Xavi…
Did you notice the back passes is so much of the Chelsea’s game, as compared to Barcelona whose intentions are allways to go forwards if possible.
Our new coach is not going to add anything to our women’s game, it will be a continuance of our style of play….Emma Hayes has nothing to offer , it will be the same ole, same ole way of playing….Chelsea has problem putting three passes to together…
I’m trying to put together a High-Lite Reel for you.
Interesting things I found on Line;…
“Seeing Aitana studying with us makes us especially excited. We have been working for years to get more women into our classrooms so that in the near future we will see more women in management positions” – Cristina Palés, marketing manager at Johan Cruyff Institute” (2022)
“Embark on a transformative 10-month journey with our Master in Sport Business, where you’ll dive deep into the core of sports management.”…
Maybe She can “Fix” the Mess that IS FARÇA.!!!
Santi, I’m glad she’s involved with the Cruyff foundation…The mess Farca is in is all about power and politics…Spain has a history of that….Franco….
Santi, what I mean is that Cruyff never stands still upon receiving the ball. The moment he receives the ball he’s on his next action…I don’t see that characteristic with her…Everything Cruyff does is tied in with motion to the next situation….His action radius is so much greater for he’s involved more with what happens next. She has no inkling of those things and you can see that by how she positions herself off the ball in the way she receives it…
The Back Passing Scares me, As we have a GK with almost Zero Foot Skill.
As for Bonmati,,, I just saw a Different Aspect to her game than I have seen before,,, Usually she just plays “Intra-Line” and Passes Off once she draws one of the Defenders Off: this Game, she would Dribble 3 or 4 Touches in one Direction and then Turn Back Circular and go back into the Space she came from… Using “Stutter” Motions, Turns and Decelerations that Reminded me of Cruijff… Not sure I have EVER seen a Woman, that can Turn that Quickly and Low to the Ground with, Outside of the Foot, using Powers of the Quads and Hamstrings…
Santi, I’m watching this game and what I’m seeing is one team plays soccer and the ohter doesn’t have a clue which is Emma Hayes team…She should be lucky that’s she able to play against Barcelona for Chelsea has difficulty stringing to passes together…..So much for our WNT playing decent soccer…Haye’s coaching wont add anything to it..
Yeah, Basically 3 Players that could do anything Technically, beyond a College Level(4 with the GK)… Cuthbert, James, Marcario…
At Least Emma was Realistic enough to Build a Bunker, and try to play for a Tie.
OH, I liked LAWRENCE also… But, Emma Stifled her, the way that USA Stifles Dunn, by Playing her as a Left Defender-Inverted Wing-Back.
I would have moved Lawrence over to the Right… Especially once we got behind… She is Clearly Good at the Turbo, and with her Natural Right Footed ability, she could have been the Break-Away Player that Chelsea needed to Counter and get a Goal via Assist/Cross from the Right Wing… Another Adjustment that Emma did NOT Make.