Chelsea have a mountain to climb if they are to make it to this year's UEFA Women's Champions Final after they were beaten 1-0 by Barcelona in the first leg of their semi-final tie on Saturday.
Emma Hayes made two changes to the side that narrowly beat Aston Villa to book a place in the FA Cup Final last time out, with Niamh Charles coming in for Lauren James and Ann-Katrin Berger - who made herself the hero in Chelsea's penalty shootout victory over Lyon in the quarter-finals - replacing Zecira Musovic in goal.
Barcelona dominated the opening exchanges at Stamford Bridge and were rewarded for their fearless start when Caroline Graham Hansen cut inside and rifled a stunning left-footed effort past Berger to fire Barcelona ahead inside four minutes. Chelsea rallied well, and Guro Reiten thought she had restored parity when she smartly dispatched Sam Kerr's perfectly weighted delivery into the back of the net after 25 minutes.
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Reiten's cool finish was swiftly chalked off for offside but the Norwegian remained Chelsea's most potent attacking threat, with a superb block from Lucy Bronze diverting her goal-bound effort to safety just minutes later.
Barcelona battled to extend their lead in the second half, with both Geyse and Marta Torrejon going close for the visitors. A dogged defensive display means Chelsea will have to overturn a 1-0 deficit if they are to reach a second Champions League Final in three years, and Emma Hayes will know her side must produce a much improved attacking display at Camp Nou.
Here, football.london takes a look at the four key talking points from Stamford Bridge.
History repeats itself
When Caroline Graham Hansen's stunning long-range effort rippled the back of the Chelsea net on Saturday afternoon, almost palpable groans of 'not again' echoed around Stamford Bridge.
It was an own goal from Melanie Leupolz that saw Barcelona take the lead after just 33 seconds in the 2021 Champions League Final. That moment inspired a first-half Chelsea capitulation in Gothenburg; the Blues having conceded a further three goals in the first 36 minutes to help Barcelona romp to their first-ever European trophy.
There was perhaps evidence that Chelsea have matured since that calamitous night in Sweden, with a resilient defensive display preventing the visitors from adding to their tally in West London. However, the Blues cannot afford to have another early lapse in concentration when they travel to Camp Nou on Thursday.
Mjelde and Eriksson impress again
Taking on Barcelona is a daunting prospect under any circumstances, but doing so without your first-choice centre-backs renders it a particularly arduous endeavour.
With Millie Bright and Kadeisha Buchanan both sidelined with injury, Maren Mjelde and captain Magda Eriksson were tasked with keeping the Catalans' ferocious attack at bay. The pair turned in an impressive display against Aston Villa last weekend and, after a slightly stormy start at Stamford Bridge, acquitted themselves well again on Saturday afternoon.
Both players made some vital interceptions amid an early onslaught of Barcelona pressure, with Mjelde making a goal-saving challenge on Graham Hansen as the Norwegian powered into Chelsea's penalty area before the break.
While the sight of Millie Bright on crutches on Saturday afternoon will not be a welcome one for Chelsea fans, Mjelde and Eriksson have shown they are capable deputies, and their performances have well and truly kept the Blues in the tie.
Kerr and Reiten
Against Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-finals, the dynamism of attacking duo Guro Reiten and Sam Kerr helped yield the most decisive moment of the game.
On that occasion, Reiten set up Kerr brilliantly to ensure Chelsea's passage to the Final at Wembley. And on Saturday afternoon the pair showed their class once again, linking up well as the Blues sought to find a leveller in the tie.
In the first half, Reiten had the ball in the back of the net after being played in by Kerr down the right-hand side, though Chelsea's joy was swiftly curtailed by the raising of the lineswoman's flag. The pair combined once again minutes later, with Kerr flicking the ball into Reiten's path before the Norwegian's goal-bound effort was smartly blocked by Lucy Bronze.
The duo's influence waned in the second half but, if Chelsea are to mount a second-leg comeback, Kerr and Reiten are almost certain to play a key part.
Lauren James the super sub?
There were a few raised eyebrows at Stamford Bridge when it emerged that Lauren James would be starting the game on the bench.
The 21-year-old has been in scintillating form this term - for both club and country - but was substituted after failing to really impose herself on last weekend's FA Cup semi-final tie.
With Chelsea seeking a route back into the game against Barcelona, Emma Hayes introduced James at half time. But, despite James creating the Blues' only real chance of the second half with a tame effort from distance, the England international failed to have the desired impact.
Certainly, Emma Hayes will hope that her prodigious young winger is more heavily involved in Thursday's clash in Catalonia.
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