Thank you very much for joining me.
Here is Suzanne Wrack’s report.
Hayes is speaking to the team in a huddle on the pitch. Every looks, understandably, pretty upset.
The Chelsea fans are booing. They do not seem happy with the end result.
The boos are halted to give Hayes a big cheer.
Updated
Barcelona are having the time of their lives on the pitch.
Full time: Chelsea 0-2 Barcelona (agg 1-2)
Barcelona were the better team overall at Stamford Bridge but they were helped by a couple of generous refereeing decisions to help them make the Champions League final.
90+4 mins: Engen is penalised for a handball, despite the ball making no contact with her hand, giving Chelsea a free-kick around 30 yards from goal. Perisset lifts it into the box, Beevor-Jones goes down, leading to calls for a penalty but there is nothing in it.
90+2 mins: Pina sends a cross into the six-yard box but Chelsea scramble it away.
When Chelsea do win the ball back, they are immediately looking for Bright.
Bonmati is on the deck and says she needs to go off. This is pure timewasting. The referee needlessly stops the game. Putellas comes on.
90 mins: Barcelona are knocking the ball around to run down the clock.
Six minutes added on …
89 mins: Bright wins the ball and goes through Engen for good measure. The Barcelona defender lies down to kill some time.
88 mins: Hampton does well to come and claim with Paralluelo ready to pounce, getting a little kick for her troubles.
The referee books Charles for dissent.
86 mins: Graham departs, Pina on.
It is hammering it down in west London.
84 mins: Kirby, Bright and Perisset are coming on. The final throw of the dice from Hayes. Lawrence, Kaneryd and James off.
Bright up top to cause some chaos.
82 mins: Chelsea are battling to create a chance in the box but they are crowded out by yellow shirts.
80 mins: Stephen Holliday emails re the pen: “‘Bonmati runs into Lawrence and goes down.’
“I think that’s a bit unfair - the Barca player gets a nudge from one Chelsea player (no pen in isolation) into another Chelsea player who tangle legs (possibly no pen in isolation). But you put the two together and I think it’s a clear penalty. Unfortunate of course but a penalty nonetheless.”
78 mins: Bjorn Isaksson emails: “I am not sure it was not an offensive change, to take out Batllle who have had a hard time dealing with Kaneryd. I think it was more defensive, putting Rolfö in the defense to stop Kaneryd rather than getting one more offensive player on the pitch. Rolfö have been very good defensively since she was put and Barca have gone through two left backs that have not been better than Rolfö during that time.”
76 mins: Two very very very soft decisions look like they will be decisive. Not a great one for the ref.
Beever-Jones is coming on for Chelsea. Leopolz off.
GOAL! Chelsea 0-2 Barcelona (Rolfo, pen, 75) agg 1-2
Rolfo does the honours.
Updated
73 mins: It’s all a bit soft. Bonmati runs into Lawrence and goes down. VAR are checking but I wouldn’t hold out much hope. It is not a penalty for me.
73 mins: PENALTY TO BARCELONA.
72 mins: Bonmati is fouled by Cuthbert and the Spaniard asks for a yellow, which is not forthcoming. The referee should actually, according to the rules, book Bonmati but fails to do so.
Barcelona are having all the ball.
70 mins: Hampton needs to race 30 yards out of her goal to clear, just beating Paralluelo to the ball.
39,398 in attendance at Stamford Bridge, a record for Chelsea.
68 mins: Kaneryd shows her pace once more to reach a Cuthbert pass, cutting in onto her left foot and shooting but her effort from 17 yards is straight at the goalkeeper who holds on.
Batlle exits, Caldentey arrives. It is an attacking change.
66 mins: Among the complaints about VAR, why can the referee not be offered the chance to see the monitor for such an important decision in a big game? Such a stupid system poorly implemented.
The ref’s poor decision looks like it could ruin this match as Barcelona are in complete control.
Hampton makes a smart save to stop Batlle giving Barcelona the lead in the tie.
64 mins: Macario is off, Reiten on. Chelsea playing 4-4-1 with James alone up top.
Hampton has made a miraculous recovery.
62 mins: I am suspicious that Hayes will be raging about the red card. The fourth official might want to put some ear defenders on.
Barcelona will love the extra space. Paralluelo almost immediately takes advantage of having the extra player but she heads Rolfo’s cross just over.
Hampton has sat on the floor to get some pretend treatment so Hayes can get the players over to the touchline to offer some instructions.
They keep showing the challenge for the second yellow and I am not even sure it is a foul.
RED CARD! Buchanan (Chelsea)
60 mins: Buchanan cannot believe it. She is handed a second yellow after a block tackle on Patri. It is not a yellow for me. A big call from the referee.
Updated
57 mins: OFF THE POST! Lawrence gets to the byline on the left and pulls the ball back for Nusken to shoot but her effort hits the base of the post and goes wide.
55 mins: Kaneryd is looking dangerous down the right against Batlle, who cannot cope with the Swede’s pace. Maybe Chelsea can try to target the Barcelona full-back.
53 mins: The referee evens things up by penalising Bonmati for a kick on Macario but this one is definitely a foul. Chelsea lump the resulting set-piece into the box but it comes to nothing.
51 mins: Barcelona are looking very lively at the moment. They seem to think a second goal will deflate Chelsea. The Blues need to increase their intensity.
The referee gives a free-kick to Barcelona for a foul by Macario on Walsh but it looks a bad decision, leaving the striker fuming.
49 mins: Some chaos in the Chelsea box; a mix of late challenges and blocked shots but the hosts survive the scare.
47 mins: Kaneryd and James combine well on the right to release the winger, who sends a teasing cross into the box but Coll claims.
“Enjoying your coverage of the game. It’s been a bit scrappy but very interesting - that’s the game not your coverage ...
“Chelsea need to get Kirby or Reiten on, to provide more threat, instead of the ineffectual Nusken. Whereas Barca can bring on Putellas who will likely turn things in their favour.”
Cheers Gordon. Plenty of scrappy coverage to come.
Second half
Here we go again!
There is currently a Premier League taking place, too.
Half time: Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona (agg 1-1)
Bonmati’s deflected strike is the difference at the break but Chelsea have shown signs of promise since conceding. It should be an intriguing second half.
Updated
45 mins: Rolfo has a chance from distance but her shot flies a few yards wide of Hampton’s goal.
Three minutes added on.
44 mins: Graham takes aim from around 25 yards but her shot is deflected off Buchanan’s thigh and loops over the bar. The corner comes to nothing.
Hayes does not look too happy about life at the moment.
42 mins: The delay has taken most of the tempo out of the game.
40 mins: Chelsea are looking lively in the final third at the moment.
Paredes is being treated in the Barcelona box, so we have a little delay.
38 mins: An atrocious backpass is intercepted by Leupolz and she is through goal but decides to pull the ball back to James who completely misses her shot.
The referee gets in the way of Leupolz just outside the Barcelona box and the home fans are not happy. Hayes is having a word with the fourth official for good measure.
Gordon gets in touch to say: “Chelsea letting Barca play in the middle third - they are not pressing them like last week. Looks a difficult game for Chelsea now.”
36 mins: Macario plucks the ball out of the sky, takes a touch and volleys from 20 yards but Coll moves quickly across her line to palm clear.
34 mins: Kaneryd latches onto her pass down the right but her cross is easily caught by Coll.
32 mins: Leupolz hits the bar with pretty much an open goal in front of her after James’s cutback. I am not completely sure how she’s missed it.
Updated
30 mins: Graham gets to the byline and pulls the ball back for Paralluelo but Cuthbert slides in to force a corner.
Hampton fails to deal with the corner and there is a touch of pinball before the goalkeeper reclaims possession.
28 mins: Bonmati is now down after getting the ball kicked into her face. Her nose is a touch bloody and is being wiped down.
GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Barcelona (Bonmati 25) agg 1-1
The midfielder receives the ball on the edge of the box, gets it out of her feet and takes aim, before watching the shot take a deflection off Buchanan and find the corner.
Updated
24 mins: It is hard work out there for Chelsea with Barcelona dominating possession. Charles battles with Graham in the box and wins the ball back for Chelsea before clearing.
22 mins: Barcelona win a corner on the left. It is taken short and Chelsea clear at the front post.
Hampton is the first goalkeeper to be tested, saving a down to her right from a Graham shot hit from the edge of the box.
20 mins: Chelsea’s plan to get out mainly involves finding James with a direct pass and hope the striker has the pace to do some damage. James reaches a pass down the left and makes it to the box but is forced to turnaround.
18 mins: Chelsea fail to clear the ball to give Barcelona a sniff of a chance but the Blues regroup and get rid.
16 mins: Chelsea enjoy a decent spell of possession but it concludes with a dreadful shot from Cuthbert which ends up in row Z.
14 mins: Hampton takes a little too long to clear a backpass and just about gets away with it as Paralluelo chases her down.
12 mins: Barcelona are looking pretty slick in possession. It could be a tricky evening at Stamford Bridge for the Blues but they are keeping the visitors are bay for now.
10 mins: Bronze lifts a great cross into the box but Patri’s touch is a poor one and the ball bounces out of play.
8 mins: Chelsea are being given little to no room to work in, resulting in Buchanan sending an aimless ball over the top that reaches no one in blue.
Carter crashes into the hoardings after giving away a corner. She looks to have hurt her elbow but gets back to her feet.
6 mins: It is a full house at Stamford Bridge. They are watching a comfortable Barcelona team knock the ball about without threatening the Chelsea defence.
Updated
4 mins: Chelsea are moving the ball quickly and Macario looks to find James with a through ball but she puts a little too much on the pass.
2 mins: It’s been an intense start from both teams. Barcelona are not giving Chelsea a second on the ball, who are doing their best to knock it about.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
Gordon emails: “Looking forward to this big occasion at a sold-out Stamford Bridge. Regarding the starters, I think Barca are going to play Batlle and Rolfo on their left, looking to exploit Kaneryd defensively. Ramirez a big miss for Chelsea, her hold-up play in the first leg was excellent, I presume she is injured.”
The players are on their way …
Emma Hayes: “You have to try to make it like any other game. You can’t build things up too much, it takes too much energy away from what you have to do on the pitch.”
Why not just wear the shirt?
Look forward to the other semi.
Suzanne Wrack previews the match.
Starting lineups
Chelsea: Hampton, Lawrence, Carter, Buchanan, Charles, Cuthbert, Leupolz, Nusken, James, Kaneryd, Macario
Subs: Musovic, Bright, Ingle, Reiten, Kirby, Perisset, Mjelde, Cankovic, Beever-Jones, Bjorn
Barcelona: Cata Coll, Paredes, Paralluelo, Graham, Patri, Bonmati, Bronze, Rolfo, Walsh, Batlle, Engen
Subs: Panos, Gemma, Jana, Pina, Marta, Mariona, Alexia, Bruna. Brugts, Vicky, Martina
Hello
Chelsea are halfway there after winning the first leg 1-0 away in Catalonia but Barcelona have the quality to turn this around. They have made a mockery of the Spanish league, dropping two points all season, scoring 106 goals in 24 matches, so notching a couple at Stamford Bridge is not exactly impossible.
Emma Hayes is desperate to finish her tenure as Chelsea manager with the Champions League and the players know it. This is rapidly becoming the most important trophy in west London and the team will be eager to get the job done.
Let’s hope for a cracker.
Kick-off: 5.30pm BST.
