Women’s Champions League semi-finals: Chelsea bid to avenge Barcelona defeat as Arsenal face Wolfsburg again | Football News

The first legs of the Women’s Champions League semi-finals are played this weekend as Chelsea host Barcelona at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon, while Arsenal are away to Wolfsburg on Sunday.

The English duo have faced their opponents before. Chelsea capitulated to a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Barcelona two years ago in their first Champions League final appearance.

Wolfsburg forced Arsenal to exit the competition at the quarter-final stage last season, having previously got the better of them in the competition 10 years ago.

But will the English clubs be able to supersede their European counterparts this time around?

Have Chelsea evolved since their Champions League final defeat to Barcelona?

There were many reasons why things did not work out the way Emma Hayes wanted them to in that infamous loss to Barcelona two years ago. From the early own goal scored by Melanie Leupolz to an inability to suppress Caroline Graham Hansen, it was clear the squad needed fortifying in several departments.

June came, and with it six summer signings assigned to fill the cavities in the squad. Eve Perisset and Kadeisha Buchanan slotted into defence, Jelena Cankovic and Katerina Svitkova acted as midfield back-ups, and the renaissance of Lauren James completed the transformation.

Chelsea finally had the squad to compete in the Champions League. However, they still needed to figure out the best system to compliment all the players, and Hayes has spent a large portion of this season doing that.

The 4-2-3-1 formation that utilises both full-backs on the wing and focuses on a more possession-based style of football has become the preferred way of playing. Ball-carriers like James and Guro Reiten have helped facilitate that in the absence of playmakers Fran Kirby and Pernille Harder.

Teams have found ways to combat it by targeting Chelsea’s central defenders, an area Hayes has been forced to fiddle with through injury absences.

It has meant the two midfield pivots, likely Erin Cuthbert and Leupolz, have played more unorthodox positions too.

Has it worked? Mostly. Will it work this weekend? Perhaps. For all of Chelsea’s depleted midfield creativity, they still have a Sam Kerr to bail them out.

They will need her and the rest of the Bridge to pull together ahead of a monstrous second leg in Spain next week.

How will injury absences impact the Blues’ defensive set-up?

The rumours suggesting Hayes will be without Millie Bright and Buchanan will not settle any nerves for Chelsea fans.

It means the brunt of the defensive duties will likely fall on Magda Eriksson, with Maren Mjelde joining her at the heart of the central defence. Perisset and Jess Carter will take up the full-back roles.

Niamh Charles can play slightly further upfield, funnelling possession to James and Reiten, while Leupolz and Cuthbert dig their heels into the midfield.

Chelsea’s approach will aim to cover the losses of the players who continue to watch from the sidelines.

Harder has only just been brought back into the fold after a substantial spell on the sidelines nursing a hamstring injury. At the same time, Kirby has been absent since mid-January.

Cankovic and Leupolz are still grappling with fitness issues, which has made it increasingly difficult for the Blues to bring a creative force to the centre of the pitch.

If Barca can close those pathways to Kerr with a high-pressing approach, it could become challenging for the hosts to see any action in the final third.

How can the hosts exploit Barcelona’s weaknesses?

In 25 matches during this domestic campaign, Jonatan Giraldez’s side have scored an astounding 105 goals, allowing just five, as they created a 13-point gap at the top of Liga F.

With Chelsea’s central defence needing more sturdiness, there is an increasing likelihood they might have to outscore their opponents if they are to come away from Stamford Bridge with an advantage.

Allowing James to play untethered in a shadow-striker role where she can dribble rampantly and connect with Kerr may be the best way of bringing that about.

Ann-Katrin Berger could also play a big part. The Germany international has kept three clean sheets in her five European appearances this term, helping Chelsea to the best record in this season’s Women’s Champions League (6).

She produced a mammoth performance against Lyon in the last round, saving Wendie Renard and Lindsey Horan’s penalties to secure her side’s progression to the semis.

Barcelona will be keen to test her from the game’s early moments. Whether it is Asisat Oshoala, who has scored 19 goals in the league and Europe this season, or Aitana Bonmati, Maria Leon and Fridolina Rolfo, there is an embarrassment of riches on hand for the Spanish side to torment Berger.

The good news for Berger is that the most problematic player might not be on the pitch. Alexia Putellas, the back-to-back Ballon d’Or Feminin winner, is in the final stages of her recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament tear and is doubtful to start on Saturday.

Will Arsenal have learned anything from last year’s exit?

Arsenal had no way to combat Jill Roord the last time they met Wolfsburg in March 2022. They might have narrowly succumbed to defeat in the first leg, but there was no escape from the cold reality they would again fall short at the second time asking.

Roord’s efforts, combined with an own goal from Leah Williamson, confirmed that. It is worth mentioning that, at the time, the Gunners were also missing Beth Mead and Lia Walti.

Sure, Eidevall’s side have spent the last five months or so performing well enough without their key starters, but they may need to remember just how harshly they were sentenced when they last squared up to Wolfsburg with a depleted attack.

There needed to be more creativity to help battle the swathes of opposition attack. However, lessening the load on the defence was an impossible task as Svenja Huth on the right wing drew Steph Catley out wide and left a big gap to exploit on countless occasions.

The brilliant Lena Oberdorf used that space more than once, delivering a series of threatening crosses to challenge the Arsenal defence. Finding a way to suppress her talents will be critical.

How will Arsenal’s depleted attack fare against Wolfsburg?

Wolfsburg got the better of Arsenal in the 2012/13 semi-finals, on their way to the first of two titles, and then again last year in the quarter-finals. Failing to overcome the German side twice has left the Gunners wanting in a few areas, compounded by the injury absences of Mead, Vivianne Miedema, Kim Little and Williamson.

If there is any respite for Arsenal, they have spent all season practising the art of winning while being short-staffed, and in parts it has worked. Combine that with the fact Catley and Caitlin Foord could both be back, then there is still plenty to be hopeful about.

There might be more good news too. Alexandra Popp and Marina Hegering, key cogs in the Wolfsburg attacking set-up, are doubtful to start on Sunday, while Lena Lattwein is definitely out until the end of the season with a broken collarbone.

It means we will likely see Wolfsburg set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Oberdorf and Huth as the midfield holders, while Jule Brand, Roord, Sveindis Jonsdottir and Ewa Pajor make up the attack.

Arsenal, meanwhile, will have to delve into their squad and will likely field a 4-3-3 system that sees Lotte Wubben-Moy pivot the back four.