When at last the final whistle went and 72,262 people erupted, Barcelona’s anthem booming round the Camp Nou and at last taking the tension away, their players collapsed to the floor exhausted. Chelsea’s gathered in circle in the middle of the pitch; they had taken the team that can look untouchable to the edge, competing to the last, but it is the Catalans who made it through, a 1-1 draw on the night carrying them to a third consecutive Champions League final, their fourth in five seasons.
On the touchline, Emma Hayes could be proud of her side. Having defeated Lyon, another extraordinary feat was a step too far, Chelsea beaten by a very special team whose domestic record is the stuff of opponent’s nightmares: played 25, won 25, scored 105, conceded 5. One who had put five past Roma. They could only score one against Chelsea, able to get a draw where no one else could, Guro Reiten equalising Caroline Graham Hansen’s opener. The Norwegian’s first-leg goal at Stamford Bridge had, though, ultimately decided this.
