Chelsea manager Emma Hayes said she had wanted her side to win by more after the Blues became the first team to win a competitive match at the Spanish giants since February 2019.
Erin Cuthbert’s sensational 40th-minute strike gave the visitors a 1-0 first-leg advantage in the Uefa Women’s Champions League semi-finals, putting them halfway to exacting revenge for their defeat in the fixture in last season’s final four.
“It’s just half-time,” Hayes told DAZN. “Nobody should get carried away with that and, to be honest, I’m disappointed we didn’t get the second goal.
“It’s a difficult place to come and they carried out the game plan I asked them to do – so from that perspective, I’m happy.”
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Chelsea restricted the holders to a solitary late shot on target as Barca failed to score at home in the competition for the first time in more than eight years.
Hayes is wary after her side lost their home leg of the tie 1-0 last season before drawing the return game 1-1 to narrowly go out.
😍 WITNESS ERIN CUTHBERT, AS SHE GIVES CHELSEA THE LEAD ON BARCELONA’S HOME GROUND ❗
Watch live for free on DAZN ▶️ https://t.co/0z5fAmShqh #UWCLonDAZN #NewDealForWomensFootball pic.twitter.com/HFH4lwdz4v
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) April 20, 2024
“I think I know how to come away from home and get a result,” she said. “We have underperformed against Barcelona at home.
“Barcelona have another level in them and I think that’s clear. Maybe they don’t feel they were at their best today and we have to anticipate that.”
Chelsea v Barcelona: Blues ‘need crowd’
Chelsea have never won the Women’s Champions League, going closest when they lost the 2020/21 final 4-0 to Barca.
The Women’s Super League leaders will enter the second leg on April 27 on a club-record 10-game unbeaten run in the competition.
“We will only be as strong as the crowd that comes out,” warned Hayes, who is in her final season in charge.
“It’s important we pack Stamford Bridge to give ourselves half a chance against the best team in the world. We are at half-time and there is another level to Barcelona.”
