Yet again, the best teams in England were taken to school by the best teams in Europe.
Chelsea came into Barcelona full of confidence – the WSL almost certainly won, the League Cup in the cabinet and a coach who has won the biggest prize on the continent.
They left the Catalan capital, however, downtrodden, disappointed and well-beaten.
“The version we showed was not good enough… we must learn from that”, were the post-match thoughts of Sonia Bompastor but how often will the English elite fail to learn from European losses?
It’s been 18 years since Arsenal earned England’s only continental success and the landscape of the game has changed dramatically since then.
The WSL has led the professional revolution in the game with the league being seen by many as the best in Europe, if not the world.
So, why can’t the best teams in the division convert that into Champions League success?
Sky Sports News’ Anton Toloui reflects on Chelsea’s 4-1 defeat to Barcelona in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final tie
Chelsea and Arsenal have incredible facilities, large fan bases, respected coaches, leading budgets and star players but despite all the changes in the game over the last two decades, two different teams remain dominant in the competition.
Barcelona showed they can pick a team apart at any moment, taking full advantage of a shaky end to the game by Chelsea.
Eight-time champions Lyon went to north London with an elite game plan, big game experience and a frightening front-three.
They took everything Arsenal had to throw at them and then hit them with two well-executed counter punches.
Arsenal lost 2-1 to Lyon in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final
Renee Slegers also said her team will learn from their defeat at the Emirates, but it’s a lesson that needs to be digested quickly.
A single goal deficit is definitely surmountable but it will take one of the biggest Gunners performances for a decade to do so.
As for Chelsea, if they turn around a three-goal deficit against the team that’s dominated the competition three out of the last four years, then it will be the greatest result in the club’s history.
If the WSL’s top two do dramatically turn this around, it will certainly be taught in coaching classes for years to come.
Bompastor: We need attacking mentality
With Chelsea needing at least three goals to have a chance of reaching the Champions League final, Sonia Bompastor has called for her side to have an attacking mindset and take risks.
“We’ll need to score for sure,” she said. “So this is the mentality we are going to attack the game with. The mentality tomorrow will be really important going into the game.
“We’ll go for it. I think this is part of this club’s DNA, but it’s also our mentality. We’ll be playing at home and we’ll try to do our best to be able to be in a position to score goals. But we know also it will be really important not to concede. So that’s the big challenge, but we are ready for it.
“We’ll have to take risks to be able to score. I know within my squad, I have a lot of talent and quality. The players who will start the game will have to show that talent tomorrow. But I know we are capable of doing that.”
McCabe: We are unified and focused
Katie McCabe gives her thoughts ahead of the crucial second-leg in the Women’s Champions League, where the Gunners will be hoping to overturn a 2-1 deficit.
Arsenal midfielder Katie McCabe says the team are ready to face Lyon on Sunday, reflecting on how the Gunners have progressed since their last Women’s Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg in 2022.
“It’s been nearly two years since we were in this position with the club with the Wolfsburg game. It is going to be a different challenge for us, the depth and the strength we have in the squad has been fantastic. Two years ago we were in a different place. We are feeling good, unified and really focused.
“You have to have it all – grit, perseverance, courage to step up in these games. We were frustrated at times in the first leg by the fine margins and not getting over the line.
“But we have been hard at it and looking at how we can get better in those moments, keep improving, keep getting those opportunities.
“I am very lucky to be surrounded by great teammates, high quality players and staff and to be so long at a club like Arsenal, I don’t take that for granted at all.
“The feeling the fans give us, at the Emirates last week and we have travelling fans coming over on Sunday, makes me feel very privileged to pull on this shirt. Playing in the semi-finals of the Champions League I can’t wait to embrace it.”
