25 h. ago Women’s Champions League and Super League: weekend talking points

Chelsea change under the spotlight, twins have Manchester City seeing double and Holland shines for LiverpoolWere Chelsea wrong to make a substitution while preparing to defend a corner? The former England midfielder Fara Williams criticised Chelsea for doing so in the 81st minute, when Nathalie Björn was replaced by Naomi Girma seconds before Barcelona scored their third goal, a far-post header from an unmarked Irene Paredes, with Williams telling TNT Sports, “You can see that there is a bit of confusion” in Chelsea’s organisation for the set piece. Sonia Bompastor said she had been forced to withdraw Björn because of an injury, and played down the incident. “I don’t think the substitution had an impact on the goal we conceded,” the head coach said. “When I talk about not making mistakes, maybe we didn’t have to concede that corner. If you have a better clearance from the goal and don’t concede that corner, you don’t give Barcelona the opportunity to score. I don’t think the substi...

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42 h. ago Barcelona put four past stunned Chelsea in Women’s Champions League semi

Barcelona 4-1 Chelsea: Reigning champions leave Chelsea with a mountain to climb in the second leg

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56 h. ago How to watch Barcelona vs Chelsea for FREE: TV channel and live stream for Women's Champions League today

Barcelona are Chelsea’s bogey team in the Champions League

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69 h. ago Barcelona’s Bonmatí braced for ‘good rivalry’ of Chelsea showdown in WCL

Barcelona face Chelsea in semi-final first leg on Sunday‘This is the moment of the season we enjoy – big games’Aitana Bonmatí says Barcelona have a “good rivalry, no bad things” with Chelsea as the Spanish holders prepare to meet the English club in their Women’s Champions League semi-final for the third consecutive season.The 2023 and 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, whose team are chasing a fourth European title in five seasons, had high praise for Chelsea, despite the Women’s Super League club having never knocked Barcelona out of the competition. Continue reading...

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2 d. ago Arsenal shocked by a blow they didn’t see coming in Champions League semi

Arsenal 1-2 Lyon: Melchie Dumornay’s stunning winner came just four minutes after Mariona Caldentey had equalised from the penalty spot

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2 d. ago Melchie Dumornay’s instant reply puts Lyon in control against Arsenal

It was an afternoon of missed opportunities for Arsenal as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Lyon in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League semi-final. Melchie Dumornay’s late winner silenced the 40,000-strong Emirates Stadium crowd after Mariona Caldentey’s penalty had cancelled out Kadidiatou Diani’s opener.Joe Montemurro returned to his former stomping ground in north London with a side who are high in confidence, full of star quality and technical brilliance. The eight-times champions are the only side unbeaten in the competition this season, scoring 25 times and conceding only two on the way to the final four. Continue reading...

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2 d. ago Arsenal vs Lyon LIVE: Gunners edged out in thrilling Women’s Champions League semi

Arsenal 1-2 Lyon: A thrilling first leg saw both teams throw caution to the wind but goals from Kadi Diani and Melchie Dumornay bested Mariona Caldentey’s penalty, leaving the Gunners with everything to do in France next week

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3 d. ago Arsenal vs Lyon LIVE: Gunners trail in breathless Women’s Champions League semi

Can Arsenal continue resurgence under Renee Slegers and knock out the eight-time champions?

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3 d. ago Arsenal vs Lyon LIVE: Russo returns but Kelly on bench for Women’s Champions League semi

Can Arsenal continue resurgence under Renee Slegers and knock out the eight-time champions?

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3 d. ago Arsenal vs Lyon LIVE: Alessia Russo set to return for Women’s Champions League semi

Can Arsenal continue resurgence under Renee Slegers and knock out the eight-time champions?

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3 d. ago How to watch Arsenal vs Lyon for FREE: TV channel and live stream for Women's Champions League today

The Gunners take on the European giants in their semi-final first leg

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3 d. ago Arsenal v Lyon: five key factors in the Women’s Champions League semi

Joe Montemurro and Renée Slegers are reunited but can they find a way to stop each other’s array of attacking talent?The former Arsenal manager Joe Montemurro, who left the club at the end of the 2020-21 season, returns to the Emirates Stadium when Arsenal host the eight-time European champions Lyon on Saturday in their Champions League semi-final first leg. Montemurro, who led Arsenal to a first Women’s Super League title in seven years in 2019, was previously back in N5 in 2023, where his Juventus team lost 1-0 in the Champions League. Arsenal look very different, on and off the pitch, to the club he left. They upped their investment in and commitment to the women’s side after a review towards the end of Montemurro’s tenure, but a face familiar to him sits in the home dugout. While with Arsenal Montemurro was paired with Renée Slegers on the Uefa coach mentor programme in the early stages of the former Netherlands international’s coaching journey. Montemurro describes her as “a pe...

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3 d. ago The Champions League parallel Arsenal can take into Lyon semi

Arsenal host Lyon at the Emirates in the first leg of the Women’s Champions League semi-final as the Gunners embrace their ‘one-club’ mentality

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2 w. ago Norwegian club Brann win court ruling over fans’ right to sing ‘Uefa mafia’

Court of arbitration for sport decides against UefaResult of freedom of expression case is ‘important’ rulingThe Norwegian club Brann have won a landmark freedom of expression case with the court of arbitration for sport (Cas) ruling that Uefa should not have punished them for fans singing “Uefa mafia” or displaying banners with the same message at Women’s Champions League games.The European footballing body fined Brann on two separate occasions in 2024 with a third case pending. Uefa argued that the incidents were a breach of its regulations, which make clubs responsible for “offensive statements of a provocative nature” from the stands. Continue reading...

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2 w. ago Lauren James withdraws from England squad to hand Chelsea injury scare

Chelsea have key games on the horizon, including in the Women’s Champions League against Barcelona

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2 w. ago The B team? First XIs packed with players whose names begin with same letter | The Knowledge

Plus: a 972 score in Scrabble, the same stadium name across multiple grounds, and 48 league appearances in one seasonMail us with your questions and answers“The other day in their Women’s Champions League match against Manchester City, Chelsea fielded a back four of Bronze, Bright, Björn and Baltimore,” emails Asad Butt. “Are there other examples of this in defence, midfield or attack?”Back in 2017, we answered a question regarding men’s teams fielding three or more players with the same first name, with five Johns starting in an England XI against Switzerland in 1948: John Aston, John Haines, John Hancocks, John (‘Jack’) Rowley and John (‘Jackie’) Milburn all featuring. As mentioned by Asad, Chelsea fielded a back four beginning with the same surname letter against Manchester City earlier this month (plus Aggie Beever-Jones in the first leg). But we can do better than that. Continue reading...

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2 w. ago Arsenal and Chelsea a step closer to European glory – Women’s Football Weekly podcast

Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzy Wrack, Emma Sanders and Tom Garry to discuss a dramatic week for the women’s gameOn this week’s Guardian Women’s Football Weekly: the panel discuss both Arsenal and Chelsea’s progression into the semi-finals of the Champions League.With the international break looming, the relegation battle is on. Liverpool lost at home against Aston Villa, who moved out of the drop zone and four points clear of Crystal Palace. Continue reading...

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3 w. ago Chelsea obliterate Man City to send Champions League statement to familiar foe

Chelsea 3-0 Manchester City (Chelsea win 3-2 on aggregate): A first-half blitz turned this quarter-final around and set up a semi-final clash with Barcelona

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3 w. ago Chelsea vs Man City LIVE: Hosts complete comeback to reach Women’s Champions League semi

Chelsea 3-0 Manchester City (Chelsea win 3-2 on aggregate): The hosts had trailed 2-0 after the first leg but came roaring back at Stamford Bridge

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3 w. ago Chelsea vs Man City LIVE: Hosts complete comeback in Women’s Champions League quarter

Chelsea trail 2-0 on aggregate heading into the return leg at Stamford Bridge

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