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Football London
Football London
Sport
Laura Hartley & Hannah Pinnock

Lauren James decision questioned vs Barcelona as Chelsea Women crash out of Champions League

Chelsea have crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona at Camp Nou in front of more than 70,000 fans.

The Blues were already 1-0 down after falling to defeat at Stamford Bridge in the first leg but were well in the fight to redeem themselves at the Barca fortress, but they needed two goals after the hour mark when Caroline Graham Hansen got her second goal of the tie.

Despite a fine finish from Guro Reiten minutes later to ensure a 1-1 draw on the night, Chelsea couldn't find another goal to force extra-time.

READ MORE: Chelsea's Niamh Charles out to earn World Cup spot by getting Barcelona Champions League revenge

The night could've gone either way if changes were made sooner rather than later. Barcelona and Spain star Alexis Putellas was in the matchday squad for the first time in ten months after coming back from injury, while Lauren James was on the bench for Chelsea.

James didn't make her appearance for over an hour, and only came on from the 76th minute - arguably way too late and couldn't make the impact we know she can make.

As for Putellas, Chelsea may have got off lightly with the scoreline in the absence of one of the best in the world.

Here's the main talking points from the Camp Nou...

Cautious approach backfires

Riding the Barcelona wave was always going to be key for Chelsea to ensure they remained in the game. However, it was a disappointing first half from the Blues in terms of possession.

They looked laboured in everything they did and were unable to move the ball quickly in the Barcelona half to really test the opponents' backline. It was night and day how the home side pushed up the pitch in numbers and made the most of their possession.

After a bright five minutes, it then took until the 40th minute for Chelsea to carve out a really dangerous attack. Of course, they only needed a moment and it was imperative they kept it tight - but with the quality the Blues have it was discouraging to see them so lacklustre going forward. They didn't want to concede first and it showed.

It cost them in the second half as Barcelona fired themselves in front, leaving the Blues with a mountain to climb. Reiten's strike offered them a glimmer of hope but it was too little too late.

Lauren James decision questioned

Lauren James is arguably one of the most exciting talents in the women's game right now, which is why the decision to leave her on the bench for both legs will be baffling to some. The Chelsea boss waited until the 76th minute to make any changes, when James and Pernille Harder replaced Reiten and Jessie Fleming.

Her cameo was certainly a little underwhelming as she struggled to really influence proceedings. She sent an effort over the bar, but with a little over 10 minutes left to play, making a significant impact was always going to be a tough ask.

Whether she's ready for the biggest games will remain the question, but Chelsea were in need of a goal right from the first whistle. It might've made sense to use one of the team's strongest attacking talents much sooner.

Hayes' warning transpires

Hayes said it perfectly in her pre-match press conference - Barcelona are a team that make you suffer. That's exactly how things panned out as the first half really highlighted Barcelona's class and Chelsea's disorganization at times.

Slick passes and stunning footwork caused the Chelsea defence all sorts of problems and the Blues struggled to get out of their own half for large periods. Starting with a back five, Hayes' tactical approach suggested they intended to do all they could to keep Barcelona out.

While they avoided a repeat of the first leg and a fourth-minute goal, Chelsea allowed Barcelona too much space to do what they do best. There wasn't too much disparity in terms of possession, but Barcelona's nine shots to Chelsea's none in the first half told the story.

Chelsea's UWCL hoodoo continues

Chelsea's domestic success is unquestionable. Their dominance in the WSL over the years has been awe-inspiring and they will no doubt hope to secure a fourth successive league title this season.

However, another European exit will leave the Blues boss scratching her head once again. They've come agonisingly close before, losing out to Barcelona in the final only two years ago.

Last term, they failed to make it out of the group stages. This year, there was a renewed sense of optimism, not least after they knocked out holders Lyon in the quarter-finals only a matter of weeks ago.

Barcelona came back to haunt them and Chelsea will once again be made to wait for European success. For a team of their quality, it will surely only be a matter of time before they finally get over the line. But this will feel like a wasted opportunity to break that hoodoo and secure the piece of silverware that has so far evaded them.

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