Chelsea ‘sad, frustrated’ after Women’s Champions League exit

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor said her side are “sad and frustrated” at their Champions League exit following their consecutive 4-1 defeats to Barcelona in the semifinal to exit the competition in a one-sided 8-2 aggregate loss.

Bompastor’s side had an almost impossible task to overturn a three-goal deficit at Stamford Bridge, but fell inexplicably short with goals from Aitana Bonmatí, Ewa Pajor, Clàudia Pina and Salma Paralluelo further increasing the gap between the Spanish giants and WSL leaders.

“Everyone is really sad first of all and also frustrated by the results,” Bompastor said in a post-match news conference. “We all wanted to have a good performance. We knew we were going to play the best team in Europe.

“We were not clinical, again. I think probably if we had scored the first goal, the game could’ve been different.”

Despite being on track for a domestic treble, European glory continues to evade Chelsea. Having won the Champions League as both a player and manager, the Blues enlisted the help of Bompastor to take the trophy.

When asked whether the defeat to Barça means they have fallen short of the objective of the season, Bompastor said: “I am not going to shy away from the ambitions of the club.

“This club has everything to be able to perform and win the quadruple. It didn’t happen this year. We now need to reflect on how we can make it possible.

“I think for a first season it will be good [missing out on the quadruple]. Not perfect, not ideal, but a good one. Sometimes that is how it works.”

Chelsea were forced to succumb to a third consecutive semifinal defeat to their Catalan rivals, who are hunting for a fourth title in a row, with their last final loss against Bompastor’s Lyon in 2022.

Bompastor praised Barça’s mentality from that game and how they’ve turned over their woes, saying Chelsea will have to reflect that to improve their chances next season.

“When Barcelona lost the final in 2022 to Lyon, they had these big reflections and how they could have moved forward to be a better team,” Bompastor said. “So yeah, we’ll have that time with the club, the ownership, the sporting directors and myself.

“One of the only positive things we can take, I clearly know what we need to do.

“What we need to achieve to be ready to compete against the better teams.”

Barça will face Arsenal, who beat Lyon in the other last-4 match Sunday, in the final held on the 24th of May in Lisbon.