2020-21 Women’s Champions League – Chelsea vs Barcelona Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When does Chelsea vs Barcelona kick off? Sunday 16th May, 2021 – 20:00 (UK)
Where is Chelsea vs Barcelona being played? Gamla Ullevi, Göteborg
Where can I get tickets for Chelsea vs Barcelona? No tickets are available as this match will be played without spectators
What TV channel is Chelsea vs Barcelona on in the UK? BT Sport will be televising all matches featuring English sides, but other matches will not be televised in the UK
Where can I stream Chelsea vs Barcelona in the UK? All matches featuring English sides can be streamed live via the BT Sport Player, but other matches cannot be streamed live in the UK
THE KEY STATS
- Chelsea are the first English team to reach the final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League/UEFA Women’s Cup since Arsenal won the tournament in 2007
- Chelsea have lost only one of their last nine UEFA Women’s Champions League matches (W6 D2 L1)
- Chelsea have won six of their eight UEFA Women’s Champions League matches this season (W6 D1 L1)
- Chelsea met Spanish opposition in the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the first time ever this season when they played Atlético Madrid in the round of 16 (W 2-0 and D 1-1)
- Chelsea have played a UEFA Women’s Champions League match in Sweden just once in their history. This was in 2017/18 when they won 1-0 away from home against FC Rosengård in Malmö in the second leg of their round of 16 tie. So-Yun Ji was the scorer for Chelsea in that game
- Chelsea have scored two goals or more in six of their previous eight UEFA Women’s Champions League matches this season
- Chelsea have only failed to score in one of their last 25 UEFA Women’s Champions League matches. The only time they didn’t score in the sequence was vs Wolfsburg in April 2018 (L 2-0)
- Chelsea have conceded more than one goal in only one of their last nine UEFA Women’s Champions League matches
- Chelsea have kept nine clean sheets in their last 16 UEFA Women’s Champions League matches
- Chelsea have scored the first goal in seven of their previous eight UEFA Women’s Champions League matches this season
- Chelsea have scored inside of the opening 30 minutes in five of their previous eight UEFA Women’s Champions League matches this season
- Fran Kirby’s total of six goals in the UEFA Women’s Champions League this season is the highest number she has scored in a UWCL campaign. Her previous best was five in 2018/19
- Fran Kirby has scored against each of the four clubs that Chelsea have faced in the UEFA Women’s Champions League this season (2 vs Benfica, 1 vs Atlético Madrid, 1 vs Wolfsburg, 2 vs Bayern)
- Pernille Harder has scored a goal in three of Chelsea’s last four UEFA Champions Women’s League matches
- Pernille Harder scored for Wolfsburg in the 2018 UWCL final. She opened the scoring in the third minute of extra time but finished on the losing side as Lyon went on to win 4-1
- This is Barcelona’s second appearance in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final – they are the only Spanish club to have reached the final. They made their first appearance in the final in 2019 when they lost 4-1 against Lyon in Budapest
- Barcelona have won 18 of their last 22 UEFA Women’s Champions League matches (W18 D1 L3)
- Barcelona have played six matches against English opposition in the UEFA Women’s Champions League previously. They have lost four of those six matches (W1 D1 L4) – their only success was the 3-0 win against Manchester City in the first leg of their quarter-final tie during the current campaign
- Barcelona have played a UEFA Women’s Champions League match in Sweden just once in their history. This was in 2016/17 when they won 1-0 away from home against FC Rosengård in Malmö in the first leg of their quarter-final tie. Leila Ouahabi was the scorer for Barcelona in that game – it is the only goal she has scored in the UWCL in her career so far
- Barcelona have failed to score in just one of their last 23 UEFA Women’s Champions League matches
- Barcelona have conceded more than one goal in just two of their last 22 UEFA Women’s Champions League matches
- Barcelona have scored inside of the opening 15 minutes in five of their previous eight UEFA Women’s Champions League matches this season
- Barcelona have scored at least one first half goal in all but one of their previous eight UEFA Women’s Champions League matches this season
- Barcelona have scored the first goal in seven of their previous eight UEFA Women’s Champions League matches this season
- There has been a total of three goals or more scored in seven of Barcelona’s previous eight UEFA Women’s Champions League matches this season
- Jenni Hermoso has scored against each of the four clubs that Barcelona have faced in the UEFA Women’s Champions League this season (1 vs PSV, 3 vs Fortuna Hjørring, 1 vs Manchester City, 1 vs Paris)
THE PREDICTION
A historic Champions League final awaits in Göteborg with either Chelsea or Barcelona set to be crowned winners of the competition for the first time ever. Victory for Chelsea would secure a trio of trophies this season and keep Emma Hayes’ side on track for an unprecedented quadruple having already secured the Continental Cup and WSL title in this campaign. Barcelona meanwhile have already been crowned champions of Spain and after overcoming PSG over two legs in the semi-final will now be looking to become champions of Europe. Once again, Chelsea were indebted to their incredible frontline after turning around a 2-1 aggregate deficit against Bayern Munich, beating them 4-1 in their semi-final second leg to set up this contest.
Australian star Sam Kerr alongside strike partner Fran Kirby are likely to play definitive parts for Chelsea in the final and with 11 goals scored by the Blues over the course of their last three games in all competitions, how the Barcelona defence copes with those two will be crucial as to the outcome of this encounter. However, with 25 goals having been racked up during their last five league matches, the Spanish side themselves are perfectly capable of breaching the Chelsea backline and accumulated five goals over the course of two legs against their WSL title rivals Man City in the Champions League quarter-finals. With each finalist expected to be afforded clear cut chances, the outcome of this one may come down to which set of players best handle the pressure that comes with such a historic occasion for both clubs. When taking into account the attacking prowess of the two sides, both teams to score has to be favoured regardless of who ultimately lifts the trophy.
