Chelsea’s big night falls flat in false start to new Women’s Champions League era

If Chelsea are on a “new journey” in the Women’s Champions League, it began in intermittent deluges of rain and in front of a sparse home crowd at Stamford Bridge. For Sonia Bompastor, bigger European nights lie ahead as the Blues began their latest bid for an elusive Champions League title with an entertaining 3-2 victory over Real Madrid that really deserved more of an atmosphere in southwest London.

After all, Bompastor had already faced the hostility of Stamford Bridge as an opposition manager, watching on as her Lyon side crumbled to defeat on penalties in front of the Shed End in the quarter-finals two seasons ago. She would have watched from a distance as Emma Hayes’s side pushed Barcelona in last season’s semi-final second leg, as the eventual champions required every ounce of their mentality, and a fair slice of fortune from a controversial refereeing decision, to get over the line.

Instead, Bompastor will have to wait to witness her own first big night in charge of Chelsea, as ticket sales were capped at 5,000, a decision made by the club to ensure the match was “financially sustainable”. The French coach may even feel she has yet to meet the Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge, given the crowd were seated on the opposite side of the pitch to the dugouts, stretching along the lower tier of the West Stand.

If the name of the opposition, Real Madrid, suggested there should have been more of an atmosphere, Chelsea could point to the Champions League fixtures being released less than two weeks ago, given the club less time for marketing its biggest fixture of their group stage. Celtic and FC Twente will travel to Stamford Bridge, too, but lack the prestige of Real Madrid. There was also no alternative, as Kingsmeadow is no longer a Uefa accredited venue for the Women’s Champions League.

The 5,000 cap of ticket sales, however, does not appear to match Chelsea’s ambition in the Champions League. “For sure we want to have the biggest crowds in the stadium,” Bompastor admitted. “The fans who were here supported us really well. But it’s difficult for families, Tuesday night, 8 o’clock [kick-off]. We’ll see for the next games.”

As a result, this was a far cry from the knockout games against Barcelona and Lyon in previous years, the sound of players’ claps and shouts clear above the dimmed sound of the crowd on the far side. But, clearly, Chelsea’s new journey in the Women’s Champions League is focussed on the destination, not its beginnings. After narrowly falling short under Hayes, they have turned to a proven winner in Bompastor, a champion of Europe as both player and coach of the Lyon powerhouse. The signing of five-time winner Lucy Bronze has also been hailed as a way of taking the club to the next level.

And on the pitch, this was pretty convincing from Chelsea, even if Real Madrid managed to hang around for long enough. But for the third season in a row in the group stages, the Spanish side were dismissed – extending their winless run against Chelsea to five games.

It wasn’t entirely comfortable. Real Madrid had their moments, and pulled one back before half-time through Alba Redondo and then late on following the introduction of Linda Caicedo. “The closest we have come to a positive result [here],” reflected their head coach Alberto Toril. “It was a match settled by the finer details.” Redondo’s finish came after an early own goal and Guro Reiten penalty. In the second half, Mayra Ramirez, a threat all evening, restored Chelsea’s advantage with a looping header from Lauren James’s cross.

Caicedo came off the bench to scramble in a second for Real Madrid, drawing another back to punish Chelsea for losing some of their control and direction. “I wish we could have managed more of the game,” Bompastor said. “It’s not about slowing the game down, it’s about being smarter. I felt like we conceded two goals where we should have done better. We were nervous [at the end] but it’s something we want to work on.”

Before then, there were encouraging signs from Bompastor and a glimpse of her tactical flexibility that is undoubtedly required to go far in Europe. Key to that was the use of Sandy Baltimore, who was given a licence to push on.

Baltimore was largely excellent, offering width on one side that was replicated by the terrific Johanna Rytting Kaneryd on the right. A composed display from Sjoeke Nusken in midfield was matched by the 19-year-old Wieke Katpein, making her first Chelsea start after spending last season out on loan at Twente. James was quieter, struggling to find dangerous areas inside the pitch, until she popped up on the right and produced the excellent cross to set up Ramirez’s second-half header.

Crosses were frequently a problem for Real Madrid. Rytting Kaneryd had sparked Chelsea’s fast start inside two minutes, racing back to cut out a Real Madrid counterattack and then bursting forwards. Her whipped delivery found Nusken and the header deflected inside the post following a touch from Sheila Garcia.

Chelsea struck again inside half an hour and just as Real Madrid were growing into the game. It was a double blow for the visitors, with the penalty decision from referee Ivana Martincic soft. Nusken was clever enough to step in front of the challenge of Maria Mendez following a Chelsea corner, taking the kick. Reiten dispatched the penalty with confidence, low and hard past Misa Rodriguez into the corner.

Real Madrid ensured Chelsea were never completely at ease. Zecira Musovic, a late replacement in goal for Hannah Hampton, had already been called into action before Real Madrid found a way back into it. The defending from Chelsea was sloppy as Redondo slammed in; it would be again when Caicedo came off the bench to pounce in the 83rd minute. It set up a grandstand conclusion; Chelsea, though, will hope the bigger nights are still to come.