Chelsea 1-2 Barcelona: The Emma Hayes chapter is coming to an end, but she will be a continued character for Chelsea.
Emma Hayes’ final bow at Stamford Bridge did not end the way it was meant to, but like most great shows there was one common antagonist. Chelsea were perfectly set up heading into the second leg after Erin Cuthbert struck the sole goal in Barcelona to hand the Spanish giants their first home defeat in five years. It was a moment that boosted the hope of potentially seeing Hayes’ final game as manager of Chelsea being a Champions League final in Bilbao. And for the second leg, the 16 players in blue could not have done much better but in the end, found themselves inches away from progressing against Barcelona. The Blaugranes have shown that they are often the team that have been able to turn the fine margins in their favour, especially Ballon D’or winner Aitana Bonmati. She was the superstar in this Champions League semi-final and shone brightest on a field full of superstars. The Spanish technician buzzed around the pitch and crept into spaces that caused Chelsea issues. On...