Defending champ Barcelona routs Chelsea 4-1 to reach women’s Champions League final

Defending champion Barcelona reached the women’s Champions League final in dominant fashion on Sunday after winning 4-1 at Chelsea in their semifinal return leg to advance 8-2 on aggregate.

Slick Barcelona stayed on course for a third straight Champions League title and fourth overall, and will meet either record eight-time winner Lyon or Arsenal in the final.

They played their semifinal return leg in France later Sunday, with Lyon 2-1 up from the first leg. Lyon and Barcelona have met in the final in three of the past six seasons.

The final takes place on May 24 at Lisbon's 50,000-capacity Estádio José Alvalade.

Barcelona took its goal tally in this season’s competition to a whopping 44 and also recorded a ninth straight win.

Chelsea was overwhelmed 4-1 in the first leg and fell behind midway through the first half when Aitana Bonmatí scored a brilliant solo goal.

She picked up the ball inside her own half and broke down the right at pace before rifling a shot into the top right corner from just inside the penalty area.

Moments earlier, Chelsea midfielder Sjoeke Nüsken shot straight at goalkeeper Cata Coll from close range.

Barcelona went 2-0 up in the 41st minute when Caroline Graham Hansen found space down the right and picked out Poland captain Ewa Pajor with a fine cross.

Two minutes later, Clàudia Pina curled in a superb third from the left of the penalty area into the top right corner.

Tired defending allowed Salma Paralluelo to poke in the fourth goal in the last minute following a ball over the top.

Dutch midfielder Wieke Kaptein rifled in a stoppage-time consolation goal for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Barca’s success came the day after the men’s team beat bitter rival Real Madrid to win the Copa del Rey.

The women’s side is led by the flair and drive of two-time Ballon d'Or winners Alexia Putellas and Bonmatí. They have shared the last four awards and both scored in last year's final against Lyon in front of a record crowd of 51,000.

Chelsea reached the final once, in 2021, but was routed 4-0 that day as Barca won its first title.

This time it was another one-sided affair as coach Sonia Bompastor’s side fell well short. ___