Chelsea Women will welcome three-time European champions Barcelona to Stamford Bridge for Thursday’s Women’s Champions League clash.
The Blaugrana are sitting in pole position in the league phase with maximum points from three games, while the Blues are two points adrift in fourth position.
Match preview
Chelsea have taken seven points from their opening three league phase matches, beginning with a 1-1 draw against Twente in the Netherlands.
The Blues went on to hammer Paris FC 4-0 on matchday two, before thrashing St. Polten 6-0 in last week’s away clash.
However, Chelsea will be frustrated that they have dropped points in the two league games that took place either side of their trip to Austria.
They conceded late in a 1-1 draw against Arsenal, before they repeated that scoreline in Sunday’s away meeting with basement side Liverpool.
Alyssa Thompson opened the scoring in a second consecutive Women’s Super League match, only to see her effort cancelled out by Liverpool’s Beata Olsson, with the draw leaving Chelsea three points adrift of leaders Manchester City.
Sonia Bompastor's side are now preparing for a tough test against Barcelona - a team they have lost to in each of the last three UWCL semi-finals.
The Blues will be hoping to make full use of home advantage this time around, having won all five of their competitive matches this season, including clean sheets in each of their last four.
Barcelona Women's Alexia Putellas celebrates after scoring on October 15, 2025
While Chelsea are dreaming of winning their first UWCL trophy, Barcelona are looking to claim the top prize in European football for the fourth time in their history.
Motivated by last season's final defeat to Arsenal, Pere Romeu's side have flown out of the blocks to start the league phase with three commanding victories.
They hammered Bayern Munich 7-1 and thrashed Roma 4-0, before they claimed a 3-0 victory in last week's home clash against OH Leuven, thanks to an Alexia Putellas penalty, an Irene Paredes effort and a Kim Everaerts own goal.
They followed their win over the Belgian champions with a commanding 4-0 success in Sunday's Clasico against rivals Real Madrid at Estadi Olimpic Luis Companys.
Ewa Pajor netted a brace and Cata Coll saved a penalty, before Sydney Schertenleib and Aitana Bonmati scored in stoppage time to fire their side to a comfortable victory, keeping their 100% league record intact and moving them six points clear at the top of the Liga F table.
Barcelona, who are the highest scorers in the UWCL league phase, will be looking to produce another free-scoring display in their meeting with the WSL champions, especially as they pulled off 4-1 victories in both legs of last season's semi-final tie against Chelsea.
Chelsea Women Women's Champions League form:
Chelsea Women form (all competitions):
W W W D W D
Barcelona Women Women's Champions League form:
Barcelona Women form (all competitions):
W W L W W W
Team News
Chelsea Women's Hannah Hampton on August 30, 2025
Chelsea remain without the services of Hannah Hampton, Kadeisha Buchanan and Mayra Ramirez due to injury.
Naomi Girma and Aggie Beever-Jones are pushing for starting spots after featuring as half-time substitutes at the weekend.
Sandy Baltimore and former Barcelona right-back Lucy Bronze are also options to start against the three-time European champions.
As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon Patri Guijarro and Salma Paralluelo due to foot and knee injuries respectively.
Netherlands international Esmee Brugts is a major fitness concern after being forced off in the second half against Real Madrid.
Bonmati was only fit enough to feature from the bench in El Clasico, but she should be ready to start in the middle of the mark at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea Women possible starting lineup:
Peng; Bronze, Bjorn, Girma, Charles; Thompson, Cuthbert, Walsh, Kaptein, Baltimore; Beever-Jones
Barcelona Women possible starting lineup:
Coll; Camara, Paredes, Leon, Batlle; Bonmati, Lopez, Putellas; Graham Hansen, Pina, Pajor
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We say: Chelsea Women 2-2 Barcelona Women
Chelsea have tended to struggle in meetings with Barcelona, but they have avoided defeat in all 12 of their competitive matches this season, and taking that into account, we think the reigning WSL champions will do enough to take a point off the visitors on Thursday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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