| Venue: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys DateKick-off: 12:30 BST |
Chelsea have “a big squad that can compete for everything,” according to Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati as they gear up for a second meeting of the Women’s Champions League semi-final on Saturday.
The two teams also met in the 2021 final, with Barcelona winning 4-0.
“Always when we play Chelsea, it’s a tough game,” Bonmati told BBC Sport.
Because of these games, I always say I’m a football player. You want to play football in this kind of game. You find it enjoyable.
Every week, I’d like to play this game. We know we don’t have these types of games usually. It’s exciting. “
Chelsea have never won the Women’s Champions League title, but Barcelona are the giants in the sport, reaching the final four of the previous five years with two titles.
Before departing to lead the USA national team, the Blues lost the Women’s League Cup to rivals Arsenal in their final season under the direction of Blues manager Emma Hayes.
They currently lead Manchester City in the Women’s Super League in goals, but they could be without several key players due to injury, including Sam Kerr and Millie Bright, the captain.
“I am aware of their injuries, but I am also aware that they have a big squad,” he said. For me, it is not an excuse that they don’t have the best players,” added Bonmati.
“They have a lot of good players and they have the potential to sign great players also. They signed Mayra Ramirez, for example. Maybe they miss some players but they have a big, big squad that can compete for everything.”
We call English football what we call it.
By defeating Chelsea, Barcelona claim to have “the power to make a lot of people happy,” and they want to keep their trophy haul together.
They won Liga F, the Spanish Cup and the Women’s Champions League in 2022-23.
There has been recent disappointment for Barca’s men’s side as they were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris St-Germain on Tuesday, with Bonmati watching from the stands at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
But she says there is “no [added] responsibility” for the women’s team to win and they are preparing to face a different style of play from Chelsea.
We’ve always played against teams, but we’ve always had a different playing style, Bonmati said.
We prefer to develop the play through the ball and keep more of it. But whenever we played Chelsea, they are more vertical and direct. Manchester City and Arsenal may not be like this, but we’ve grown to appreciate this type of English football.
“I would say that we don’t have the same physical [attributes], but we are now more suited to play against any team,” I used to say. I can say that Chile is a team that plays more direct than we do when they don’t like to have the ball a lot. “
Last time Chelsea visited Barcelona, Bonmati was the show’s star, and she finished her 2022-23 campaign as a world champion with Spain.
She won every tournament that her club and country entered, along with the award winners of each category, including the Uefa Player of the Year, the Fifa Best Player, and the Ballon d’Or. No player, male or female, has had a more decorated season.
I had many emotions that I can’t possibly express in words because it was an incredible season. Every moment was special. The games, the trophies and the days with the girls – every moment I enjoyed a lot,” said Bonmati.
I felt a little sad when the year was wrapping up in December because it was such a special year for me. I was proud. I’ve always said that the team, not just me, was in charge of the victory. “
Bonmati says she has been able to enjoy success because of her “mentality” – which is the “key” to winning.
“I’m a person who is ambitious and I trust in my abilities. “I always believe in learning new things and making Aitana better every year,” she continued.
“I have some abilities and I can be a technical football player but without my mentality, I couldn’t have achieved everything. I want more, of course.