Barcelona took a commanding step toward the Women's Champions League semifinals with a dominant 4-1 victory over Wolfsburg, while Manchester City handed Chelsea their first defeat of the season with a 2-0 win in Wednesday's quarterfinal first-leg clashes.
Unlike the closely contested 2023 Champions League final—where Barcelona overturned a two-goal deficit to win 3-2—this encounter was a one-sided affair.
An early own goal from Caitlin Dijkstra set the tone for Barcelona, before quickfire second-half strikes from Irene Paredes and Salma Paralluelo put the reigning champions in full control. Janina Minge pulled one back for Wolfsburg in the closing stages, but a late goal from Sydney Schertenleib restored Barcelona’s three-goal cushion.
"Wolfsburg are a really good team, but we are confident in our style, in our team, and in our players," Paredes said to UEFA.
"We were disciplined and avoided mistakes—something crucial in these kinds of matches. We had to stay alert at all times because Wolfsburg are dangerous with their long balls."
Three-time Champions League winners Barcelona opened the scoring in the 26th minute when former Wolfsburg forward Ewa Pajor pressured Dijkstra into turning Aitana Bonmatí’s cross into her own net.
The Spanish side tightened their grip on the tie with two goals in three minutes early in the second half.
Paredes capitalized on a defensive lapse to tap in from close range following a 50th-minute corner, before Paralluelo finished off a sweeping counterattack moments later.
Minge gave Wolfsburg a glimmer of hope with a header in the 79th minute, but Swiss teenager Schertenleib’s stunning curling strike in the 88th minute ensured Barcelona remained in firm control ahead of the second leg.
If Barcelona sees off Wolfsburg in the return leg, they will face the winner of the all-English quarterfinal between Manchester City and Chelsea.
City took a significant step toward the last four with a high-energy performance that avenged their recent League Cup final loss to Chelsea.
The Women's Super League leaders, aiming for their first-ever Champions League title, saw their 28-match unbeaten run in all competitions come to an end in what was a major setback for manager Sonia Bompastor’s debut season in charge.
"Tonight was a tough match," Bompastor said. "It’s our first defeat, but it’s not a disaster. We still have a chance to turn things around in the second leg, and our ambitions remain unchanged."
Despite missing star striker Khadija Shaw, City's interim boss Nick Cushing—who stepped in after Gareth Taylor’s recent dismissal—oversaw a crucial victory.
"Tonight’s result is a huge boost," Dutch forward Vivianne Miedema told TNT Sports. "We’ve had a lot of setbacks and injuries, but this win gives us confidence."
Wednesday’s clash was the second of four meetings between the two sides in just 12 days, with a crucial Super League showdown looming on Sunday before the return leg on March 27.
City broke the deadlock on the hour mark when Mary Fowler’s cross unsettled the Chelsea defense, allowing Miedema to hammer a shot in off the crossbar.
The Dutch forward doubled her tally in the 89th minute, controlling a pass from Kerolin inside the box before drilling a low strike into the bottom corner.
With Chelsea needing a turnaround at home next week, City will head into the return leg with a valuable two-goal cushion.
