Thu Nov 20 19:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Chelsea Faces Barcelona in Crucial Champions League Clash

Stamford Bridge, London – Chelsea will host Barcelona tonight in a highly anticipated Women’s Champions League group stage match. The Blues, currently sitting on seven points, are looking to leapfrog the Spanish giants, who boast a perfect record, at the top of the table.

This fixture holds significant weight for Chelsea, especially after Barcelona’s dominant 8-2 aggregate victory in last season’s semi-final. Memories of that defeat, along with the 4-0 loss in the 2021 Champions League final, linger as Chelsea aims to turn the tide in this rivalry.

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has made four changes to the starting lineup, with Naomi Girma replacing Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze returning. Sam Kerr is ruled out due to her rehabilitation plan. The lineup shows Bompastor’s willingness to make difficult decisions, exemplified by dropping captain Millie Bright. Erin Cuthbert’s past success against Barcelona provides a glimmer of hope, with the midfielder recalling her “special” winner in the 2024 semi-final first leg.

Barcelona, managed by Pere Romeu, features the return of Aitana Bonmati but will miss key midfielder Patri Guijarro through injury. A win for Barcelona would secure their position atop the group, while a Chelsea victory would see them take the lead. As the top teams aim to avoid the knockout round play-offs, Jen Beattie said there is a lot riding on this game for Chelsea.

The match kicks off at 20:00 GMT and will be broadcast on BBC Two in the UK.

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