Archive April 30, 2025

Chelsea plays against themselves just like any other team in the Women’s Super League.

The Blues won their sixth consecutive WSL title on Wednesday night with a score of 1-0 at Manchester United, their first under new manager Sonia Bompastor.

Handshakes and hugs, rather than tears of joy, may have contributed to the somewhat muted celebrations at full-time.

The Champions League is another area where Chelsea continue to look for the holy grail.

Three days after Barcelona’s third consecutive season of failing to win a first European title, the Blues were awarded this title, and Barcelona won 8-2 overall, more comprehensively than ever.

How can Chelsea make sure this title win stands out among the others and that this season, which could result in a domestic treble of the WSL, League Cup, and FA Cup, is not somehow viewed as a disappointment?

After scoring the winner at Leigh Sports Village, Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze said, “We wanted to be unbeaten.”

“We have a good feeling about our season because we are unbeaten this year, so we knew there were still two things to play for.” Before the game, we were aware of Arsenal’s weaknesses and what we needed, but we also vowed to keep the league title in tact all season long.

Only three previous unbeaten teams have won the WSL, including Chelsea themselves in 2018, Manchester City in 2016, and Arsenal in 2012, respectively.

Over the current 22-game season format, however, it has never been done. Chelsea will have opened new ground if they avoid losing to Tottenham on Sunday, May 10th, when they travel to Liverpool.

Bompastor will have to deal with the repercussions of such a subpar Champions League exit, but he can still claim the most comprehensive WSL title in history.

At Leigh Sports Village, Ambassador Bertpastrelli stated at the post-game press conference, “I always look for perfection and the ideal.”

I want to keep a clean sheet because I told my players defensively and out of position. I want to compete with one another. We discussed how to manage the depth, how to be compact, how to win the duels, and how to win the second balls. All of these details are included.

“I never feel satisfied,” he said. I’m already focused on the treble and the other finals even after winning.

Since Laura Harvey took Arsenal to the top of the inaugural league in 2011, Bompastor has become the first manager to win the WSL title in their first season.

Everyone at Chelsea anticipates that you will win the league, she said. The competition is higher here than it was in Lyon, he says. It’s difficult to do it in my first season to be able to do it for Chelsea for six consecutive years.

It’s “too easy for Chelsea,” I heard, but it’s not! I don’t understand how people can believe that when you can go two ways and still be unbeaten, defeating Manchester City, Arsenal, and Manchester United. It is incredible.

Don’t believe it to be simple. Never easy, ever. It’s a great accomplishment and a lot of daily tasks. My players are not allowed to breathe.

“I want to thank Emma [Hayes],” she said. She must be delighted to receive our title tonight, I assure her. She left the club with a fantastic location to expand on what she had accomplished.

Chelsea hasn’t always let down rival teams this campaign; they have scored fewer goals than second-placed Arsenal, and no other player has ever recorded double figures.

Their league campaign was capped on Wednesday night. Before half-time, when Millie Bright appeared to trip Grace Clinton, United had more shots, a higher xG, and a very strong shout for a penalty. Hannah Hampton, the player of the match, made five saves for Chelsea.

However, they discover a way to triumph and triumph. Importantly, avoid losing.

“I always wanted to win trophies when I first joined this club,” Hampton told the BBC. It is amazing that we have won the title twice in the two seasons I’ve been here. It never gets old. It’ll never get old as long as we keep winning.

Chelsea currently has three games left before the FA Cup final against Manchester United on May 18 and two league games before that.

It would be a remarkable accomplishment to leave it unbeaten domestically.

Lamine Yamal, a 17-year-old Lionel Messi, said he would not compare himself to him, and he did so in one of the Champions League’s greatest semi-finals.

He was later referred to as “a genius,” “a cheat code,” and “a phenomenal talent.”

In their epic first-leg encounter, Barca and Inter Milan ended up drawing 3-3 with visiting full-back Denzel Dumfries scoring twice and winning the match’s MVP.

Yamal, 17, who scored his 22nd goal in his eminently 100th Barcelona game, will make the most of the world’s attention.

After Inter had led 2-0 in the 21st minute, he performed a masterclass, especially in the first half, which gave him a fantastic comeback.

In the Euro 2024 final four last summer, Yamal won with a stylish Champions League semi-final goal to go with one. One of the best players in the world, unquestionably, before turning 18

“I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a 45-minute clip from a single person before in my life.” As the players left the pitch at half-time, Ally McCoist, a TNT Sports pundit, said, “It is unbelievable.”

Following that, Simone Inzaghi, Inter Milan’s manager, praised Yamal the most.

He said, “Seeing him up close is the kind of talent that comes along every 50 years.”

He caused us a lot of trouble because we had to give in to his needs and that wasn’t enough.

He is unique, genius, according to Barca boss Hansi Flick. He appears in big matches.

I’m glad it’s for Barcelona, Simone said, “If it only comes every 50 years.”

He was described as a potential Ballon d’Or winner by BBC journalist Stephen Warnock.

Before the game, Yamal appeared to hurt his groin and traveled down the tunnel during the warm-up, with rumors that he might not play.

Before Inter led 2-0 thanks to Marcus Thuram’s 30-second backheel flick from a Dumfries cross and Dutchman Dumfries’ flying close-range volley, he did start but he hardly had an impact.

But then Yamal, who was being double-marked, came to life, beating a few Inter players before delivering the ball with astonishing ease and confidence.

Moments later, he beat more defenders on the byeline and fired a shot past Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer, which was a penalty.

After the break, Ferran Torres’ excellent teamwork brought Barca level before the break.

Dumfries’ header, however, gave the Italian side a second lead before Dumfries’ header.

However, as a result of Yamal’s deft dumming of a pass, Raphinha lashed in from 25 yards, which hit the bar, and went in off Sommer’s for an own goal, just as Barca was level again.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan thought he had made it 4-3 to Inter, but a slight offside prevented him from scoring.

How much Yamal has accomplished in his younger years is beyond comprehension.

His 100th goal for Spain came in this, his 22nd overall, and his 100th goal in that club.

Yamal also contributed 27 assists, including two in Real Madrid’s extra-time Copa del Rey victory on Saturday.

Messi and Ronaldo, the two greatest players of this generation, did not make their international debuts until the age of 18, while Yamal won Euro 2024 the following year.

Before turning 18, Messi scored five goals, with Ronaldo scoring five.

Yamal is the youngest La Liga player at Barcelona (15 years old) and the youngest player to score and contribute for any team.

Additionally, he holds records for the youngest Champions League starter, youngest player to score in a knockout game, quarter-final, and semi-final.

By Yamal’s age, very few players have had the same kind of impact in the game. In July, he will turn 18 years old.

He appears to be the greatest footballer in history, having played for Inter Miami before him and being the closest thing to Barcelona and Argentina great Messi.

Both players play on the right wing and both graduated from Barca Academy, La Masia.

In the run-up to the game, Yamal told reporters, “I don’t compare myself to him, because I don’t compare myself to anyone,” while also praising the Argentine as “the best player in history,” “I don’t compare myself to anyone, because I don’t compare myself to anyone.”

However, Messi was only very young and promising, compared to Messi’s reputation as one of the best in the world at the age of 17.

Yamal continued, “I don’t think the comparison makes sense, with Messi even less. I’m going to enjoy myself and be myself.”

However, he shares an unusual relationship with Messi, who he first encountered when he was a child.

A photo was taken during the 2007 Nou Camp photo shoot for the Barcelona charity calendar.

Yamal was a 20-year-old Messi who helped him take a bath in the movie. Really, I guess.

Lamine’s family lived in Mataro, where Unicef held a raffle for money.

Rio Ferdinand, an ex-England defender, said, “We walked down to the city center and you could tell there is a superstar in this town right now, in Lamine Yamal.”

The footage from Yamal captivated the audience.

Former Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and England international Owen Hargreaves called him a “cheat code” on TNT.

I just want to see Lamine Yamal score the ball, he continued, “and everyone else gets out of the way.”

Watching BBC’s Champions League Match of the Day, former Liverpool and England defender Warnock remarked, “He was unplayable at times. His aim was outrageous.

“Watching Yamal is ridiculous. You are aware of what he consistently wants to do: enter with his left foot. You overcompensate, and he can actually put a decent ball in with his right foot, and he can drag it with his left foot as well.

I adore watching him because he has a phenomenal talent.

Watch highlights of every Champions League game on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport, and the BBC Sport website and app from 12:00 to eve of the match.