Chelsea survive late scare to beat Real Madrid in Women’s Champions League opener

Chelsea 3 Real Madrid 2

Three competitive matches, three wins for Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor, who marked her first appearance on the touchline at Stamford Bridge with a nervy start in Europe.

Chelsea, conquerors of the English women’s game for the past five seasons, have high hopes of going all the way and winning the one piece of silverware that eluded former manager Emma Hayes during her 12-year tenure at the club. After recruiting Bompastor, who won the Champions League twice as a player with Lyon and when she managed the French giants in 2022, there is a feeling of renewed optimism that this could be their year.

With England right-back Lucy Bronze, winner of this competition three times with two different clubs, among their ranks, the signs could hardly be more obvious: this is a competition Chelsea are desperate to win.

There is no doubt Bompastor’s team have the star power up front, even if question marks remain over their game management. Leading 3-1 with 10 minutes remaining, Linda Caicedo’s 83rd-minute goal set up a tense finish in a contest they should have controlled from start to finish. In Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Chelsea possess a flinty striker who looks increasingly crucial to their attack.

The Swede was instrumental in the opening goal, going on a dizzying run down the right before delivering a pinpoint cross towards Sjoeke Nusken, whose deflected header sailed past Real goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez. Guro Reiten doubled the hosts’ lead from the spot after Nusken – who proved a handful all night for Real’s defence – went down in the penalty area. It was a soft decision, but with chances few and far between for both teams, who battled on in occasional biblical showers, Chelsea had no complaints.

Real had little to shout about in a drab first half save for Caroline Weir’s tame effort which was gathered by Musovic, who started in goal after Hannah Hampton was taken ill before kick-off. The Swede was powerless to stop Alba Redondo’s close-range strike. Chelsea extended their lead after the break when Mayra Ramirez headed home an inswinging cross from Lauren James.

Chelsea, who are no longer allowed to play European fixtures in their smaller Kingsmeadow ground, capped the crowd inside Stamford Bridge to 5,000 but there looked barely half that number in attendance.

“It’s always difficult for families to come to a game Tuesday night at 8 o’clock when kids have to go to school the next morning,” said Bompastor. “This stadium has so much history and I want to be part of that history, bringing my new vision. Having the opportunity to win a first Champions League game here was important.”

Match details

Chelsea (4-3-3): Musovic (gk); Bronze, Bright, Bjorn, Baltimore (Lawrence 66); Kaptein (Hamano 66), Nusken, James (Mpome 87); Rytting Kanyerd (Jean-Francois 75), Ramirez (Beever-Jones 66), Reiten. 
Subs not used: Perisset, Bartel. 
Real Madrid (4-3-3): Misa (gk); Garcia (Oihane 87), Lakrar, Mendez, Olga; Teresa (Caicedo 63), Angeldal, Leupolz; Athenea (Navarro 74), Weir (Moller 87), Redondo.
Goals: Nusken 2’ Reiten 28’ pen, Redondo 39’, Ramirez 53’, Caicedo 83’
Subs not used: Chavas (gk), Tellez, Rocio, Antonia, Bruun, Camacho, Feller. 
Ref: Ivana Martincic (Cro)