Champions League quarter-final exit for City | OneFootball

Manchester City’s 2024/25 UEFA Women’s Champions League journey is over at the quarter-final stage after a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Chelsea.

First half goals from Sandy Baltimore, Nathalie Bjorn and Mayra Ramirez cancelled out City’s 2-0 first leg win at the Joie Stadium in the fourth and final game against Sonia Bompastor’s side in the space of 12 days.

Despite City battling until the very end at Stamford Bridge, Nick Cushing’s side couldn’t find the crucial goal which would’ve forced extra time.

It means City’s attentions now turn towards qualification for next season’s competition and the FA Cup semi-finals.

What happened

The two sides had served up three thrilling encounters in less than two weeks but, with a spot in the Champions League semi-finals on the line, there was still plenty up for grabs in the final instalment of our unprecedented miniseries.

City held the advantage after an impressive 2-0 win in the first leg at the Joie Stadium, Chelsea’s only defeat of the current campaign, but it was the hosts who came out all guns blazing.

After a couple of half chances, the first real sight of goal fell to Bjorn, who powered a header against the post from a corner at 10 minutes.

Chelsea hit the woodwork again soon after through Lucy Bronze but would gain the lead from the rebound as Baltimore rifled a vicious effort across goal and into the top corner.

City had been under pressure from the get-go but continued to battle at the Bridge, with Mary Fowler testing the reflexes of Hannah Hampton midway through the half for our first real chance of the game.

But Nick Cushing’s side still had our backs to the wall as half-time approached, with Khiara Keating tipping a speculative Baltimore effort over bar and saving well from Wieke Kaptein either side of Vivianne Miedema clearing off the line from a corner.

We’d battled hard but ridden our luck, and it eventually ran out as half-time approached when Bjorn headed home from a corner to bring the two sides level on aggregate.

A third would follow soon after when Ramirez bundled home a cutback after City had surrendered possession in our own half, giving Chelsea the lead in the two-legged tie for the first time.

The Colombian probably should’ve doubled her personal tally for the night in first half stoppage time, but it was Keating who came out on top with a fantastic point-blank save on this occasion.

Despite the hosts having the majority of the play in the opening exchanges of the second half, chances were few and far between at Stamford Bridge.

Keating once again made a couple of smart stops in quick succession from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Erin Cuthbert around the hour mark, before a Laia Aleixandri cutback from a corner was cleared in the nick of time with Fowler waiting to pounce at the other end.

City’s best chance of the game landed to Miedema soon after, with the Dutch international firing a whisker wide of the far post after finding some space on the edge of the Chelsea box.

We were still well within the tie with ten minutes to play, despite Cuthbert rattling an effort against the bar from distance after driving into a midfield gap.

Nick Cushing's side fought until the end in search of the goal that would force extra time, but it would ultimately prove in vain on a frustrating night at Stamford Bridge.

What it means

City’s Champions League journey is over at the quarter-final stage after a 3-2 aggregate defeat.

Chelsea will face Barcelona in the last four over two legs.

How we lined up

Nick Cushing made three changes from Sunday’s team who faced Chelsea in the Barclays Women’s Super League, with Leila Ouahabi, Lily Murphy and Mary Fowler all brought in to start.

Khiara Keating’s goal was shielded by a back four of Kerstin Casparij, Gracie Prior, Laia Aleixandri and Ouahabi, with Yui Hasegawa passing a late fitness test to start in midfield.

Jill Roord and Vivianne Miedema completed the midfield three, with Murphy and Kerolin Nicoli starting on the flanks and Fowler leading the line.

City XI: Keating, Casparij, Prior Aleixandri (C), Ouahabi, Hasegawa (Layzell 85’), Roord (Park 65’), Miedema, Kerolin Nicoli, Murphy (Coombs 46’), Fowler.

Subs: Startup, Layzell, Wienroither.

Chelsea XI: Hampton, Bronze, Bright (C), Bjorn, Baltimore, Walsh (Jean-Francois 90'), Kaptein, Cuthbert, James, Rytting-Kaneryd, Ramirez (Beever-Jones 72’).

Subs: Cox, Spencer, Nusken, Laurence, Charles, Hamano.

Up next

City are back in Barclays Women’s Super League action before heading off for the latest international break, facing Brighton at Broadfield Stadium.

Kick-off is set for 14:00 (UK) on Sunday 30 March, with comprehensive coverage available, as always, on the official Man City app.