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      Barcelona boss insists Lucy Bronze ‘is fine’ after Lionesses star limps off during duel with Chelsea

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      LUCY BRONZE gave England fans the jitters after going off injured during Barcelona’s 1-0 defeat of Chelsea in the Women’s Champions League semis.The full-back, 31, sparked concern after she dropped to the turf clutching her knee in the game’s second spell.
      Lucy Bronze appeared to be struggling with a knee issue during Barcelona’s win against Chelsea in the Champions LeagueCredit: PA
      The Barca and England full-back limped off with 23 minutes of normal time left in the game at Stamford BridgeCredit: Getty
      Caroline Graham Hansen’s first-half rocket shot saw Barcelona seal a first leg semi-final away winCredit: Getty
      The worrying moment came a day after national team-mate Leah Williamson saw her season ended early by an anterior cruciate ligament injury. 
      Bronze was substituted swiftly after receiving treatment from her club’s physios for an issue with her right knee. 
      And the Lioness was spotted with an ice pack on her knee after limping off in the 67th minute of the clash played in front of a 27,697-strong crowd at Stamford Bridge.
      But Barca boss Jonathan Giraldez suggested the issue does not appear to be serious. 
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      He said: “She felt something in her knee, but in the end it was normal and she’s fine.
      “In the moment we made the substitution it was because the feeling she had was bad. But now the feeling she has is really good. 
      The last clash between the teams saw Chelsea beaten in the Champions League final back in May 2021.
      They were blown away in a thirty-six minute four-goal blitz with Caroline Graham Hansen among the Catalan giants’ biggest threats. 
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      And she was Chelsea’s nemesis once again as Barcelona drew first blood in the semis first-leg battle.
      The Norway forward gave the visitors a fourth-minute lead with a thunderbolt finish after being given too much space to fire. 
      The visitors saw a chance to double their lead denied with Ann-Katrin Berger’s save of Geyse’s shot before Guro Reiten saw a goal ruled offside with 25 minutes gone. 
      And the Blues forward had a glorious opportunity to level with her angled shot in the box cleared off target by Bronze. 
      The second spell saw Hayes ring some changes with Lauren James among the substitutes introduced in this period and she saw an effort saved with 39 minutes of normal time left. 
      And Ann-Katrin Berger pulled off a stunning late save to deny Fridolina Rolfo with Chelsea needing to overcome a 1-0 deficit at Camp Nou this Thursday. 
      Blues boss Hayes said: “I wanted to be in the tie and we’re in the tie. Now we have to prepare again for another game.
      Emma Hayes says her team must be prepared to suffer in order to overcome Barcelona at Camp Nou next ThursdayCredit: PA
      “Their whole team is phenomenal. 
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      You have to suffer. You will be without the ball. One switch off and positional error cost us the goal.
      “I think we limited them to as few chances as we possibly could and I’ll take that going into the next game.” More

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      ‘It’s going to be tough. We’re ready to perform’, says Emma Hayes ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Barcelona

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      EMMA HAYES warns her Chelsea stars must be prepared to suffer in their bid to brush aside Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League. Her WSL titans will be targeting a Stamford Bridge win when they face Spain’s top tier leaders in a crucial first-leg semis duel. 
      Chelsea hope to pull off their first ever Women’s Champions League semis defeat of BarcelonaCredit: Reuters
      Emma Hayes’ team are set to play Spain’s league leaders in front of an estimated 25,000-strong crowd at Stamford BridgeCredit: Reuters
      Hayes says her side will need to play a perfect gameCredit: Reuters
      The Blues chief, 45, said: “It will be tough and we have to play a perfect game. 
      “We have to execute at both ends of the pitch to give ourselves the best possible chance.
      “We have the advantage of being at home but we have as much possibility as we have ever had of qualifying for a final. 
      “My message to the players is to give absolutely everything you can to doing that knowing that a final is at stake. 
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      “We are a team that are used to struggling, we know how to suffer and we’re going to have to do that for much of the game.
      “But we have a team that is ready to perform.”
      The last clash between the sides in the 2021 final saw Chelsea fall to a 4-0 defeat.
      Magda Eriksson, who played in that game, says the Blues are ready to rise to the challenge of stunning their rivals.
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      And in the lead up to this game the Blues have registered impressive results in Europe this term
      These include a quarter-final knockout of eight-time Champions League winners Lyon.
      Magda Eriksson says Chelsea are ready for the challenge posed by BarcelonaCredit: Getty
      The Chelsea captain said: “Of course the final loss a couple of years ago motivates us, but just the fact we can reach the final is motivation enough. 
      “The girls have had a really good training week.  
      “We can sense there is something special and the team is very, very together and ready for this challenge.
      Chelsea vs Barcelona can be watched live via DAZN’s YouTube channel at 12:30 pm today More

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      ‘Playing in these sorts of games is what you want’, says Barcelona ace Keira Walsh ahead of duel with Chelsea

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      KEIRA WALSH is out to prevent a historic first all-English Women’s Champions League final when Barcelona face Chelsea.Today’s lunchtime clash will be the Barca star’s maiden club match on home soil since her world-record transfer from Manchester City last summer.
      Keira Walsh says she has become more “streetwise” on the pitch following her move to BarcelonaCredit: Getty
      Walsh and her Barca team-mates have won all 25 of the games they have played so far in Spain’s top tierCredit: Getty
      Today’s match at Stamford Bridge could see Lucy Bronze in action for the LaLiga Women’s leadersCredit: Alamy
      Walsh and Lucy Bronze could be set to play at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League semis clash with the Blues.
      The match comes almost a month after Chelsea’s dramatic defeat of record contest winners Lyon on penalties. 
      Meanwhile, Arsenal visit German side Wolfsburg tomorrow in the first leg of their semi-final
      Walsh said: “I’ve not played in a Champions League semi-final for a long time so on a personal note, it is really exciting. 
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      “Although it would be good for English women’s football if there were two English teams in the final, Lucy and me will be trying our best to prevent that from happening. 
      “We’re playing for Barcelona and with the kind of objectives we have here, we want to be in that game (the final).
      “Playing in these sorts of games is what you want and it’s the reason why I signed for Barcelona.”
      The last time the football titans went toe-to-toe was in May 2021 when Chelsea fell to a heavy 4-0 Champions League final loss. 
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      However both sides have seen a number of players depart and arrive.
      These include Lauren James who has emerged as one of the Blues’ most formidable forwards since her July 2021 move from Manchester United.  
      Walsh added: “The girls will take confidence from the experience they had in the last final. 
      “They played really well, scored a lot of goals and created chances so they can draw on that experience
      “But it is two completely different teams this time around and a lot of different players for both sets of team. In that sense, it is a new challenge.
      “We’ve been preparing for this the whole week. 
      “People look at our scorelines in the Spanish league and think that the games aren’t that competitive
      “But in our first half against Atletico Madrid last weekend it wasn’t an easy game. 
      “It was man for man and it was hard to try to figure it out (to break them down) until the second half (of our 4-0 win). 
      “I think those sorts of games are competitive so they do prepare you.”
      Today’s clash will be followed by a second-leg duel on Thursday night at Spotify Camp Nou. 
      Chelsea will be aiming to stop Walsh and Patri Guijarro taking control in midfieldCredit: Alamy
      And it could see Walsh pulling the strings alongside midfield stars Aitana Bonmati and Patri Guijarro.
      She added: “One thing they’ve really pushed me on here is being more aggressive and being a bit more streetwise in terms of when to make fouls and let play carry on. 
      “For me, that’s a side that I’ve really improved on and something that Jonatan (Giraldez – Barcelona’s head coach) spoke to me about. 
      “I also combine a lot more in midfield.
      At Manchester City we’d like to keep possession and keep the ball, but it wasn’t necessarily a lot of short passes in the midfield.
      Barcelona lifted their first Women’s Champions League trophy when they beat Chelsea in the final in May 2021Credit: AP
      “It was a case of getting the ball wide to the wingers.

      “But they always want me to try and find Patri and Aitana and play short passes. a
      “I feel like I’ve improved defensively and become a bit more aggressive.” More

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      Lionesses captain and Arsenal ace Leah Williamson to miss World Cup and rest of domestic season

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      LEAH WILLIAMSON has “had her tears and made her peace” with her season coming to an end following an injury blow. The Lionesses’ captain, 26, will miss the World Cup and the rest of Arsenal’s games this term after suffering anterior cruciate ligament damage. 
      Leah Williamson’s ACL injury has brought her season to an end three months before the World CupCredit: AP
      The Arsenal centre-back and England skipper sustained a knee injury during the Gunners’ midweek loss to Man United in the WSLCredit: PA
      Williamson is set for an extended spell out of action and is due to undergo surgeryCredit: Getty
      The Gunners and England centre-back sustained the injury before her club’s crunch Champions semis clash with Wolfsburg on Sunday. 
      She limped off during the first half of Arsenal’s 1-0 loss away to Manchester United on Wednesday after appearing to jar her knee whilst challenging for the ball. 
      In a statement on Friday the club said the player is set for an “extended spell on the sidelines” and would “undergo surgery in due course”. 
      Via her Instagram account, Williamson wrote: “Unfortunately the World Cup and Champions League dream is over for me.
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      “Everyone will think that’s the main focus, but it’s the day to day of what I’m about to go through that is the most draining of my thoughts.
       “I had my tears and made my peace with it the night it happened.
      “Since then I have been following the steps I’m told to, in order to best help myself in the short and long term.  
      “Ultimately, I think it’s just my time.
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      “In the past couple of years alone I have watched teammates beat serious illnesses and adversity with the biggest of smiles on their faces. 
      “I also hold perspective that globally there are much greater difficulties and therefore my circumstances right now are just that, circumstantial, and I’ve seen a lot worse.”
      Williamson joins Kim Little, Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema on the sidelines with the crocked Arsenal trio seeing their seasons ended prematurely.  
      Her injury is also a significant setback for England with Lionesses vice-captain Millie Bright currently recovering from a knee issue. 
      A number of Williamson’s club and country team-mates took to social media with messages of support for the player. 
      In a post published via her Twitter account, Mead wrote: “We are with you every step of the wayeven if I have to be quiet some days in rehab.
      “We got you, all the love and strength in the world. 
      And Man United’s Ella Toone said she “was right behind” her England team-mate. 
      Williamson, who has 41 senior international caps, pledged to continue giving her all for club and country.
      The defender, who has 41 senior Lionesses caps, added: “I haven’t had a day since last October when I’ve walked on to the pitch without a physical or mental question mark over me, and that’s professional sports. 
      “So now I have to listen to my body, give it what it needs and if everything happens for a reason, then we’ll see what road this turn sends me down.

      “I have given and will continue to give everything that my body, mind and heart possibly has to the Arsenal and Lionesses. 

      “I will still be there through thick and thin for all of my teammates and their biggest supporter.
      “I feel your love and support, so thank you! All I ask is for a little bit of time and space to deal with all that is to come.” More

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      Manchester United 1 Arsenal 0: England skipper Leah Williamson suffers injury as Red Devils dispatch Gunners

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      LEAH WILLIAMSON suffered an injury scare ahead of the World Cup as Arsenal saw their title hopes dented by Manchester United. Alessia Russo’s strike saw their tough night compounded with the Red Devils going six points clear of them at the WSL’s summit.
      Leah Williamson went off injured in the first half of Arsenal’s WSL clash with Man UnitedCredit: PA
      Katie Zelem, Lia Walti and Ella Toone came the Arsenal captain’s aid when she appeared to hurt her knee whilst vying for the ballCredit: PA
      Williamson was subbed off in the 15th minute of the match at Leigh Sports VillageCredit: Reuters
      The result saw United do the double over the north London giants for the first time in the WSL before their trip to Aston Villa. 
      The sight of Williamson dropping to the turf before being accompanied down the tunnel by team-mate Kim Little momentarily took the zest out of the game.
      The England and Gunners captain was replaced in the 15th minute by Gio Queiroz after appearing to hurt her knee whilst running for the ball.
      It was a moment that will leave Gunners and Lionesses’ staff sweating over her fitness. 
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      Her injury comes three months before England’s first World Cup group stage game with Sarina Wiegman’s side facing Haiti on July 22. 
      BBC Sports’ Alex Scott revealed the defender was on crutches with her club set to assess her before their Champions League semis duel with Wolfsburg. 
      First half chances were few and far between with both teams having just one shot on target.
      But the deadlock was broken on the stroke of half-time as Nikita Parris cut back a pass in the box for Russo to slam home.
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      The second spell saw Jonas Eidevall make changes with Steph Catley and Jen Beattie coming on for Kathrine Kuhl and Laura Wienroither.
      And the visitors came close to drawing level with Stina Blackstenius’ shot in the box bravely blocked by Aoife Mannion with 28 minutes of normal time left. 
      Mary Earps came out quickly to claim the ball with the striker waiting to pounce on Victoria Pelova’s delivery. 
      And Frida Maanum fired a free-kick wide before a late Mannion clearance with the hosts going four points ahead of Chelsea.
      Alessia Russo’s strike helped Man United become only the third side in the WSL beat Arsenal twice in the league in one seasonCredit: Alamy More

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      Manchester United boss Marc Skinner hits out at ‘crazy’ ticket allocation for Women’s FA Cup final

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      MARK SKINNER reckons it’s crazy Manchester United and Chelsea have been allocated just 8,000 tickets each for the Women’s FA Cup final. The Red Devils boss was sharing his thoughts after the FA confirmed 65,000 had been sold for neutral seating areas at Wembley stadium. 
      Manchester United return to WSL action on Wednesday with a clash third-placed Arsenal at homeCredit: Getty
      Marc Skinner’s side will face Chelsea at Wembley in the Women’s FA Cup final in MayCredit: Getty
      The clash will take place on May 14, a weekend before two pivotal title race duels with United hosting Man City and Chelsea facing Arsenal. 
      The amount of tickets provided for Blues and Red Devils fans hoping to sit in dedicated areas is less than those given to Liverpool and Chelsea before last year’s men’s final. 
      Back then the Premier League rivals were provided with 35,000 each for their duel at the 90,000-capacity stadium.
      Skinner, whose side are top of the WSL, said: “I don’t know how many are in the men’s game and I don’t know how they allocate (them). 
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      “But to give two massive clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United 8,000 tickets to sell is just crazy in my opinion. I can’t believe it.”
      The FA say this year’s finalists have been provided with almost twice as many tickets as those allocated to the Blues and Man City ahead of last year’s decider.
      In a written statement, an FA spokesman said: “Chelsea and Manchester United have each been issued with an additional 7,500 tickets for their fans.
      “This is to help meet the likely demand for each club and is almost double the amount of tickets that the finalists received last year.
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      “We are anticipating a new record attendance for the match.”
      Tomorrow evening United, who are top of the WSL, take on Arsenal at Leigh Sports Village.
      Their rivals are currently three points behind them in the WSL with a game in hand. 
      The last encounter between the sides saw United become the first team to beat the Gunners at the Emirates in the WSL, with a 3-2 win in October.
      Tomorrow’s clash will see Arsenal take to the pitch without skipper Kim Little with her season ended prematurely by a hamstring injury. 
      However Skinner believes Jonas Eidevall’s side will pose considerable threat despite the absence of the midfield talisman. 
      And the north London side have been boosted by defender Steph Catley’s return to the squad with Lia Walti also available 
      Skinner added: “We know the threat that they have, we know the way that Jonas wants to play and their adaptations. 
      “It will be a very difficult game regardless. It’s almost like a heavyweight competition or contest. 
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      “We have to make sure that we’re the team that are the aggressors. 
      “We’re going to have to rely heavily on our fan base because we want to turn our home into a fortress which we’ve managed to do.”
      Arsenal will without captain Kim Little with the midfield ace sidelined by a hamstring injuryCredit: PA More

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      Gunners ace Kim Little to miss Arsenal’s remaining games with hamstring injury

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      ARSENAL have been dealt an injury blow with Kim Little missing the rest of this season due to a hamstring problem.The Gunners skipper, 32, sustained the injury in the first half of the team’s Champions League quarter-final defeat of Bayern Munich. 
      Kim Little has been sidelined by a hamstring injury and is out of action for the rest of the seasonCredit: Getty
      The Gunners’ captain suffered the injury during Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Bayern Munich in MarchCredit: Getty
      Jonas Eidevall’s side will face Man United in the WSL next before their Champions League clash with WolfsburgCredit: Alamy
      The midfield ace came off in the 12th minute of their 2-0 second-leg quarters defeat of the German giants at the Emirates on March 29. 
      Her team will face Wolfsburg away in a Champions League semis first-leg game this Sunday, after beating Bayern 2-1 on aggregate. 
      The match follows their trip to league leaders Manchester United on Wednesday for a pivotal clash in the race for the WSL title. 
      In a statement on their website, Arsenal said: “Our captain has already begun her rehabilitation and this process is progressing well. 
      “We expect her to be available for the start of preparations for the 2023/24 season.
      “Our medical team will support Kim closely over the coming months and we look forward to seeing her back on the field of play soon.”
      Little has been among Arsenal’s best players this term helping the team end a three-year run without a silverware win in March. 
      Before her injury she notched up five goals and two assists in 16 appearances in the WSL and Europe. 
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      And the Gunners’ heroine netted her side’s second goal in their 3-1 Conti Cup final win against Chelsea last month.
      Little’s injury sees her join some of her team’s most influential forwards on the sidelines
      Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema are currently both out of action due to anterior cruciate ligament damage. 
      Man United are three points ahead of Arsenal in the league with Gunners carrying a game in handCredit: Getty
      And in-form forward Caitlin Foord came off during their 2-1 defeat of Manchester City in the WSL last month 
      The Australia ace appeared to injure her hamstring during the win that put her side two points behind United with a game in hand.
      She missed the Matildas’ 1-0 loss to Scotland and 2-0 defeat of England during the international break.  More

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      Hayes hails Kerr as ‘the best’ after Chelsea Women’s FA Cup semis defeat of Aston Villa before Barcelona duel

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      EMMA HAYES saluted Sam Kerr describing the striker  after she fired Chelsea a step closer to FA Cup glory. The Australia ace’s header sent the holders back to Wembley for a final against WSL leaders Manchester United on May 14.
      Sam Kerr’s goal helped Chelsea book their place in this year’s Women’s FA Cup finalCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      The Blues are hoping to win the trophy for a third successive yearCredit: Getty
      Emma Hayes’ side are due to play Barcelona next in a Women’s Champions League semi-final first leg clash at Stamford BridgeCredit: Reuters
      And delighted Blues boss Hayes, whose team will face Barcelona in the Champions League on Saturday, declared: “You just can’t stop her.
      “I don’t know a striker in world football who can do what she does ? She’s the best.
      “I have never seen a centre-forward move as much as her.
      “Even if she strays into an offside position, she doesn’t stay still, she just goes again.
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      “She’s a total nightmare to defend against for opponents.
      “Her energy levels – it’s like she’s a 12-year-old. It’s so infectious but her qualities, she’s just unbelievable.”
      Kerr’s 24th goal of the season in front of a 5,000-plus crowd at Walsall’s Bescot Stadium sent Chelsea to a third successive women’s FA Cup final. 
      The London outfit overcame a battling performance by Aston Villa with Carla Ward’s side pushing them all the way before bowing out of the contest. 
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      The Blues, chasing the WSL title and Champions League glory, are now eyeing a fifth women’s Cup final triumph.
      And Kerr declared: “I love what I do, love playing for this club and love playing alongside these girls.
      “Emma will tell you, when she takes me off or makes me take a rest day at training, I get angry.
      “So it’s me that wants to keep playing and I’ll play as much as I can.”
      On beating Carla Ward’s plucky Villa side, the Australian added: “It was a really gutsy team performance.
      “We just needed to do what we needed to do and we got the win.”
      Villa failed to create enough clear-cut chances, and the injury-hit Cup holders made their opponents pay.
      Kerr headed home Guro Reiten’s cross to hand Chelsea the crucial advantage.
      They then weathered a late Villa barrage as Alisha Lehmann missed two opportunities before Sarah Mayling agonisingly struck a post in the 85th minute.
      Chelsea now face a tricky Champions League semi-final first-leg clash against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge this Saturday.
      It was Villa’s first semi-final appearance in the competition.
      Carla Ward is turning her attention to guiding Aston Villa to their highest ever finish in the WSLCredit: Getty
      Proud boss Ward said: “All my players were absolutely outstanding.
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      “I thought we were the better team. We’re heartbroken ? That’s the reality.
      “We had quite a few chances to score and we just didn’t put them away. But I’m so, so proud of the group.” More