Stamford Bridge punishes a Barça side lost in Europe

Special correspondent in LondonBarça is no longer the Champions League's hottest team. There's no trace left in Europe of the side that dazzled last season, brave and daring under Hansi Flick. After the defeat against PSG and the draw with Club Brugge, the team was severely punished at Stamford Bridge (3-0). Ronald Araujo's sending-off in the first half deflated a Barça side that never posed a real threat to a Chelsea team that was always superior, played at a different pace, and reminded Barça that the Champions League can be the most beautiful competition in the world, but also the most painful.

Barça bled at Stamford Bridge due to their own mistakes. Wounds that hurt the players themselves, the 1,700 fans who traveled with the team to the London stadium, and the entire Barça fanbase. Direct blows to the heart of a team already reeling from the prospect of having to play a playoff to advance to the next round. Hansi Flick made only two changes from Saturday's deceptively convincing victory against Athletic. The German coach still doesn't fully trust Casadó and once again handed the reins of midfield to Eric. Olmo was sacrificed, making way for De Jong. Araujo was the other new face, replacing Gerard Martín in central defense.

The Uruguayan's Champions League performance was once again one to forget. Calling it a match is a stretch. Araujo again made mistakes unbecoming of a player who wants to defend the Barça badge on nights and in venues like Chelsea's. It mattered little that Maresca's team was one of the youngest in the Premier League and that more than half of its players had limited Champions League experience: alongside Araujo, everyone seemed like a veteran. At least, much more astute than the Barça captain, who got himself sent off. The memory of his sending-off against PSG in the quarterfinals two seasons ago loomed large in the minds of all Barcelona fans. The Uruguayan received two yellow cards in just 12 minutes (in the 32nd and 44th minutes). The first for dissent, the second for a mistimed tackle on Cucurella. The former Barcelona player cleverly flicked the ball with a delicate touch, just enough to get a feel for it before Araujo could make a reckless tackle and receive a second, undeniable yellow card.

Araujo's sending-off only served to confirm the hell he endured at Stamford Bridge in front of thousands upon thousands of bloodshot English fans, shouting themselves hoarse to intimidate the Barcelona players. Cucurella was one of those who contributed most to the home crowd's jubilation. The former Barcelona player wanted to show Barça they hadn't been right to let him go when he was just a kid breaking into the first team under Ernesto Valverde, who never believed in him. Now one of Chelsea's most veteran players, he not only provoked Araujo's expulsion but was also responsible for creating the first goal and making life miserable for Lamine Yamal.

Barça was never a rival in London

Even with an equal number of players on the pitch, the home side were already putting pressure on Barça. From the 25th minute onwards, Maresca's team began to dwarf the Blaugrana. Estevao was running rampant down the right flank, while Garnacho repeatedly exposed Koundé's weaknesses. Barça weren't playing at Stamford Bridge; Barça were suffering at Stamford Bridge. Only a shot from Ferran in the early stages of the match, in a move where the Valencian calmly slotted home a delightful pass from Lamine Yamal, proved to be a small oasis in the desert for a Barça side that ultimately foundered in London. The Blaugrana were incapable not only of creating chances, but even of playing any meaningful football, and Chelsea devoured them. The physically imposing and speedy English side looked like Greek gods next to a Barça team that ended up looking like a broken toy.

The first goal came half an hour into the match, after a short corner that Kounde ended up putting into his own net. Fifteen minutes later, Araujo was sent off. Barça were finally bailing water out of the boat, but being reduced to ten men effectively wiped them out of the game. The second half was a grueling trip to the dentist. Flick tried to rearrange things by moving Eric to center back and bringing on Rashford for Ferran. The manager wanted to be bold by making a striker-for-striker substitution, instead of adding more players to the defense, but Chelsea were unstoppable. The ball was burning a Barça side that was both imprecise and timid. A glancing mistake by De Jong allowed Estevao to pounce, and his great performance was rewarded with a stunning goal that knocked his opponents out in the 55th minute.

The night dragged on, very long, for Barça in London. Chelsea hadn't scored more goals because of offside calls, some of them quite close: three goals were disallowed for the English side. In fact, their third goal had also been ruled out, but after a VAR review, Delap's goal was awarded. Chelsea eased off against a Barça side whose only option was to avoid further damage and head back to Barcelona, ​​heads bowed, to lick their wounds.