Chelsea suffered an embarrassing Champions League exit as holders Barcelona turned on the style at Stamford Bridge to win 8-2 on aggregate and coast into the final. The Women’s Super League leaders already faced an uphill task after losing the first leg 4-1 in Catalonia last week but things got much worse after conceding three more goals in a woeful first half in front of a 26,702 crowd. Aitana Bonmati’s thumping finish into the roof of the net was followed by two goals in two minutes. Ewa Pajor made it 6-1 on aggregate after slotting past Hannah Hampton and Barcelona’s travelling fans were still celebrating that finish when Claudia Pina’s long-range attempt went in-off the woodwork. Salma Paralluelo added salt to Chelsea’s wounds by making it 4-0 on the day in the closing moments before Chelsea did eventually pull one back through Dutch youngster Wieke Kaptein. It could have been much worse for Chelsea. Fridolina Rolfo fired agonisingly over the bar, Hampton did well to deny Pajor a second, while Niamh Charles cleared off the line in the closing stages. At the other end, Chelsea did not seriously test Barcelona goalkeeper Cata Coll enough. While Barcelona coasted to the easiest of wins, questions will be asked at Chelsea as to why they bowed out of the one competition that has eluded them in such poor fashion. Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor was brought in on a four-year contract last May to win the Champions League, the one trophy that eluded former boss Emma Hayes. The Blues, who have already won the Women’s League Cup this season, need just four points to confirm another WSL title, while they face Manchester United in the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley on 18 May. Yet European club football’s biggest prize feels as distant as ever after two games where Barca exposed the gulf in class between the two sides. Bompastor, a two-time Champions League winner as a player who led Lyon to European success in 2022, wrote in her programme notes about putting on a performance for the fans after the first-leg mauling and giving it their all. Chelsea huffed and puffed but Barca were too good, too clinical, too clever. Losing to Barca has become a familiar tale for Chelsea, who have now gone out to the team from Catalonia at the semi-final stage for the third successive season. At least last season they won 1-0 in Spain before losing 2-0 in front of their own fans. This time they were hammered by Barcelona over 180 minutes. Smart, intelligent, ruthless – Barca look unstoppable Despite losing to Manchester City in their opening Champions League group game this season, Barcelona stand on the cusp of greatness. Barca were everything you expect from a team hunting down a fourth Champions League triumph in five seasons.