Arsenal have signed Barcelona's World Cup-winning forward Mariona Caldentey on a free transfer, following the departure of Vivianne Miedema.

The Gunners have been looking to strengthen their attacking options since announcing Miedema – the all-time leading scorer in the Women's Super League – would leave at the end of her contract. 

They have now swooped for Caldentey after she called time on her 10-year stint with Barcelona, for whom she made 302 appearances and scored 114 goals.

She scored 58 of those goals in the Spanish top flight, a tally only bettered by Asisat Oshoala (92), Alexia Putellas (80) and Jenni Hermoso (70) for Barcelona.

"I think what Arsenal are doing as a club is amazing – on and off the pitch," Caldentay, who helped Spain beat England in the 2023 World Cup final, told the club's website.

"It's been incredible to see what the club has done away from the pitch, with supporters following the team everywhere and lots of records being broken. 

"I can't wait to get started and help the team win trophies and entertain our supporters."

Lucy Bronze is leaving Barcelona after two trophy-laden seasons with the Catalan giants, they have announced.

Bronze joined Barca as a free agent in June 2022 after her contract with Manchester City expired and has gone on to make 70 appearances for the club.

She has won two Women's Champions League titles and two Liga F crowns – the second without losing a single game – as well as one Queen's Cup and two Spanish Super Cups.

The England right-back will depart when her contract expires on June 30, though, with a return to the Women's Super League with City mooted in some circles.

The 32-year-old could instead opt for a move to the United States, with National Women's Soccer League outfit Angel City another potential destination.

A statement from Barcelona read: "The club wishes Lucy Bronze good luck and success in her new stage, both personally and professionally."

Barcelona have announced Pere Romeu as their new head coach following Jonatan Giraldez's departure.

Romeu, who was an assistant coach at the club in the last three seasons, has signed a two-year contract until 2026.

The 30-year-old takes over following a successful season for Barcelona in which they won the quadruple, lifting the Champions League, Liga F, Copa de la Reina and the Supercopa de Espana Femenia.

Giraldez had confirmed in December 2023 that he would be leaving the club at the end of the campaign, and it was announced in January he would be joining NWSL club Washington Spirit.

"I have been with the team for three seasons, and I know their day-to-day life. I'm 100 per cent ready," Romeu said in his first interview as head coach.

Romeu coached in Barcelona men's youth set-up between 2017 and 2020 before joining Romanian side Viitorul Constanta as an assistant coach before making the move back to Catalonia to join Barcelona Femeni in 2021.

Aitana Bonmati secured the Women's Champions League Player of the Season for a second straight campaign after guiding Barcelona to European glory.

The Spain international scored in Saturday's 2-0 victory over Lyon in the final, helping Jonatan Giraldez's side clinch an unprecedented quadruple.

Fellow Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas produced the other goal in that victory, but Bonmati was named Player of the Match after another eye-catching performance.

With six goals and six assists, the 26-year-old managed more goal contributions than any other player in this season's Champions League, and that earned Bonmati further individual recognition.

"She influenced the game all over the pitch in and out of possession. High progressive passes, high ball recoveries and scored a great goal," UEFA's technical observer panel said in a statement.

Bonmati also scored eight goals in Barcelona's victorious Liga F campaign this season, helping the Spanish giants win the competition for a fifth consecutive time.

Having already won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA's best women's player award for 2023, this UEFA award caps a fine season for the impressive Bonmati.

Danielle van de Donk acknowledged Lyon were deserved losers in the Women's Champions League final against Barcelona as the French side capitulated in Bilbao.

Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas were both on target in the second half, as Barca beat Lyon for the first time and won the Champions League for a third season out of the last four.

Ada Hegerberg, the all-time leading scorer in the Women's Champions League, headed over from Lyon's best chance as the eight-time European champions offered little apart from that.

A disappointed Van de Donk offered an honest appraisal after the 2-0 defeat, telling DAZN: "I'm very emotional. Nobody likes to lose a final and we were here to win it.

"It's a shame we didn't create enough. Barcelona deserved the win but I'm proud of my team, we gave it our all."

Van de Donk and Lindsey Horan found space tough to come by against an impressive Barca, with the Lyon midfielder admitting there could have been a change to the game plan.

"I play more as a 10 and Lindsey a bit more as a six," she added. "We were a bit low in the midfield so couldn't get the press right and that is usually our strength.

"Credit to Barcelona, they did amazing. I wish we could have pressed them a bit more, I think that could have made a difference."

Bonmati played a key role in helping Barcelona become the first team to win three domestic trophies and the European crown in a single season, since the rebranding of the Women's Champions League.

Jonatan Giraldez's side have scored 129 goals in Liga F this season, winning 27 of their 28 games and drawing the other, conceding just nine times.

To further their celebrations, Barcelona also finally ended their struggles against Lyon.

"It's the first time we've beaten Lyon, I'm proud of the team, and we know that with these fans we have, we can't fail," Bonmati told DAZN.

"It's incredible what we're living through as a team, I'm so lucky... to see we're creating that for so many people and the historic amount of fans we've brought.

"It's the proudest I've felt, I wouldn't change it for anything."

Barcelona coach Jonatan Giraldez celebrated "one of the happiest days" of his life after his side claimed the Women's Champions League title.

Giraldez led Barca to a 2-0 victory over fellow heavyweights Lyon in Bilbao on Saturday.

Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas got the goals in the second half, as Barca beat Lyon for the first time and won the Champions League for a third season out of the last four.

Giraldez will now leave Barca to take charge of Washington Spirit in the NWSL, but was able to leave on the highest note possible, having won a quadruple this term, becoming the first European team since Arsenal in 2007 to manage such a haul in a single campaign.

He told DAZN: "It was an incredible game, I am really happy, one of the best days of my life for sure.

"We did an amazing job with the ball, without the ball. we suffered in the last minutes, but I'm very proud of all of them."

Barcelona defender Lucy Bronze, whose future with the club is uncertain, told DAZN: "We knew that that's what we needed, to be a club to make history.

"It's not easy, it's hard to win it once. To win it back to back, Lyon showed how difficult it is and this team has finally done that. We go down in history as one of the best teams in Europe."

Barca's two Ballon d'Or winners scored their goals, with Bonmati breaking the deadlock just after the hour before Putellas lashed home in stoppage time.

"She's the captain of the team, she's the Queen of Barcelona for a reason," Bronze said of Putellas.

"She's always so confident in the team and showed today why she is a back-to-back Ballon d'Or winner.

"She's got the quality to do that in the last minute of the Champions League final when we were up against it at the end and just sealed the win for us. It was amazing."

Barcelona sealed a quadruple as they clinched their third Women's Champions League title by beating fellow European heavyweights Lyon 2-0.

Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas, both Ballon d'Or winners, with Barca's heroes in Bilbao on Saturday.

Bonmati opened the scoring in the 63rd minute and, after surviving an onslaught of Lyon pressure, Barca made sure of a famous victory in stoppage time – Putellas lashing home with her left foot after a sweeping counter-attack.

It marks Barca's first-ever win over Lyon, as they became the first team since Arsenal in 2007 to win four trophies in a single season.

Lyon and Barca went into Saturday's final in Bilbao having scored 70 goals between them in this season's Champions League.

Yet it was a cagey first half, with Barca's Caroline Graham Hansen looking the most likely to spark the match into life.

That changed just after the hour when Bonmati, last year's Ballon d'Or winner, saw a close-range cross-shot divert in off the unfortunate Vanessa Gilles, after a slick move had put the Spain international through down the left-hand side of the area.

Lyon, the eight-time European champions, could have found themselves 2-0 down soon after, but Selma Bacha made a vital challenge to deny Graham Hansen what would have been a deserved goal.

The French giants aimed to make their defender's good work count, with substitute Ada Hegerberg entering the fray.

Hegerberg, the all-time leading scorer in the Women's Champions League headed over from her best chance, as Barca's defenders – and goalkeeper Catalina Coll, who took a nasty hit to the head – fought stoically to clear their lines.

And Lyon's hopes were extinguished as another fine Barca move saw the ball worked back to Putellas in the area, and she unleashed an unstoppable effort into the roof of the net.

Quadruple queens

For the first time in 17 years, and the first time since the rebranding of the Women's Champions League, a team has won three domestic trophies and the European crown.

This Barca side, coached by Jonatan Giraldez, are a special bunch. 

They have scored 129 goals in Liga F this season, winning 27 of their 28 games and drawing the other, conceding just nine times, and now they have a third Champions League title in the space of four years.

Bonmati and Putellas, their Ballon d'Or-winning duo, served up the key moments, but the whole team delivered a stellar performance to finally end their hoodoo against Lyon.

Bompastor bows out?

Lyon boss Sonia Bompastor is expected to join Chelsea ahead of next season, as the Blues' replacement for the departing Emma Hayes.

The 43-year-old has had an incredible tenure at Lyon, winning the Division 1 Feminine on three occasions and the Champions League in 2021-22.

Despite falling short at the final hurdle this time, she will leave a club legend.

The stage is set in Bilbao for a battle of two European Giants.

Barcelona are striving to make history and win the quadruple, a feat only achieved by Arsenal in 2007 when they won a domestic treble and the UEFA Women’s Cup; this would match Arsenal's achievements, and Barca would be the first team to win such a treble since the rebranding to the Women's Champions League.

Lyon, however, cannot be ruled out. They are 11-time finalists and eight-time champions, making them the most successful team of all time in the competition.

They are serial winners and seem to be able to find a way even when they are not deemed to be the favourites.

This will be the third time Barcelona and Lyon have faced each other in the final of the Champions League; the second-most meetings in the final of the competition, after Lyon v Wolfsburg (four).

The French side won the previous two by an aggregate score of 7-2 (4-1 in 2019 and 3-1 in 2022). Lyon boss Sonia Bompastor, who is seemingly set to join Chelsea, will be looking to replicate the 2022 final in Turin, a 3-1 victory which meant she became the first woman to win the competition as a player and head coach. 

Victory on Saturday would be the parting gift to her beloved Lyon as she aims to cement their European dynasty.  

Barcelona’s march to the top

Barca will play in a fourth consecutive final in the Champions League, and their fifth within the last six seasons.

The Azulgranas have appeared in five finals in the competition, with only Lyonnais (11), Eintracht Frankfurt (six) and Wolfsburg (six) featuring in more.

Only Lyon (five between 2016 and 2020) have had a longer run of appearing in consecutive Champions League finals than Barcelona’s current run (this year being their fourth).

Barcelona have shone once again in the tournament and Jonatan Giraldez is confident of his side's potential to make history. 

He told reporters: "We cannot wait for the final. We've had a fantastic season, playing great football, and the recent weeks have seen us on a great dynamic, with almost everyone available.

"We already have three trophies won, so to have the chance to add another Champions League in this fantastic stadium means we can try to show we are still the best team in Europe."

World Cup winner Salma Paralluelo is the second-highest scorer in the competition, with six goals. She has outperformed her xG of 4.6.

Paralluelo has had the most shots of any player in the competition (35), joint-top with team-mate Caroline Graham Hansen, who has netted five times in the competition.

The Norwegian has been in excellent form this year and really made her team tick. Hansen has the highest expected assists (xA) total in the competition, at 4.5. She has provided five assists, level with club-mate and Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati.  

Tussle of the titans

Lyon have been clinical in this year’s tournament, leading the scoring charts. They have netted 36 times in 10 games, an average of 3.6 goals per game, from an xG of 34.

They also lead the way in total attempts with 252, ahead of Barcelona, who recorded 226.  

Barca are the second-highest scorers, with their tally of 34 goals being 14 clear of next-best Chelsea (20). They have registered 27.6 xG.

The Catalan giants have also been more accurate this season and boast the better shot conversion rate – 15.25 to Lyon’s 14.06. 

This match-up will feature four of the five most creative players in the tournament. Lyon’s Selma Bacha leads the way with 32 chances created. Barca trio Graham Hansen, Bonmati and Mariona Caldentey have created 29, 24 and 20 opportunities respectively.

Favourably, the sides were on opposite sides of the draw in this year’s competition and seemed destined to meet in another battle of the titans.

Barca have conceded just eight goals, the joint-best figure in the competition along with Chelsea, but their expected goals against (xGA) of 5.4 suggests they have been unfortunate to concede so many.

Lyon have conceded 10 times, from 7.24 xGA. These numbers are that of champions and emphasise the quality that will be on display in Bilbao.  

The best there has ever been

Lyon have only failed to win two of their previous 10 Champions League finals – on penalties against Turbine Postdam in 2010 and 0-1 against Wolfsburg in 2013. Barcelona, meanwhile, have lost two of their previous four, with both defeats coming against OL in 2019 and 2022.

Lyon’s Kadidiatou Diani is the leading scorer in the Champions League this season, with eight goals in 10 appearances.  

Those strikes have come from 4.5 xG, displaying Diani’s clinical nature in front of goal – she has essentially netted double the amount of goals she would have been anticipated to based on the quality of chances to fall her way.  

Lyon star Ada Hegerberg has just returned from injury and will bolster the confidence of the French side. The former Ballon d'Or winner has scored five goals from 33 shots. 

Hegerberg could become the first player to score in five Champions League finals, having netted in four already for Lyon. She currently shares the record for most finals scored in along with Alexandra Popp.

One player that will be crucial for Lyon is captain Wendie Renard. She has been involved in 10 of Lyon’s previous final appearances in the competition, winning eight times. 

Three current Lyon players have previously found the net for the club against Barca in the Champions League. Hegerberg has done so five times, Marozsan twice, and Eugenie Le Sommer once. Patri Guijarro and Alexia Putellas have scored for Barca against Lyon.

Bompastor understands the history of this tie and told reporters: "This Barca is different from the one we faced in the final two years ago. They have made new signings and each final brings with it a different story. It will be a totally different game tomorrow.

"We are a team that has won a lot in the past. But we remain really ambitious. For me, we are the best team in the world and will continue to be no matter what happens tomorrow. I trust my players; I know there is all the individual and collective talent needed to achieve this goal."

The Opta supercomputer rates Barcelona as huge favourites going into the tie, giving them a 67.8 per cent chance of winning in the pre-match simulations.

However, it may be much closer than that in reality. Only time will tell which records will be set on Saturday under the lights in Bilbao. 

Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putellas has signed a two-year deal until 2026, the club announced on Thursday.

Putellas was due to be out of contract next month, but extends her 12-year relationship with Barcelona, with the new deal also including an option for an additional season.

The 30-year-old is a two-time Ballon d’Or winner in 2021 and 2022, though she has struggled with injuries that have kept her sidelined since winning the second.

Overall, she has made 424 appearances, scoring a record 189 goals for the club, playing a pivotal role in Barcelona’s recent domination in women’s football.

Putellas has won 29 major trophies with Barcelona and is looking for another on Saturday when they face Lyon in the Champions League final.

Having already clinched Liga F, the Copa de la Reina and the Spanish Supercopa this season, Putellas can help Barcelona to complete an unprecedented quadruple with a win over the French champions.

Chelsea and Emma Hayes have once again fallen short of securing a place in the final of the Champions League. 

There will be a feeling of déjà vu as Barcelona stopped Chelsea at this stage of the competition last season and seem to be the Blues’ Achilles' heel.

Hayes, who is leaving at the end of season to manage the US Women's National team, was hoping she could complete her last season with Champions League glory, the only trophy to elude her during an illustrious spell at Chelsea, but it was not to be.

Chelsea had pulled off a remarkable result in the first leg and were leading 1-0 at the halfway point of the tie. 

With a record crowd of 39,398 roaring them on, it felt like Saturday could be the night on which Chelsea changed their fortunes in this competition.

However, the Catalan holders showed their big-game mentality and Ballon d’or winner Aitana Bonmati had cancelled out Chelsea's lead in the tie within 25 minutes at Stamford Bridge.

The drama ensued from that point on with two huge decisions by referee Iuliana Demetrescu sealing the Blues’ fate.

Kadeisha Buchanan was given her marching orders when she received a somewhat harsh second yellow card just before the hour mark for a foul on Salma Paralluelo, then Fridolina Rolfo scored the all-important goal from the spot when Ashley Lawrence was adjudged to have fouled Bonmati.

Hayes felt aggrieved by the calls made by the Romanian referee and made her feelings known to the officials at the full-time whistle, when she could be seen mouthing the words; ‘we’ve been robbed’.

Hayes could not hide her disappointment when speaking to the media after the tie and had strong words for UEFA.

“I didn’t feel we got the opportunity to lose the game, that was taken away,” said Hayes.

“I was surprised when I saw her [Demetrescu] selected because she’s famous for easy cards and I think that [Buchanan's sending-off] is probably the worst decision in UEFA Women’s Champions League history.

“So when you get such a shocking official decision, there’s nothing you can do about it. 

“It’s hard enough when we’ve got 11 against them [Barcelona], but when you’ve got 10 it’s virtually impossible.

“Even Barcelona players said to us they knew the referee was helpful for them. I didn’t think it was a foul [from Buchanan] let alone a yellow card. I’m gutted for the players, we were robbed."

On the red card, Hayes added: “I was stood there and I looked at the fourth official and I said, ‘Surely that will be checked?’ and she said, ‘It can’t on a yellow’.

“But as I said, I think the toughest thing to take is that we didn’t lose it. 

“There’s nothing you can do when there’s such a terrible decision and it’s already hard enough. They are a top team. When that’s taken out of your hands, that’s a tough one to take for the players.”

Hayes may have reason to question the appointment of Demetrescu as the data shows she has awarded four penalties in three UEFA Women's Champions League games this season, more than any other referee. 

Barcelona have now reached the final for the fourth consecutive year and will face either eight-time champions Lyon or Paris Saint-Germain, the finalists from 2015 and 2017.

Bonmati shared her elation about winning the tie with DAZN after the game, saying: "A little bit lucky but sometimes you have to shoot in the box and you never know."

"It’s amazing, another final," Bonmati added as her team-mates danced and sang in the rain in front of the travelling fans. 

"It wasn’t easy because we had a tough team in front of us. We had to sweat our T-shirts to achieve it. I’m proud of my team and let’s go in for another final."

This win saw Barcelona earn their fifth clean sheet from 10 matches in the competition this season, a higher total than any other team has managed.

Women's Champions League holders Barcelona overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit to reach a fourth straight final on Saturday, beating 10-player Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Emma Hayes' hopes of ending her glittering spell with the Blues by lifting the Champions League trophy were dashed in heartbreaking fashion in front of a sell-out crowd in West London.

Barca went ahead through Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati 26 minutes in, the diminutive Spaniard seeing her shot deflect off Kadeisha Buchanan to beat Hannah Hampton.

The hosts pushed for a response as Sjoeke Nuksen struck the post, but their position worsened just before the hour mark as Buchanan was perhaps harshly shown a second yellow card for her tackle on Salma Paralluelo.

Barca penned their hosts back from there and Bonmati was decisive again as they inched ahead with 15 minutes to play, drawing a foul from Ashley Lawrence and allowing Fridolina Rolfo to convert from the penalty spot.

Jonatan Giraldez's team have won two of the last three editions of the Champions League, also losing in the final to Lyon in 2021-22. They could be reunited with Les Lyonnaises in next month's final in Bilbao, as they hold a 3-2 lead over Paris Saint-Germain at the halfway stage of the other semi-final.

Data Debrief: Bonmati caps trademark Barca performance

Aided by Buchanan's red card, Barcelona showcased their mastery of possession-based football at Stamford Bridge, enjoying 67.8 per cent of the possession and completing over twice as many passes as Chelsea (583 to 224).

Bonmati was at the centre of everything for the Blaugrana, playing a key role in both goals as well as laying on two chances for team-mates and playing 31 passes in the final third – no Chelsea player recorded more than 11. 

Emma Hayes had mixed feelings despite seeing Chelsea condemn holders Barcelona to a first home defeat for five years and edge closer to the Champions League final.

Erin Cuthbert’s first-half goal clinched a precious 1-0 semi-final first-leg win at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys to set the Women’s Super League leaders up perfectly for the return at Stamford Bridge next Saturday.

It was a first competitive victory for the Blues over Barca, who knocked them out at the same stage last season on their way to a second European title, and came courtesy of a superb defensive effort – but boss Hayes was left wondering what might have been.

She told DAZN: “It’s just half-time. Nobody should get carried away with that and to be honest, I’m disappointed we didn’t get the second goal.

“It’s a difficult place to come and they carried out the game plan I asked them to do – so from that perspective, I’m happy.”

The Blues had to soak up early pressure but did so to such effect that Barca did not muster a single shot on target during a tense encounter.

Cuthbert’s 40th-minute strike gave the visitors the lead and, having seen French referee Stephanie Frappart reverse her decision to award a penalty against Kadeisha Buchanan for handball after the break, they might have increased their advantage.

Salma Paralluelo and substitute Alexia Putellas could have salvaged a draw amid a late flurry but Chelsea held firm.

Hayes is well aware of the threat Barcelona will pose in the second leg.

Hayes said: “I think I know how to come away from home and get a result. We have under-performed against Barcelona at home.

“Barcelona have another level in them and I think that’s clear. Maybe they don’t feel they were at their best today and we have to anticipate that.”

Erin Cuthbert gave Chelsea a priceless first-leg lead in their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona after inflicting a first home defeat for five years on the holders.

Cuthbert’s 40th-minute strike was enough to secure a 1-0 win at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys – Barca’s first defeat of the season – on an afternoon when the Blues produced a superb defensive display to deny the free-scoring defending champions a single shot on target.

Things might have been different, however, had referee Stephanie Frappart not been advised to review her decision to award the hosts a second-half penalty for handball to leave Emma Hayes and her players with something to defend at Stamford Bridge next Saturday.

Jess Carter and Kadeisha Buchanan had to be resilient at the heart of the Blues defence early on, although it took a well-timed intervention by Ingrid Engen to prevent Johanna Rytting Kaneryd from making the most of Cuthbert’s 10th-minute ball over the top.

Carter had to be in the right place at the right time to block Salma Paralluelo’s 16th-minute shot after a pacy break by Aitana Bonmati and Buchanan was equally alert to deny the same player after she had burst clear six minutes later.

The visitors were growing into the game with Mayra Ramirez making in-roads down the left and they got their reward five minutes before the break when Sjoeke Nusken held the ball up and then squared for Cuthbert, whose shot looped up off Engel and over keeper Catalina Coll.

But they looked to be in trouble seconds later when the referee awarded a penalty against Buchanan after she had blocked Patri Guijarro’s goal-bound effort with her arm, only for a lengthy VAR review, which showed that Paralluelo had been offside in the build-up, to come to their rescue.

Paralluelo volleyed horribly wide after being picked out at the far post by Caroline Graham Hansen and substitute Alexia Putellas missed the target with salvation beckoning with the final kick of the game.

Alexia Putellas is in Barcelona's squad for the first time all season for their Women's Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea, with Lucy Bronze out following knee surgery.

Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Putellas has not played since picking up an anterior cruciate ligament injury in July 2022.

Home fans on Thursday will be hoping her return can help Barcelona complete the job which they started by winning the first leg 1-0 at Stamford Bridge last week.

The midfielder had been seen in open training at the Camp Nou before the official announcement, after which she was declared fit to play.

As a result of last year's ACL injury, Putellas was unable to contribute to her country's run in Euro 2021, delayed for a year after the Covid pandemic, which saw Spain lose to England in the quarter-finals.

But her club have not suffered so much without her, 10 points clear at the top of the Primera Division, and cruising in the Champions League so far this season.

One fresh setback, however, for the Catalan club is the absence through injury of England's Lucy Bronze, who was seen hobbling off the pitch in the first Chelsea clash.

England's right-back had keyhole surgery on her knee following the injury, but is expected to be back within a month.

The semi-final second leg is on Thursday night, with the winner facing either Arsenal or Wolfsburg in the final in June.

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes remains hopeful her side can turn the tide against Barcelona after a 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Caroline Graham Hansen's fourth-minute strike settled the encounter at Stamford Bridge, leaving the Blues needing a victory in the return leg on Thursday.

After a shaky start, Chelsea responded by keeping their opponents at bay, a far cry from the last meeting between the two sides in the 2021 final, where Barcelona were four ahead after 36 minutes.

As such, Hayes was encouraged by her side's defensive display and remains hopeful for the return fixture.

"Barcelona are an amazing team. We had a disappointing start. But we grew into the first half, scored a goal that was offside, and we need to be perfect to beat these guys," she said.

"In the second half we needed to be better on the ball in the right moments but I'm grateful to be in a position where the tie wasn't over after 36 minutes. I see that as progress.

"You have to suffer. You have to be without the ball. One switch off and positional error cost us the goal.

"They have different threats. I think we limited them to as few chances as we possibly could and I'll take that going into the next game."

Barcelona defender Lucy Bronze was forced off through injury in the second half, a cause of major concern for England given Friday's announcement captain Leah Williamson would miss the World Cup with an ACL injury.

However, boss Jonatan Giraldez allayed those fears as he said after the game "the feeling is really good" for Bronze and her exit was precautionary.