Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati and Fridolina Rolfo scored goals in the Women’s Champions League, setting up a match against Chelsea.

In a surprising turn of events, Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has expressed his astonishment at Ben Chilwell’s inclusion in the starting lineup for England in both of their recent international matches. The left-back, who plays for Leicester City in the Premier League, was given the nod by England manager Gareth Southgate against both the Czech Republic and Montenegro during the international break.

Pochettino, speaking to reporters at a press conference, stated, “I must admit, I was quite surprised to see Chilwell starting for England in both matches. While he is a talented player, I believe there are other options that Southgate could have considered. Nevertheless, it is ultimately the manager’s decision and I respect that.”

Meanwhile, in the world of women’s football, Barcelona’s quest to retain their UEFA Women’s Champions League crown continues to gather momentum. The Spanish giants secured a comprehensive 5-2 aggregate victory over Brann to book their place in the semi-finals of the competition.

Having already won the first leg 2-1 in Norway, Barcelona further solidified their advantage with a convincing performance at Estadi Johan Cruyff. Goals from Aitana Bonmati, Fridolina Rolfo, and Patricia Guijarro ensured a comfortable victory for the Catalan side.

Bonmati opened the scoring in the first half, extending Barcelona’s lead and putting them in a commanding position. Rolfo then added a second goal just 11 minutes into the second half, effectively sealing the tie. However, Brann’s Tomine Svendheim managed to find the back of the net, giving her team a glimmer of hope for a comeback. But Guijarro’s late goal extinguished any hopes of a miraculous turnaround for the Norwegian side.

Although Barcelona did not produce their best performance, they did enough to secure their place in the semi-finals for the sixth consecutive year. Their next challenge will be a mouthwatering clash against Emma Hayes’ Chelsea, setting the stage for an exciting encounter between two of Europe’s top women’s football teams.