Thursday’s briefing: Chelsea win WSL title as focus turns to Europa League

Chelsea were crowned Women’s Super League champions for a sixth time in a row after securing a 1-0 win at Manchester United.

Elsewhere, Barcelona came from 2-0 and 3-2 down to secure a thrilling 3-3 draw against Inter Milan in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Lucy Bronze headed a second-half winner as Chelsea clinched another WSL crown.

The England right-back finally broke the deadlock in a pulsating contest at Leigh Sports Village when she glanced a corner past the impressive Phallon Tullis-Joyce 16 minutes from time.

Arsenal’s defeat by Aston Villa earlier on Wednesday had opened the door for the Blues to wrap up yet another league success, their eighth in 10 seasons and a first under new manager Sonia Bompastor.

Yet with third-placed United needing points to secure Champions League qualification, it proved a tough task for a side still reeling from their European humiliation at the hands of Barcelona last weekend.

As a pure football talent I’m going as far as to say I think Lamine Yamal is on another level to any player playing the game in the top 5 leagues in world football.
17yrs old - Truly unbelievable pic.twitter.com/T0ErTFJPQw

— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) April 30, 2025

Lamine Yamal and Denzel Dumfries shared top billing as Barcelona and Inter Milan could not be separated at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

Dumfries teed up Marcus Thuram for a clever finish after 30 seconds – the fastest goal in a Champions League semi-final – then the Dutchman acrobatically doubled the Serie A champions’ lead.

Yamal got the LaLiga leaders back into it with a candidate for goal of the season on the 17-year-old’s 100th Barcelona appearance and Ferran Torres levelled from six yards to end a riveting first half.