The UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final first legs take place this weekend; we highlight four players looking to inspire their clubs to within sight of Lisbon.
Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)
French international Baltimore arrived at Chelsea from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer with the reputation as a diminutive left-sided attacker with electric pace. Her compatriot Sonia Bompastor, partly in response to Niamh Charles’s injury, deployed Baltimore at left-back and her performances there were a key part of Chelsea’s superb start under their new coach.
Even since the recovery of Charles (herself a converted forward), Baltimore – though the 25-year-old has sometimes been used in an attacking role – has continued to be used at full-back. Wherever Baltimore is played, she will need to be at her best against a Barcelona side whose right flank usually is populated by Aitana Bonmatí and Caroline Graham Hansen. But Baltimore has shown, not least in the second leg against Manchester City, that she can deal with top-level attacking threats while surging forward to pin opponents back herself, starting the three-goal comeback when she pounced for the opener.
Watch Sandy Baltimore’s powerful rebound strike against Man City
Melchie Dumornay (Lyon)
The Haiti forward’s abilities were well known when, still a teenager, she was snapped up by Lyon in January 2023, spending the next 12 months on loan at Reims. In the second half of last season, Dumornay broke into the OL side, scoring in both legs of the semi-final win against Paris Saint-Germain (one strike voted fans’ Goal of the Season), and she has been soaring in 2024/25, also striking home and away in the last-eight defeat of Bayern München.
Spearheading a thrilling attack flanked by Kadidatou Diani and Tabitha Chawinga (not to mention Lindsey Heaps, Ada Hegerberg and Eugénie Le Sommer), Dumornay combines skill, speed, strength and tactical flexibility, making her a nightmare to mark and opening space for team-mates. Arsenal are next in her sights.
Watch Melchie Dumornay’s perfect lob against Roma
Where to watch the Women’s Champions League
Katie McCabe (Arsenal)
Like Baltimore, McCabe is a player who broke through as a winger but has subsequently been excellent at left-back. The Republic of Ireland captain’s pace, crossing and set-piece prowess is married to a will to win, passion and determination that some might match but few can better.
A favourite of the fans at Arsenal, who she joined in December 2015 aged 20, McCabe has now passed 250 appearances for the Gunners and she was flawless in the quarter-final comeback against Real Madrid, winning 100% of her tackles in the second leg and setting up a goal with a free-kick. Lyon now await and McCabe will be ready to take on Dumornay and Co as well as posing their defenders a few problems of their own.
Katie McCabe celebrates after Arsenal’s comeback to knock out Real MadridUEFA via Getty Images
Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona)
All the three players above count pace among their attributes but none can quite match Paralluelo’s feats in that sphere, as an international 400-metre hurdler for Spain before concentrating on football after her Barcelona switch in 2022. Since then the winger, still only 21, has won pretty much all there is to win with the Blaugrana, as well as Spain, adding senior honours to her full set of youth trophies.
After a prolific 2023/24, Paralluelo sat out the first part of this season to recover from a hectic few years for club and country since returning to football in January 2022 after a long absence due to an ACL injury. She was gradually reintroduced from December and is now looking better than ever, scoring in both legs of the comprehensive quarter-final defeat of Wolfsburg and again becoming as crucial a part of Barcelona’s attack as any of their stars just in time for their latest semi-final encounter with Chelsea.
Watch Salma Paralluelo’s pinpoint perfect finish against Wolfsburg
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