‘Mystery man’ Ange on shortlist for Chelsea manager, Kerr draws blank in first-leg loss

Former Socceroos manager Ange Postecoglou has emerged as a contender to become Chelsea manager after reportedly being unmasked as a third “mystery man” on the shortlist to run the Premier League giants.

The news came as Sam Kerr has endured a frustrating 90 minutes as her Chelsea team lost the home leg of their Women’s Champions League semi-final tie against Barcelona 1-0.

The Chelsea men’s team is on the hunt for their next permanent manager after Graham Potter’s departure, and Postecoglou has caught the eye of the London club with his work at Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

The Australian manager will secure a second consecutive Scottish title in coming weeks, and with experience in the Champions League as well, a report in the Guardian said Postecoglou was one of three men being targeted for the Chelsea job, along with Mauricio Pochettino and Vincent Kompany.

The third candidate had previously been reported by media as a well-liked and respected “mystery man”.

Ange Postecoglou lifts the Scottish Premiership trophy with Celtic last season.Credit: Getty

Argentinian Pochetttino, who has previously managed Spain and Tottenham, is considered the favourite but Postecoglou’s inclusion in elite company on the shortlist is a huge boost for his career, and the increasing inevitability he will move to a leading Premier League club in the future.

Meanwhile, Kerr was left to feed off scraps against Barcelona as the Catalan giants dominated possession at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, though the visitors were unable to add to Caroline Graham Hansen’s sublime fourth-minute goal.

Sam Kerr under pressure from Patri Guijarro of FC Barcelona.Credit:

Kerr had one shot saved and created a couple of openings but was otherwise well-marshalled by the Barca defence. Adding to her frustration was a harsh booking.

Chelsea must now win in the Nou Camp on Thursday to reach the final in the Dutch city of Eindhoven on 3 June.

The other semi-final first leg, between Wolfsburg and Arsenal, is on Sunday.

Saturday’s match was packed with players who will be heading Down Under for the Women’s World Cup, though one who did not make it was Kadeisha Buchanan, a key defender for Australia’s group opponents Canada. She has a leg injury and was present but wearing a protective boot.

Barcelona fielded five of the XI who destroyed Chelsea 4-0 in the 2021 final while six of the Chelsea side had started that ignominious night in Gothenburg, including Kerr.

Among the absentees was injured England centre-half Millie Bright. With Buchanan also out, it was a makeshift back five that faced a Barcelona team which had won 35 of 36 matches this campaign and scored 35 goals in their previous eight European ties.

Goal No. 36 wasn’t long in coming. Norway’s Graham Hansen picked up the ball on the right, drifted inside past several ineffectual challenges, and whipped a 20-yard shot inside the far post.

Chelsea, with co-owner Todd Boehly among the 27,697 in attendance, were then penned inside their own half, the occasional long ball for Kerr to chase their only outlet.

It was midway through the half before the home fans had something to get excited about with Kerr and Guro Reiten combining to threaten on a trio of occasions.

A one-two with the Norwegian led to a Kerr shot that had Sandra Panos scrambling across goal to save.

The Matildas captain then set up Reiten to score, only for Kerr to be ruled marginally offside.

The Aussie then again released Reiten who rounded Panos only for Bronze to clear off the line.

That, though, was largely it for Chelsea’s attack with Kerr increasingly isolated even after Lauren James, sister of England and Chelsea men’s defender Reece, came on to support her.

“We were aware of the direct game, and Kerr passing to Reiten, so we stopped that,” said Barca coach Jonatan Giraldez.

Making Kerr’s afternoon worse was a harsh booking for a late challenge on Lucy Bronze, though she remains eligible for the second leg.

Marta Torrejon’s header stuck the post for Barcelona and Ann-Katrin Berger denied Sweden’s Fridolina Rolfo, but Chelsea kept the score down and the tie alive, just.

“I’m grateful to be in a position where the tie isn’t over after 25 minutes,” said Chelsea boss Emma Hayes.

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