Real Madrid 2-2 Chelsea: Emma Hayes’ side denied fairytale start to coach’s last Champions League run as visitors are frustrated by Olga Carmona’s late penalty and a last-gasp winner is controversially chalked off

Emma Hayes had said before kick-off that ending her Chelsea career by winning the Champions League would be a fairytale ending to her 11-year spell at the club.

But the manager also said she didn’t like fairy tales. Chelsea should have beaten Real Madrid and when Sam Kerr put them ahead in the 74th minute it looked for all the world as if they would.

But referee Frida Klarlund’s decision to award Real Madrid a five-minute penalty, despite Athena Del Castillo standing outside the penalty area when she was tripped by Jessie Fleming, gave Olga Carmona the chance to equalize from the spot – and she did so emphatically.

Chelsea then appeared to have scored a dramatic winner in the dying seconds when Niamh Charles met Millie Bright’s cross and finished at the back post. But her stroke was disallowed for offside against Kerr, which would have interfered with play.

Because VAR was only in use in the knockout stages of the competition, there was no way to overturn either decision.

After breaking English hearts in the World Cup final, Olga Carmona was the hero of the hour against the WSL winners

The defender leveled the score with a penalty deep into the second half

Chelsea can take comfort in knowing they played well enough to take all three points here – and this draw could still be valuable in the long run.

The Blues are the only English team in the group stages after Arsenal and Manchester United were knocked out of qualifying and this is Hayes’ last chance to win the one trophy she failed to lift as Chelsea boss.

But they came out of the blocks slowly and fell behind in the 10th minute. Carmona is a hero in this region after scoring Spain’s winning goal in the World Cup final against England, but Bright is undoubtedly tired of seeing the full back cheering.

She had given Real the lead in the 10th minute when her long-range shot was deflected off Bright and onto Ann-Katrin Berger on the wrong foot.

But Charles, putting in another impressive performance, leveled Chelsea just before half-time with a clever header at the back post.

Kerr almost gave Chelsea the lead but was thwarted by Real goalkeeper Misa, who made a fine save at her near post. But the striker would not be denied again as she met Charles’ cross and tapped in from close range.

That should have been the winner but Real got a route back into the match when Fleming fired in to bring down Athena.

The foul took place outside the penalty area, but the referee pointed to the spot and Carmona shot into the top right corner.

More controversy ensued before the final whistle when Charles thought she had scored a winner in the dying seconds, but her strike was disallowed as Kerr was deemed to be interfering with play in an offside position.

Carmona was first to score with a goal in the 10th minute – which was Madrid’s only shot on target for a long time

The visitors had the lion’s share of the chances, but were met with fierce home resistance

Ultimately, Chelsea forced their way through a Niamh Charles header before halftime

Sam Kerr then pulled the side ahead with the try that Emma Hayes thought won the tie

But a late penalty after Jessie Flemming brought down Athenea Del Castillo gave the momentum back to the hosts

Hayes’ players were unlucky to miss a decider in the final moments of extra time