She added: “I don’t want to speak to them [the officials] because it’s always the same story. Even if I go and speak to them, they will not give me a clear answer. It’s difficult for me because I don’t want to be the only one talking about this situation. Everyone needs to understand that’s the difference between being qualified and not being qualified. It has a big impact on players.”

McCabe, who has a track record of on-field incidents, took to Instagram after the final whistle to apologise, while the Arsenal players celebrated with music in their dressing room, with a message against a black background saying: “I just want to clarify that I was genuinely reaching for the shirt, I wouldn’t ever want to pull someone’s hair. Full respect to Thompson.”

However McCabe’s apology was dismissed by Bompastor, who insisted that the act itself was deliberate by the Arsenal full-back. She added: “She [Thompson] was crying. She’s trying her best on the pitch in both games and it is not good enough, when you are playing football and someone pulls your hair, it’s bad. Of course she was crying and emotional with the situation and the result.”

In the first leg, Bompastor hit out at officiating in women’s football after controversy that saw Veerle Buurman have a goal ruled out for a foul, in a match Arsenal went on to win 3-1.

After the match at the Emirates, Bompastor argued for “more respect” for her players, but after the return fixture, was left furious again and calling for the same officiating changes, while reiterating the same grievances.

“I’m really frustrated and upset, not only for me, I think for my players,” Bompastor said. “They deserve more respect, from the performance they put on the pitch, they deserve a lot more respect.”

Bompastor then recalled four or five previous incidents over the years where she felt the wrong decision had been made in Champions League matches.

The game itself consisted of an uneventful 90 minutes, before a flurry of activity in stoppage time, it is unlikely that anyone making a highlights reel would feel the need to include any of the action before Chelsea upped the ante in the 83rd minute.

With the clock rapidly running out, Chelsea had two chances in quick succession with Buurman clipping the post after a rebounded effort from Lauren James and Nüsken having a header tipped onto woodwork within a couple of minutes.

Stina Blackstenius thought she had sealed the victory for Arsenal in the 79th minute, but VAR ruled her goal out for offside. However, it was Chelsea who would break the deadlock, although too late to be able to force extra time.