Emma Hayes says semi-finals are the standard for Chelsea in Women's Champions League - ‘We expect to be here’
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Updated 28/03/2024 at 10:49 GMT
Chelsea may be through to the semi-finals of the Champions League but as far as manager Emma Hayes is concerned that should be the standard for the club and the bare minimum given the stature of the team. The Blues are yet to learn their opponent for the semi-finals but there’s a good chance it will be Barcelona, the team who knocked them out of last year’s competition.
Chelsea's English manager Emma Hayes reacts during the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final second-leg football match between Chelsea and Ajax at Stamford Bridge in London, on March 27, 2024
Image credit: Getty Images
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has said the club being in the semi-finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League is the standard and what should be expected.
The Blues progressed to the last four after completing a 4-1 aggregate win over Ajax on Wednesday.
Speaking after the game, Hayes said that this has to be the standard for the club.
"We expect to be here, I should say that," Hayes said.
"If you look at our record in the Champions League, even in the last five years, it was only once we didn't qualify from the group. We've made the latter stages every [other] year.”
Chelsea will be without a number of big players through injury for the rest of the season, most notably superstar forward Sam Kerr, but Hayes said that the extra depth gives her team chances to rest players at key opportunities.
"I don't make any excuses, we should be at this level and we should be at the semi-finals. Of course we have a little bit more depth to be able to do things like make more changes [on Wednesday] than we've ever had," she said.
"But we haven't won anything, we're in the place we want to be. I don't know who the opponent will be - but we're ready.
She continued: "We love winning. I always say this to the players. No one cares who scores. Everyone has a role to play.
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Mayra Ramirez of Chelsea celebrates scoring their teams first goal during the UEFA Women's Champions League 2023/24 Quarter Final Leg Two match between Chelsea FC Women and AFC Ajax at Stamford Bridge on March 27, 2024 in London, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
"We have to count on each other. Some will play more than others throughout the season. I trust the squad, I trust the players. We're in the place we want to be.
"There were some that absolutely needed to recover [on Wednesday] so I'm really happy with the whole squad."
Their semi-final opponents are likely to be favourites and current holders Barcelona, who have a 2-1 lead over Brann ahead of their second leg on Thursday.
It was Barcelona who knocked Chelsea out of the tournament last year and they will most likely stand in the way between Hayes and her last shot at winning the Champions League before she takes up her new role with the US Women’s National Team at the end of the season.
The Blues are still fighting on multiple fronts and remarkably could yet win a historic quadruple.
They are into the final of the Conti Cup (against Arsenal) and semi-finals of the FA Cup (against Manchester United), as well as being level on points with Manchester City at the top of the WSL.
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