Emma Hayes Keeps Focus Ahead of Chelsea’s Women’s Champions League Clash with Barcelona
- Emma Hayes stays grounded as Chelsea prepares for a Women’s Champions League showdown with Barcelona.
Emma Hayes claims that while Chelsea gets ready to play Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League semifinals, she is “not thinking about fairytales.”.
Hayes, who has failed to win a championship with Chelsea, departs from Chelsea at the end of the season to take charge of the US women’s national team.
Barcelona defeated the Blues in the final of 2021 and in the semifinals of the previous season. On Saturday, they will host Chelsea.
“They are world class with unbelievable players,” Hayes stated.
But fairytales aren’t on my mind. In recent years, [Barcelona] has emerged as one of Europe’s best teams. Although they deserve all the recognition they have received, this is just a football game. Two legs are present. Our sole responsibility has been to position ourselves to compete here.”
According to Hayes, Chelsea would eventually need to play Barcelona in the competition.
“We’re excited to be playing in the semifinals. We comprehend both the team and the opposition,” she continued.
Chelsea, according to Bonmati, ‘can compete for everything’.
Bonmati: “Liga F hasn’t changed since the World Cup.”
The return of England attacker Lauren James and captain Millie Bright, who hasn’t played since November, to Chelsea is a plus. James was not there for Wednesday’s 3-0 WSL triumph over Aston Villa.
Hayes expressed his admiration for Barcelona’s “amazing things” but expressed the hope that other English teams will soon be able to compete more frequently internationally.
“Listen, I think Barcelona’s team will go down in history as one of the greatest women’s teams ever,” Hayes remarked. “The Barcelona generation is deserving of all the recognition they receive. They’ve accomplished incredible feats on the field. People are unaware of how difficult it is to oppose them.”
Erin Cuthbert, a midfielder for Chelsea, started both of their games in the previous year’s semifinal matchup before they were eliminated by Barcelona, but she “can’t wait” to put herself to the test against the finest in Europe again.
About 37,000 fans are anticipated at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
For the last few months, every game has had the atmosphere of a cup final. Every game is essential to winning,” Cuthbert remarked.
“I enjoy this time of year, and I enjoy the pressure of having to do well. I’m really thrilled to play against some of the finest players in the world and prove to them what I can do because it brings out a new side of myself, a different animal.”
Hayes’ final season has not gone as planned thus far, as Chelsea has already been eliminated from the Women’s FA Cup after falling to Arsenal in the Continental Cup final earlier this year.
They are now tied for first place in the Women’s Super League standings with Manchester City, though, and Cuthbert states that Hayes’ legacy “will not be defined on a Champions League” trophy.
“My resolve to claim any title is not reinforced by anything else. “The goal as a Chelsea player is to win every single title you compete for,” Cuthbert continued.
“[Emma] has given the women’s game tremendous service. All by herself, she has raised it to such a high level worldwide. We owe Emma nothing. Everyone wants to win, and you shouldn’t be on a team like Chelsea if you don’t share that desire.”
Barcelona remains on course to win four trophies, but Chelsea’s hopes of winning four have diminished.
Barca has already secured a spot in the Copa de la Reina final and leads Liga F by 12 points. They also won the Spanish Super Cup.
Manager Jonatan Giraldez, who is departing the Catalan club at the end of the season to take over as manager of the Washington Spirit in the NWSL, is anticipating a Chelsea team that is eager to move past their recent cup defeats at the domestic level and pursue European glory.
“They come from losing two important titles,” he stated.
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