According to Emma Hayes, Chelsea’s goal in the Women’s Champions League is to consistently reach the semi-finals.

Chelsea’s English manager, Emma Hayes, expressed her satisfaction after her team secured a spot in the semi-finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. The Blues sealed a 4-1 aggregate victory over Ajax, progressing to the last four. Hayes emphasized that reaching this stage should be the norm for the club.

Hayes confidently stated, “We expect to be here, I should say that. 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.”

Despite facing injuries to key players, including superstar forward Sam Kerr, Hayes highlighted the depth of her squad, which allows her to rest players strategically. She stated, “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 than we’ve ever had. 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.”

Hayes emphasized the importance of teamwork and the collective effort of her players. She said, “We love winning. I always say this to the players. No one cares who scores. Everyone has a role to play. 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.”

Chelsea’s likely semi-final opponents are the favorites and current holders, Barcelona, who hold a 2-1 lead over Brann. Barcelona eliminated Chelsea from the tournament last year, and they are expected to pose a significant challenge once again. This could be Hayes’ final opportunity to win the Champions League before she takes on her new role with the US Women’s National Team at the end of the season.

Despite the demanding schedule, Chelsea is still in contention for a historic quadruple. They have reached the final of the Conti Cup, where they will face Arsenal, and the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where they will take on Manchester United. Additionally, they are level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Women’s Super League. The Blues are determined to continue their success on multiple fronts.