Vivianne Miedema celebrates Manchester City’s unique victory in the Champions League against Chelsea.

Vivianne Miedema has declared that Manchester City have set the standard for the remainder of the season following their impressive 2-0 victory over Chelsea in the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals.

The Dutch striker made a significant impact after coming off the bench, scoring both goals in the first leg of the tie. This result marked a crucial rebound for Nick Cushing’s side, who had suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat to the same opponents in the League Cup final just days earlier.

Reflecting on the match, Miedema expressed her satisfaction with the team’s performance. “I think this should be our standard,” she stated in an interview with TNT Sports. “Obviously we were really disappointed after the game on Saturday. We’ve had some special Champions League nights here, and I think this one really sums it all up.”

Miedema acknowledged the challenges the team has faced, including injuries to key players. “We’ve been getting a lot of hits and knocks everywhere. I’m just really happy that we actually got this result today. It gives us confidence, and hopefully we can take that into the game on Sunday when the two teams meet again in the WSL, and obviously next Thursday as well.”

Still recovering from a serious knee injury, Miedema started the match on the bench to manage her game time. However, she made an immediate impact upon her introduction at half-time, registering three shots on target, two of which found the back of the net. This brought her tally to an impressive 31 goals in just 35 appearances in the Women’s Champions League.

“I did feel well, but I’m not at the stage yet where I can go four times 90 minutes,” she explained. “So we spoke about it and I’m really happy that I came on in the second half and I could help the team.”

On her remarkable goal record in the competition, Miedema added, “It’s not bad to be honest! I think we all want to play Champions League. It’s something we’re fighting for in the league still for next year. Today is special, obviously with the fans there as well. Hopefully we can put in the same performance next week.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s defeat ended their remarkable 31-match unbeaten run, a streak that had extended back to last season. It also marked the first loss for manager Sonia Bompastor, who had enjoyed a stellar start with 26 wins from her first 28 matches in charge.

The defeat has cast a shadow over Chelsea’s ambitions of achieving an unprecedented quadruple this season. With the League Cup already secured, an FA Cup semi-final on the horizon, and an eight-point lead in the WSL, expectations were understandably high.

Defender Lucy Bronze, a former Manchester City player, admitted that Chelsea fell short of their usual standards. “I just don’t think that we were good enough,” she reflected. “I don’t think we had enough effort in our press. We were really sloppy in our passing. I think City were probably better organised. I think we were miles off our game.”

Despite the setback, Bronze remains optimistic about Chelsea’s chances in the return leg at Stamford Bridge on March 27. “We just have to go back, be better for the weekend and for the next game, and although we’re 2-0 down, we’re completely confident that we can turn this around.”

Looking ahead, Bronze stated, “I think it’ll be the biggest game of the season so far. Obviously we’re doing really well in the league. We have to focus on that game at the weekend. Back to London, then back up to Manchester for the weekend, but it’s all still to play for. We know we can score goals. We’ve got goals in so many players, all over the pitch. Hopefully we can be a lot better next week and win the game, score a few goals and get through to the semi-final.”