Emma Hayes doesn’t consider her trophy-laden Chelsea reign needs to be outlined by whether or not she will be able to finish the membership’s watch for a maiden Ladies’s Champions League crown.
Blues boss Hayes is about to finish a profitable 12-year tenure in the summertime to grow to be head coach of the US ladies’s staff.
The 47-year-old has received six Ladies’s Tremendous League titles and lifted the FA Cup 5 occasions throughout her time in cost however continental glory has proved elusive.
Chelsea are heading in the right direction to achieve the semi-finals in Europe in Hayes’ swansong season, having constructed a 3-0 combination lead going into Wednesday night’s quarter-final second leg at residence to Ajax.
UEFA Ladies’s Champions League: Chelsea vs Ajax. https://t.co/SJIHo0S24Y
— Chelsea FC Ladies (@ChelseaFCW) March 26, 2024
“In fact, if I used to be capable of win the Champions League in my time right here I’m certain it could be one other unbelievable achievement,” she stated.
“However for my period to be outlined by one competitors might be not what issues most to me.
“What issues most – past the profitable through the years – is that I’ll depart the shirt in a greater place.
“That’s most likely the factor I’m most invested in – to be sure that after I depart, the staff is in a superb place and positively in a greater place than after I took over and the place I can come again as a fan and luxuriate in them hopefully in lots of extra Champions League (campaigns).”
Chelsea got here near Champions League glory in 2021 earlier than struggling an emphatic 4-0 defeat to Barcelona within the closing.
The Blues are poised for a possible semi-final rematch with reigning champions Barca this time period.
Who would be the closing 4? #UWCL || #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/Tr6bWzvvSg
— UEFA Ladies’s Champions League (@UWCL) March 25, 2024
But, regardless of final week constructing a commanding first-leg lead in Amsterdam, Hayes insists it could be a “mistake” to miss an Ajax staff with little to lose.
“The worry of dropping or the worry of not being in that semi-final is, for us, as huge a drive as it’s the need to win it, in reality it’s extra,” stated Hayes.
“There isn’t any-one in our dressing room that can take tomorrow’s sport frivolously or suppose for one minute simply because we’re profitable 3-0 that the sport is over. That could be a mistake.
“All of it begins in your head, in your thoughts.
“And, when a staff has nothing to lose, they play with freedom and differently to precise themselves and they’re usually essentially the most harmful opponents so, for certain, we don’t take tomorrow frivolously.”
Chelsea’s midweek appointment at Stamford Bridge comes 4 days earlier than the Continental Tyres League Cup closing towards Arsenal at Molineux.
The Champions League returns to London. #UWCL pic.twitter.com/fTfWRSlRMH
— Chelsea FC Ladies (@ChelseaFCW) March 26, 2024
Preparations for the Gunners – the one English membership to have received the Champions League following success in 2007 – stay on the back-burner.
“We solely play one sport at a time; I’m not interested by Sunday,” stated Hayes.
“I’m interested by tomorrow. We all know Ajax are going to come back out and be aggressive. We’re anticipating that.
“Just one staff advances, so we’re ready for the aggression from the opponent.
“They’re a very good facet and it’s essential for us to maintain all of our focus and a spotlight on tomorrow.”
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