It was all within the plan, it appeared. As Chelsea took to Stamford Bridge for the primary time below Emma Hayes, the membership’s then-chairman Bruce Buck declared that, in a single sense, the “mission has been achieved”. There have been below 4,000 in attendance as Chelsea have been crushed 3-0 by Wolfsburg, however the the historic event of Chelsea’s ladies’s group enjoying at Stamford Bridge was the encapsulation of Hayes’s imaginative and prescient. “Emma defined what she needed to construct right here,” Buck wrote within the match programme seven years in the past. “However I do know Emma won’t need the journey to finish right here.” Nor did it.
However now there may be an finish, of types, as Chelsea return to the home that Hayes constructed for the second leg of their Girls’s Champions League semi-final in opposition to Barcelona. Hayes’s final match at Stamford Bridge couldn’t have been scripted higher: with a slender 1-0 result in defend in opposition to the very best group on this planet, the chance to knock out the holders and attain the Bilbao last, and the largest ever attendance for a ladies’s sport at Stamford Bridge. The pursuit of a primary Champions League title and the dream finish to Hayes’s last season at Chelsea has led to, with a day to go, the possibility of a primary sell-out within the membership’s historical past.
Solely Hayes will know if her goals of the long run stretched as far when she arrived at Chelsea in 2012. Other than a primary Champions League, or the six Girls’s Tremendous League titles and 5 FA Cups, it could in some ways be the crowning achievement of Hayes’s 12 years on the membership, the unattainable remodeled into the fact. Theirs is a narrative that has bridged eras, the place the speedy development of the game means the celebration of an attendance reminiscent of 4,000 now feels unthinkable, and which might but finish with its most vital chapter but.
And so to the arrival of Barcelona for the second time in as many seasons. Chelsea are ready for a response after Barcelona have been shocked, humbled and suffered their first defeat of the season within the first leg final week. Hayes’s aspect executed their defensive gameplan to perfection and Erin Cuthbert’s objective secured a well-known win on the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium. There’s a rating to settle: Barcelona have vowed to boost their sport and there may be revenge to say, but the European champions can be up in opposition to greater than an organised defence and a disciplined unit, given the emotion of Hayes’s last weeks in cost.
The possibility to lastly win the Champions League heightens the narrative, in a conflict that ought to have rather more stress and edginess than final season’s semi-final first leg at Stamford Bridge. Then, the event was not a contest and Chelsea’s passiveness as a lot as Barcelona’s dominance meant the fixture struggled to reside as much as its billing. That Barcelona’s return comes within the second leg – and with Chelsea having a result in defend – calls for a hostile ambiance to gasoline the night and assist Hayes’s aspect over the road. Final season’s late comeback and quarter-final victory over holders Lyon could be their inspiration.
There may be newer motivation too. Chelsea have been good final week, changing into the primary group to beat Barcelona away from dwelling in 5 years. A defensive masterclass stifled the holders, limiting the Spanish aspect to few possibilities, whereas an aggressive and intense method disrupted the Eurwopean champions and their midfield passing. Barcelona and their superstars have been evidently rattled, with the Ballon d’Or holder Aitana Bonmati accusing Chelsea of “enjoying soiled” and inflicting “interruptions” within the sport. Bonmati claimed Barcelona had warned the referee that Chelsea would look to gradual play down, and but they succeeded.
Such a response would have been music to Chelsea’s ears, proof past the monumental scoreline they achieved that their method had been a profitable one. Hayes was fast to level out that the tie was solely at half-time and insisted Chelsea might have had extra. There was satisfaction in celebrating Chelsea’s win at Barcelona, however Hayes was relatively extra regretful that Mayra Ramirez had not doubled Chelsea’s lead on the counter-attack after the hosts pushed additional numbers ahead searching for an equaliser.
Chelsea must do extra than simply defend as Barcelona look to maintain their Champions League defence alive. Barcelona have vowed to deliver “one other stage” into the second leg and as they search the comeback, or the “remontada”. It will be a rare effort from Chelsea to shut-out the star-studded forged of Bonmati, Caroline Graham Hansen, Fridolina Rolfo, Salma Paralluelo and Alexia Putellas for a second sport in a row. “Barcelona are gonna come for us, world class gamers received’t settle for defeat,” Hayes warned final week, moments after full-time.
Chelsea have been making ready for this and, for them, it’s private too. That last in Gothenburg, three years in the past, denied Chelsea and Hayes a primary Champions League, destroyed by Barcelona in a first-half onslaught. That is the closest they’ve been to the Champions League last since and, finally, a first-ever victory over Barcelona would depend for nothing in the event that they don’t full the job and attain the ultimate as nicely. The quadruple is lengthy gone however the Champions League dream remains to be alive. For Chelsea and Hayes, this is able to be their biggest victory of all.
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