Emma Hayes doesn’t consider her trophy-laden Chelsea reign ought to be outlined by whether or not she will finish the membership’s look ahead to 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 america girls’s group.
The 47-year-old has received six Ladies’s Tremendous League titles and lifted the FA Cup 5 instances throughout her time in cost however continental glory has proved elusive.
Chelsea are on target to succeed in 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 house to Ajax.
UEFA Ladies’s Champions League: Chelsea vs Ajax. https://t.co/SJIHo0S24Y
— Chelsea FC Ladies (@ChelseaFCW) March 26, 2024
“After all, if I used to be in a position to win the Champions League in my time right here I’m positive it will be one other unbelievable achievement,” she mentioned.
“However for my period to be outlined by one competitors might be not what issues most to me.
“What issues most – past the profitable over time – is that I’ll go away the shirt in a greater place.
“That’s most likely the factor I’m most invested in – to make it possible for once I go away, the group is in a superb place and positively in a greater place than once I took over and the place I can come again as a fan and revel 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 ultimate.
The Blues are poised for a possible semi-final rematch with reigning champions Barca this time period.
Who would be the ultimate 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 will be a “mistake” to miss an Ajax group with little to lose.
“The concern of dropping or the concern of not being in that semi-final is, for us, as huge a drive as it’s the need to win it, in actual fact it’s extra,” mentioned Hayes.
“There isn’t any-one in our dressing room that can take tomorrow’s recreation flippantly or suppose for one minute simply because we’re profitable 3-0 that the sport is over. That may be a mistake.
“All of it begins in your head, in your thoughts.
“And, when a group has nothing to lose, they play with freedom and another way to specific themselves and they’re typically probably the most harmful opponents so, for positive, we don’t take tomorrow flippantly.”
Chelsea’s midweek appointment at Stamford Bridge comes 4 days earlier than the Continental Tyres League Cup ultimate 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 recreation at a time; I’m not desirous about Sunday,” mentioned Hayes.
“I’m desirous about tomorrow. We all know Ajax are going to come back out and be aggressive. We’re anticipating that.
“Just one group advances, so we’re ready for the aggression from the opponent.
“They’re aspect and it’s vital for us to maintain all of our focus and a focus on tomorrow.”