Chelsea advance to the Women’s Champions League semi-finals for the fifth time in seven seasons, with manager Emma Hayes eyeing the ultimate club football prize before departing to lead the United States women’s national team this summer.
Leading the Women’s Super League (WSL), set to compete in the Conti Cup final on Sunday, and heading to the FA Cup semi-finals in mid-April, Chelsea retains hopes of securing a quadruple under Hayes’ leadership.
In their quarter-final clash, Chelsea comfortably overcame Ajax, securing a 1-1 draw on the night following a commanding 3-0 victory in the first leg in Amsterdam.
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Though initially shaky defensively at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea extended their lead through Mayra Ramirez’s composed finish from Guro Reiten’s pass. Despite Ajax’s attempts to mount a comeback, including a goal courtesy of Chasity Grant, goalkeeper Zecira Musovic’s impressive saves ensured Chelsea’s advancement.
Hayes, who previously won this competition as an assistant coach at Arsenal in 2007, aims to add the Champions League trophy to Chelsea’s cabinet. The team reached the final in 2021 but suffered a defeat against Barcelona.
In the semi-finals, Chelsea is expected to face Barcelona, pending Barcelona’s second-leg clash against SK Brann. Lyon, eight-time Champions League winners, have secured their spot in the other semi-final and await the winner of the Paris Saint-Germain vs. BK Hacken tie.
The final of this season’s Women’s Champions League will take place at the 53,000-capacity San Mames stadium in Bilbao on Saturday, May 25th. Last season’s final, held at Philips Stadion in Eindhoven, was the first to sell out its venue, while the record attendance for a final stands at 50,212 spectators at Munich’s Olympiastadion in 2012 when Lyon defeated FFC Frankfurt.