Chelsea Women Set Their Sights On Champions League Glory Following Remarkable Comeback Against Manchester City

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Chelsea's Women's team, led by Millie Bright, is aiming for European success following a remarkable turnaround against Manchester City in the Women's Champions League. Chelsea, leaders of the Women's Super League, kept their hopes for a quadruple alive with a stunning 3-0 victory over City on Thursday. This win overturned a 2-0 deficit from the first leg, resulting in a 3-2 aggregate triumph.

City had previously advanced from all nine of their Champions League knockout stage ties after winning the first leg. However, Chelsea was 3-0 up by halftime thanks to goals from Sandy Baltimore, Nathalie Bjorn, and Mayra Ramirez. Chelsea finished with 2.73 expected goals from 22 shots, with 11 hitting the target.

With Barcelona next in the semi-finals, captain Bright is optimistic about Chelsea's chances of securing their first Champions League title. "We were never in doubt. We had full confidence in ourselves," Bright stated as quoted by BBC Sport. She added that they could have scored more than three goals and praised the team's mentality and desire to come back.

The team's belief was evident as they approached the game knowing they could turn it around. "We were fully confident and [knew we] just needed to be ruthless," Bright mentioned. The fans played an incredible role, and it was all about mentality and belief with everyone stepping up to deliver.

Chelsea's manager Sonia Bompastor, who took Lyon to last season's Champions League final where they lost to Barcelona, remains cautious despite the possibility of achieving a quadruple in her debut season. "We'll do everything possible to make that happen but, as you know, Barcelona have a lot of experience and talent in the squad," she said.

Bompastor emphasized that while football holds endless possibilities, it's important to enjoy this victory because it wasn't easy. She aims to bring all necessary confidence into the upcoming games against Barcelona while ensuring her team stays grounded.

City's Focus on Upcoming Challenges

Meanwhile, Manchester City still has opportunities for silverware despite an underwhelming campaign so far. They face rivals Manchester United in the Women's FA Cup semi-finals on April 13 and are currently fourth in the WSL standings.

Interim coach Nick Cushing expressed his belief that City should compete for trophies across various competitions. "I believe this club should and will be fighting for trophies," he said. Cushing highlighted their focus on upcoming matches against United and Arsenal as they aim for Champions League places.

The clarity of what needs to be done is apparent for City now; they must find solutions to remain competitive in these crucial games ahead.