Lucy Bronze wants to do her part to help Chelsea Women achieve glory in Europe. Her main goal is to overturn the deficit against Arsenal and stay on the path to lifting the Champions League.
“It’s the only title that has eluded the club: reaching the final, being so close in the semifinals and beating the best teams in the Champions League, but not quite crossing the finish line,” said the 34-year-old player.
She hopes to elevate the women’s team to the legendary status of their male counterparts, and added: “The Champions League also plays a fundamental role in the men’s team’s history, so it would be nice to finally lift the title.”
To make that dream a reality, the Blues face a monumental task. They must overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit against Arsenal when the London clubs meet again on Wednesday to reach their fourth consecutive semifinal. However, the defender remains optimistic, having helped her team come back from similar circumstances against Manchester City last season.
Her European pedigree is unmatched; after making her competition debut with Everton in 2010, she became the first defender to be named UEFA Player of the Year in the 2018-19 season and won three consecutive titles with Lyon.
After suffering an 8-2 aggregate defeat to Barcelona in the semifinals last season, Chelsea has strengthened its squad with proven players. “After last season’s Champions League experience, we have learned a lot and matured a lot.
The group as a whole is relatively young, but I think the addition of Keira Walsh, Ellie Carpenter, and myself — players who have succeeded in the Champions League not just once but on numerous occasions — brings experience,” she said.
Additionally, the veteran believes psychological strength is key: “It’s not always the team that performs best throughout the season that ends up winning... It’s just about sticking together and believing that you can achieve it.”
The right back’s hunger for continental glory was forged watching iconic figures dominate the sport. “It’s a competition that I followed from afar for many years and where I saw so many superstars lift the trophy; I think of Wendie Renard, whom I played with, but seeing her lift the trophy so many times was a true inspiration for me,” she said.
After moving countries twice, specifically to win this tournament, her connection to it is deep. “I think it’s the competition that is closest to my heart, it always has been, and on every team I go to, I find that the Champions League is always the only thing that remains the same, no matter which team I’ve played for in Europe.”
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