"Bring it on," declares Chelsea's captain Millie Bright as the Blues secure a Champions League semi-final clash with Barcelona after a commanding 3-0 victory over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, overturning their 2-0 first-leg deficit with a 3-2 aggregate win.
Chelsea's quadruple aspirations remain firmly intact following their emphatic triumph on Thursday night. The ruthless display featured goals from Sandy Baltimore, Nathalie Bjorn, and Mayra Ramirez in an explosive first half that silenced their Manchester rivals.
"We were never in doubt. We had full confidence in ourselves. We could have had way more than three goals," Bright told BBC Sport. "We have an unbelievable mentality and desire to come back. It was a true Chelsea performance."
The victory means Chelsea continue their pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple, having already secured the Women's League Cup while maintaining an eight-point lead atop the Women's Super League table and progressing to the FA Cup semi-finals.
Former Chelsea midfielder Karen Carney emphasized on TNT Sports: "The quadruple mentality is back on. They are not stopping, they are a train and when they are on it, you can't stop them. They will be thinking 'we want that quadruple and we are not going to stop'."
Chelsea were dominant throughout the match, pressing City intensely and finishing clinically. They could have extended their lead further, with Bjorn and Erin Cuthbert both striking the woodwork, while Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Ramirez missed additional opportunities.
"This is the Chelsea we know, this is the Chelsea that just get it done. It was about energy, hunger, desire," said former Blues striker Eni Aluko. "The quadruple is important, but the Champions League is the one that has eluded them. Even if they don't do the quadruple, if they win the Champions League, that will be the one the players have tried to do for years."
To achieve European glory, Chelsea must overcome the formidable Barcelona, who have ended their Champions League dreams three times in the past four seasons. The Catalans defeated Chelsea 4-0 in the 2021 final and eliminated them in the semi-finals in both 2023 and 2024 en route to lifting the trophy.
Despite this challenging history, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor remains optimistic: "In football, everything is possible. I will bring all the confidence we need to go into those two games but first of all we want to enjoy this, because it was not easy."
Chelsea have strengthened their squad with key additions like USA defender Naomi Girma and former Barcelona midfielder Keira Walsh, potentially giving them the edge they need to finally overcome their Spanish rivals.
Bright embodies the team's renewed confidence: "We are a new team, we are on a new journey, we are in a new era. Bring it on."
