Chelsea's quadruple hunt: What they need and can they do it?
- Published
Chelsea won the WSL title on the final day of the season
Women's Champions League final - Chelsea v Barcelona |
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Date: Sunday, 16 May Kick-off: 20:00 BST Venue: Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden BBC coverage: Live text coverage on the BBC Sport website, commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live |
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side may have missed out on claiming the quadruple this season but Emma Hayes remains on course to lead Chelsea's women's team to an historic four-trophy haul.
Chelsea wrapped up a record fourth Women's Super League title with a thumping victory over Reading on the final day of the season last weekend and are currently preparing for Sunday's Champions League final against Barcelona (20:00 BST kick-off).
With the League Cup already in the bag and an FA Cup trophy still to play for - although the final will not be held until December - Chelsea are looking to become the first side since 2007, and only the second English side in history, to complete the quadruple.
Former Chelsea winger Karen Carney describes Chelsea as "mentality monsters" - so can they do it? What will it take? And how was it achieved before?
Hayes has done it already...
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes (second row, far right) was Vic Akers' assistant at Arsenal in 2007 when they won the quadruple
Arsenal Ladies created history in 2007 when they became the first and only English side to win a quadruple.
The Gunners won the league title, the league cup, the FA Cup and an unprecedented Uefa Cup - now known as the Women's Champions League.
It was the first and only time an English women's team has won in Europe, with only Chelsea, Manchester City, Birmingham City and Arsenal themselves reaching the semi-finals since then.
The common link? Chelsea boss Hayes was assistant manager at Arsenal back then.
"I don't think we really appreciated what we achieved at the time. It was such a rare achievement," Carney, part of that quadruple winning Arsenal side, told BBC Sport.
"We had unbelievable characters on and off the pitch. There was always a common goal. It was a unique squad and everything complemented each other.
"There was every element you could have wanted in a team. It was the greatest team I have been a part of for sure."
In men's football, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have come closest to completing a quadruple as an English side, but it is still yet to be achieved.
What will it take for Chelsea?
Chelsea 5-0 Reading: Hayes praises 'amazing' side as Chelsea retain WSL title
The next trophy Chelsea can win - and arguably the most difficult - is the Champions League.
They simply have to beat Barcelona in Sunday's final in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The Blues, who are bidding to win the European trophy for the first time in the women's team's history, beat Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid and Benfica on their way to the final.
Chelsea's results in the Women's Champions League this season | |
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Benfica 0-5 Chelsea (last 32, first leg) | Chelsea 3-0 Benfica (last 32, second leg) |
Chelsea 2-0 Atletico Madrid (last 16, first leg) | Atletico Madrid 1-1 Chelsea (last 16, second leg) |
Chelsea 2-1 Wolfsburg (quarter-finals, first leg) | Wolfsburg 0-3 Chelsea (quarter-finals, second leg) |
Bayern Munich 2-1 Chelsea (semi-finals, first leg) | Chelsea 4-1 Bayern Munich (semi-finals, second leg) |
The final trophy is the FA Cup and Chelsea kicked off their pursuit of it last month with a fourth-round victory over Championship side London City Lionesses.
They face 2019-20 finalists Everton in the next round, with the game scheduled for Thursday, 20 May.
Chelsea need to win another four matches in total in the FA Cup to win it but the competition will not be completed until next season, with the final set for 5 December.
It could be a long wait to claim the final leg of the quadruple.
'Chelsea are mentality monsters'
Chelsea beat Bayern Munich 5-3 on aggregate to book their place in the Champions League final
The fact the quadruple has only been achieved once by an English side is proof it is no mean feat.
Hayes said after Chelsea's Champions League quarter-final win over Wolfsburg it had been a "nine-year project" just to be able to compete strongly in the latter stages of the competition.
"I think this is a really big day for us and a really big day for women's football in England," she added. "I'm going to say it's not enough. I want more."
So can Chelsea do it this season and who stands in their way?
"I think they can," said Carney. "They are the most in-form team [in the Champions League] and have everything going for them.
"Defensively they are solid and they have key match winners. They have all the elements they need. They probably have more elements than the Arsenal team did because they have a few ways in which they can win.
"I think this is the closest you will see in terms of dominance. The best chance is with Chelsea for now for sure.
"The biggest threat is probably going to be in a Champions League final. But someone described them as 'mentality monsters' recently and I agree. When it comes to big moments, the big players are not fearful. There's no anxiety in them anymore.
"Emma wants to achieve what she did at Arsenal as the assistant. She will not stop until it's achieved."
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