Millie Bright says Chelsea Women have learned from past experience and have a point to prove as we prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain in our final UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage match at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night.
The Blues, who were knocked out at this stage last season, have taken Group A by storm this time around. Having been dealt a tough draw with PSG, Real Madrid and Vllaznia alongside us, we enter the final matchday having already secured our passage to the knockout stages.
We have put together an impressive unbeaten record with four wins and one draw from our five group stage matches to date. This includes a victory in Paris on matchday one, back-to-back home wins against Vllaznia and Real Madrid, a draw away to the latter and a win at Vllaznia last time out.
Going into the final matchday, it’s a battle for top spot between two sides already qualified for the knockout phase. We take a three-point advantage into the tie at the top of the group and a goal difference of +6 compared to our French opposition, putting our fate very much in our own hands.
You can still buy tickets for tomorrow night's game at the Bridge, starting at just £9 for adults and £1 for concessions!
Our European journey began with an impressive 1-0 victory against PSG in the French capital back in October, where defender Millie Bright netted the winner with a first-half volley that secured a valuable three points to set us on the right track.
Bright, who is an everpresent and ever-reliable figure in the Blues backline, emphasised the importance of this result and the extent to which it set the tone for what has followed in the group stages this season.
‘It was huge, massively important that we went away and put our stamp on the game. We weren’t defensive, we were posing threats to PSG and we wanted to kickstart our campaign in the right manner and kind of prove ourselves. The team feels like we’ve got a point to prove after last season and how that went, so we’re not in a position where we’re going to make the same mistakes. We’ve learned a lot from that, grown a lot as a team and added more experience to the squad.
‘In the campaign so far we’ve done really well and the PSG game was massive. They’re one of the top teams in the competition, so to go out there and dominate the game. We should’ve scored more goals, too. It was a really important win and hopefully it shows what we’re about. We’ve still got more levels to go and that’s the beauty of the team.’
Victory against Albanian champions Vllaznia confirmed our progression to the knockout phase. Although that is one objective successfully met, Bright is adamant that the job is not done and explained what will be required to progress as group winners.
‘Just the same as what we’ve been doing. Yes, it’s the last game of the year and we’ve already qualified, but we want to top the group. I think that’s massively important and if we can go on and do that it shows our dominance.
‘We don’t take our foot off the gas, we keep going, but ultimately we want to put on a great performance for the fans at Stamford Bridge. It’s a really important game and not one to be taken lightly. We want to put our stamp on it, keep doing what we’ve been doing and raise the bar.’
Our last European fixture at Stamford Bridge came back in 2016 against Wolfsburg, a match Bright remembers vividly. These occasions are what the players dream of and our central defender described the emotions that come with embracing these opportunities.
‘Really special. We love playing at the Bridge, it’s a huge stadium and it gives it an extra spark, an extra pressure a little bit. That’s what you want as a player. Playing in front of big crowds, Champions League night – what more could you wish for as a player? It’s really special and obviously we don’t want to look too much at what happened in 2016.
‘We’re in a completely different place, the team is ready and I’d say we’re more prepared for playing in these sorts of stadiums. For us now, it’s no different, it's just extra special to go there and play, whereas before it was maybe a little bit intimidating and the squad wasn’t ready for that, but now we’re thriving on these opportunities.’
The match against PSG brings down the curtain on the first half of the season, giving Bright time to reflect on the year that has passed, and she has one overriding emotion of gratitude to the fans who are always behind the team.
‘We appreciate you so much, thanks for everything. Whether it’s rain, snow, ice, whatever it might be, you’re always there rooting for us. We’re really grateful to have you, you’re the special ingredient for this club and this team, and we can’t wait for all the exciting things in 2023.’