Ahead of our eagerly awaited return to Women’s Super League action against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, Maren Mjelde is excited to be reunited with a place which holds special memories for our long-serving Norwegian defender.
Mjelde etched her name into Chelsea folklore last season when her last-gasp spot kick against Lyon in the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals forced a penalty shootout, which we went on to win in a memorable night under the lights in SW6.
We turn the page and begin a new chapter when we embark on our quest for a fifth consecutive WSL title this evening. Tottenham return to the Bridge for the second consecutive season in an enticing London derby which kicks off our respective 2023/24 campaigns.
There is anticipation amongst players and fans alike for the return of domestic football after the World Cup captivated our attention this summer, and Mjelde is looking forward to getting back to business at club level in front of the Blues faithful.
‘It’s a really good way to start the season. Last year we were meant to play our first game of the season at Stamford Bridge, but that didn’t happen for obvious reasons. It’s really nice to kick off a new season and hopefully we will get a good crowd for the game.
‘This is going to be the third time we’ve played Tottenham there. We had the game last year and in 2019. It’s a good London derby and it’s the first game of the season.’
Alluding to the fact that we will be playing more regularly at Stamford Bridge this season, Mjelde believes this nothing less than what the team deserves and says they relish the chance to play in front of big crowds.
‘We’ve come that far now that we want to play as often as possible at Stamford Bridge to get a bigger crowd. At the same time, we also like to play at Kingsmeadow, so it’s a hard one. First game of the season, it’s cool to be playing at Stamford Bridge and we have some really good memories from there.
‘We’ve got at least seven games there this season and every year that we have more games there is a big positive. It’s at least seven – four in the WSL and three Champions League group games, plus any knockout games in Europe if we get through. We deserve to play at the bigger stadiums. Now we just need it to be a full stadium, that’s what we want.’
You can see the full interview with Maren in the matchday programme this evening when the Blues get their WSL title defence underway against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge, with kick-off at 5.30pm (UK time). Click here to secure your seats!