Women's Champions League: Chelsea will give performance of their lives against Bayern Munich, says Emma Hayes

Emma Hayes has pledged that Chelsea Women will give the performance of their lives when Bayern Munich travel to Kingsmeadow for their Champions League semi-final second leg this weekend.

Chelsea went down 2-1 in Munich on Sunday, with Bayern’s goals coming through Sydney Lohmann and Hanna Glas.

Ex-Bayern midfielder Melanie Leupolz claimed a vital away goal for Chelsea, who know they must beat the German side in the return leg this weekend if they are to reach their first Champions League final.

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Hayes believes the fact that Chelsea had to play a huge Women’s Super League (WSL) game at Manchester City just four days before facing Bayern contributed to their underwhelming performance, but she is bullish about her side’s chances in the second leg.

“Everybody has to respect when you play the game we had to play against City on Wednesday night, that took a lot emotionally out of the whole group,” Hayes told Chelsea’s website. “Then to come and play our second biggest game of the season, I think that’s extremely difficult.

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“Yes, Bayern are excited by their result today (Sunday), but trust me, I will make sure the team will put in the performance of their life next week.”

Chelsea’s 2-2 draw at City on Wednesday put them within touching distance of the WSL title, but their chances of claiming a first domestic and European double took a dent in Munich.

Hayes’ side had not lost since a shock home defeat to Brighton on February 7, and she was disappointed with the manner of the goals they conceded to Bayern.

“Two really poor goals that we conceded, in terms of what we prepared for,” she said. “At 1-1 at half-time I’m fairly happy we’ve got the away goal. At full-time we still have the away goal and we’re still very much in the tie.

“We have to focus on the positives. It’s too easy in a game like this to reflect on things that didn’t go so well, and I won’t do that until I’ve watched it back.

“For now we have the away goal, it’s half-time, now we’ve got to bring them to Kingsmeadow and we’ve got to pose a much different problem to them.”

In the other semi-final, Paris Saint-Germain drew 1-1 with Barcelona in France.

The Women’s Champions League final will take place in Gothenburg on May 16.

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