When the list of nominees was unveiled, people could have been forgiven for doing a double take. Club of the Year: Chelsea?! Viewed through the prism of men's football in recent years, Chelsea, Barcelona, Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain would be seen as quite the collection of basket cases. Yet this quartet reached the Women's Champions League semi-finals in 2023-24 and they make up the contenders for the Women's Club of the Year award at this year's Ballon d'Or ceremony along with US side NJ/NY Gotham, apparently imported from a Batman comic.
Despite chaos in the men's team, Chelsea's women's team have continued to succeed even after Todd Boehly & Co bought the club.
In the 2022-23 campaign, Chelsea did the domestic league and cup double, serenely picking up 58 points from a possible 66 to pip Manchester United to the WSL crown.
They also ended Lyon's hopes for a seventh Champions League title in eight years by beating them in the quarter-finals, before succumbing to Barcelona in the final four.
Last term, Chelsea won the WSL again, against all odds. When they slumped 4-3 to Liverpool on May 1, they sat six points behind league leaders Manchester City, also eight goals behind on goal difference, with a game in hand but only nine points still available.
"I think the title is done," declared their despondent boss, Emma Hayes, not long after Chelsea had lost to Arsenal in the League Cup final, surprisingly slipped to defeat at Manchester United in the FA Cup semis, then suffered another semi-final heartbreak against Barça in the Champions League. The Blues won the first leg 1-0 in Catalonia, only to go down 2-0 at Stamford Bridge following a red card for Canadian defender Kadeisha Buchanan.
Bu hikaye FourFourTwo UK dergisinin October 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye FourFourTwo UK dergisinin October 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
THE PLAYERS LOUNGE
DUNCAN FERGUSON SEBASTIEN BASSONG SHOLA AMEOBI
THE BRADY BUNCH
Despite Birmingham dropping into League One, Blues are bouncing again - with an NFL legend in on the action
FOOTBALL'S FIGHT AGAINST PROSTATE CANCER
After battling the disease himself, Mick Harford tells FFT how he has joined forces with Viv Anderson, Grant McCann and more for a fundraising drive this October
BEWARE THE DIRTIEST TEAM EVER
Nestor Combin's face told the story of the 1969 Intercontinental Cup better than any match report.
IT WAS A WORLD RECORD TRANSFER.BUT I NEVER WANTED TO SIGN FOR MILAN.THEN CAME MY CRASH.I COULD HAVE DIED.
My name is Gigi and I'm a normal guy. I have friends and I spend time playing billiards with them it's one of the things I like the most.
THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT
While Chelsea's men have endured two years of mayhem, the women's side just keep on winning
BLUE IS THE COLOUR, CHAOS IS THE GAME
Todd Boehly's consortium took charge of Chelsea in the summer of 2022 - but what's followed has been a dizzying revolving door of players and managers, leading to disappointing results and discontent in the stands. If only he'd been allowed to play 4-4-3...
LOVE ALWAYS WINS
On August 1, 2019, Arsenal's great new hope appeared. Unai Emery was convinced he'd found a left-footer capable of scoring freely from the right wing, the man who'd lead the Gunners into the future.
DAVID PLEAT
\"Elton John sent me flowers after the newspaper allegations against me. A message with it said, 'Don't let the bastards grind you down\"\"
NINE REASONS TO BE EXCITED FOR COPA AMERICA
Family feuds, Bielsa's return and an Icelandic dentist - it's all been going on ahead of South America's biggest tournament hosted by, er, the USA. Oh, and Messi's going to be there as well...
