Chelsea captain Millie Bright eyes Champions League redemption against Wolfsburg | OneFootball

For Chelsea, it would be the perfect redemption arc.

Four years ago to the day, the Blues travelled to Wolfsburg in the Champions League as group leaders only to suffer a 4-0 rout that denied them a place in the quarter-finals.

On Wednesday, Chelsea return to the AOK Stadion for the first time since that December night in 2021, with a place in the last eight once again at stake. Catharsis beckons.

The good news for Sonia Bopastor’s side is that, for now at least, there is no chance of history repeating itself. Chelsea sit third in the competition’s newly introduced league phase, with the 11 points accumulated from their five games so far sufficient to guarantee them a place in the top dozen teams. Whatever happens in Lower Saxony, they will not exit the competition.

What’s at stake for Chelsea against Wolfsburg in the Champions League

But with seventh-placed Wolfsburg only two points behind, a win for the Frauen-Bundesliga side would see them leapfrog Chelsea into one of the four automatic qualification spots, consigning them to one of the four playoff spots reserved for teams finishing between fifth and 12th.

Few felt the pain of the 2021 defeat more keenly than club captain Millie Bright, who said in the aftermath of Chelsea’s European exit that the team “needed to hurt” if they were to bounce back domestically. Chelsea went on to finish the season by winning a league and FA Cup double.

The circumstances may be different, but Bright’s message to her team-mates is much the same now as it was then: embrace the challenge.

Millie Bright: Chelsea-Wolfsburg ‘quite a rivalry’

“We’ve built quite a rivalry with Wolfsburg, which is nice as I think that’s a big part of football,” said Bright, 32, a former England international. “It’s important to have those. It’s exciting for the fans, and it’s extra competitive when you’re out there. 

“We’ve got two top teams coming up against each other to get that top four place. It’s a big game, a big opponent, but it’s one that we’re ready for.

“We’ve faced Wolfsburg many times over the years. It’s a very difficult place to come and a hard team to play against, but it is the Champions League. You have to play against the best teams, and every game is a tough game. There are no easy games in this campaign. 

“I think we just need to stay focused on our game plan, execute it, get the three points, and come away with a good performance.”

Millie Bright welcomes new Champions League format

Chelsea have advanced to the last four of the Champions League on six occasions, with their sole appearance in the final coming in 2021, when they were roundly beaten by Barcelona. Bright has welcomed this season’s altered format, which she believes has added a fresh dimension to the competition. 

“The new format has been exciting,” said Bright. “I really like it. I think it brings an extra level of competitiveness. You see a lot more teams, and there’s a lot more variety.

“You get to face more players [and] different opponents, challenges and styles of football. I think it brings the best out of all the teams.”

If they are to erase memories of their last visit, Chelsea will certainly need to bring out their best on Wednesday night in Wolfsburg.