“It will be tough,” says Erin Cuthbert about the match between Chelsea and Ajax

ERIN CUTHBERT hopes Chelsea can silence Ajax fans when they take on the Dutch giants in the Women’s Champions League.

And the midfielder says it “would mean everything” if the Blues achieved Emma Hayes’ match at the helm last season.

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Cuthbert spoke to reporters on Monday ahead of Chelsea’s first leg with their rivals at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Tuesday.

It is the Dutch team’s first introduction to the last eight phases of the competition.

The club advanced to the knockout stages after finishing second in Group C above Bayern Munich and Roma.

Record attendances are expected for a women’s club match in the Netherlands at the Amsterdam ground, with 34,200 tickets sold to date.

While Chelsea will look to build on the experience they have gained from performing in front of big crowds in Europe, Cuthbert warns they could face a fearless Ajax.

The Blues striker, whose side will meet their rivals at Stamford Bridge in the second leg next Wednesday, said: “It’s their first time at this point in the competition.

“We can certainly use that experience as a kind of advantage factor.

“As a player, I am sure that if I played in the league for the first time, I would play without fear.

“We have to be careful that they can play without fear, they have nothing to lose, and we have everything (to lose).

“We’re going to do everything we can to try and bring back a result at Stamford Bridge that we’re happy with.”

Boss Emma Hayes added: “We only had time yesterday to prepare for this match.

“But the players’ experiences during this tournament have to count because it is intimidating to play in front of 35,000 people in a cramped arena.

“For us, let’s build on our experiences because it’s important that we come through this match in a very strong position.”

A last eight knockout of Ajax would see Chelsea play SK Brann or two-time match winners Barcelona in the semi-finals.

Last year was the last time the Blues reached the semi-finals of the tournament
where they lost a narrow 2–1 aggregate defeat to Barça.

And the Catalan giants were the victors as both clubs reached the final for the first time in 2021.

The biggest trophy for Europe’s elite clubs remains the only major silverware that has eluded Hayes so far.

And Cuthbert hopes the Blues will fulfill their wish to patch things up with their gaffer before she leaves for a new job as boss of the US women’s team later this year.

She added: “It would mean everything to reach the final and win it.

“But I’ve been at this club for so long, it’s all about a process.

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“We are now in the quarter-finals and there are two more draws ahead

“Two tough games against a very strong team that has more than proven itself at this level.

“We have no illusions. It will be a tough match, but of course it is difficult not to dream a little.”