‘I expect them to play for a point’ – Chelsea boss Hayes expecting to face a stubborn Juventus | OneFootball

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says that Juventus will come to Kingsmeadow looking to collect a point from their UEFA Women’s Champions League group fixture on Wednesday.

The Italian club are two points clear of third-placed side VfL Wolfsburg with two group games remaining and they have a better head-to-head record against the German side.

A point against Chelsea on Wednesday would leave Juventus with an advantage going into a home fixture against group minnows Servette FCCF on Matchday 6 as a worst case scenario. Blues boss Hayes believes that Joe Montemurro’s side will therefore come to Kingsmeadow for the draw.

“They want a point so I expect them to play for a point,” Hayes told FAWSL Full-Time in her pre-match press conference. “I expect them to sit in, I expect them to make it difficult for us. They are very compact, they make it difficult to dominate the central areas, I think they defend their box very well and they are dogged.

“I think it is a big game for both teams but we are at home and that’s where I want us to be, in-front of our fans, flying and full of confidence but conscious that we respect them.”

Juventus are playing in the last-16 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the very first time this season and Hayes believes that the Italian side are a team who are taking massive steps in the right direction.

She said “I really rate this team, I really do, they’re improving every game. I think that the courage that they showed to go away to Wolfsburg and win, it was a magnificent performance. They are comfortable playing without the ball, they are comfortable sitting inside their own half and attacking at the right moments.

“They won’t be afraid to play, they showed that when we went there. I think that this will be a really, really good game and one that for us after a cup final is important that every single player is switched on because I really rate the work that he (Joe Montemurro) is doing.”

The UEFA Women’s Champions League group fixture between Chelsea and Juventus at Kingsmeadow kicks-off at 8pm on Wednesday evening. Tickets are now on general sale and can be purchased by clicking here. Fans who are unable to attend the match can stream the action live on DAZN.