EMMA HAYES reckons Chelsea’s next Champions League opponents may have to suffer to progress in the contest.
But her WSL champs will not take Servette lightly.
The Swiss top-flight side hope to reach the competition’s last 16 for the first time and also play an English team for the first time.
However, they are currently rooted at the bottom of Group A following crushing 5-0 and 3-0 losses to Wolfsburg and Juventus in their opening two group games.
Hayes, whose Blues are second in the group, said: “To become streetwise, you have to suffer, you have to experience something. Usually, that’s when you’re defeated.
“For them, as a team, they are not going to be at our level just yet.
“But they’re worthy of being in this competition, and they will no doubt learn from their two previous games.
“From those learnings, I think they’ll add even more in this game.
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“They are always a danger, unknown teams, that have lots to gain playing [at home] with a packed crowd. But competition really, really matters.”
Blues skipper Magda Eriksson added: “We know that any team in this competition can cause a threat if you’re not on it from the start.
“We have to be tidy at the back, we have to be ready for anything they might throw at us and be flexible tactically as well.”
Hayes, 45, revealed spectators are unlikely to see Lauren James make her Champions League debut with Chelsea carefully managing the Blues striker’s return to action.
The Blues starlet, 20, named in Uefa’s ‘ten to watch’ female players list this year, was included in the Blues squad that took on Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Hayes added: “I’m probably leaning on giving her another 75 minutes on Thursday rather than the gamble for tomorrow because I think we need to just keep the long game in mind.
“Having her available for selection is great, but I think she needs more training days and more physical work.
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