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Chelsea’s Karen Carney said a lack of media interest in her old side Birmingham’s Champions League semi-final in 2014 “still hurts”, as she reflected on the women’s game’s growth.
The Londoners, who signed the England midfielder in 2015, face Paris Saint-Germain in the last-eight on Thursday.
Carney, 31, was part of the Birmingham side that lost to Tyreso of Sweden in the semi-finals five years ago.
“I don’t recall a press conference before that semi-final,” she said.
Carney told BBC Sport: “I’d be surprised if many people knew we were in it, to be honest. That’s not being disrespectful to Birmingham fans – I am one. It’s just the level of interest was disappointing.
“I look back and we were in the semi-finals of the Champions League, the only English side left, we were 45 minutes away from getting to a final and no one really knew about it.
“That hurt and that still does now. That motivates us, to want to push the game.”
After knocking out Arsenal in 2013-14, Carney’s former outfit Birmingham drew 0-0 with Tyreso in their semi-final first leg in 2015, before a second-half brace in the second leg from the United States’ Christen Press and a third goal from Brazil star Marta eliminated Blues.
Carney, who helped the Gunners lift the European Cup in 2007 – the last time a British side won it – was speaking to a busy room of journalists on Wednesday, before Chelsea’s meeting with the French title challengers.
“The game is growing so big and so fast. Everything that we’ve wanted is happening,” Carney added, following Barclays’ agreement to sponsor the Women’s Super League in a multi-million pound deal until 2022.
Chelsea will reach the semi-finals for a second consecutive season if they overcome PSG, who were finalists in 2015 and 2017.
Before the first leg at Kingsmeadow, which gets under way at 19:05 GMT, Carney believes her side can go all the way.
“What’s the point in being in the competition if you don’t believe you can be the best team in Europe? I’ve always believed that we can be,” she continued.
“You have to be respectful of the other teams. They have high quality and the trophies to back that up.
“But we want to win it. Why not? Why can’t we? Otherwise what’s the point, we might as well go home now.”
Manager Emma Hayes added: “You want to test yourself against the best. That’s what this game [against PSG] is about.
“We don’t fear anyone. I can quite comfortably say, at home at Kingsmeadow, I won’t struggle to get my team up for this game.
“I demand a lot of the group in terms of the progress we make in this competition. There’s no better night than playing the top teams in the Champions League.”
England defender Millie Bright is suspended for the hosts, who will also be without the versatile Anita Asante, who has “a niggle”, but otherwise Hayes has a full-strength squad to choose from.
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