Emma Hayes is completely ready for her marketed-out swansong at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea eye Champions League ultimate location with a next-leg acquire over Barcelona

A calendar year after Emma Hayes had taken above at Chelsea, she sat in the stand at Stamford Bridge together with then chairman Bruce Buck as they viewed the 2013 Champions League ultimate amongst Lyon and Wolfsburg.

‘That will be us 1 working day,’ claimed Hayes. ‘So give me time.’

All those have been the days when Chelsea played their house online games at Wheatsheaf Park in Staines, in which Hayes once experienced to help distinct the water off the pitch.

On Saturday night she will be in the Stamford Bridge dugout for the past time, aiming to get Chelsea to only a second European closing at the expenditure of reigning champions Barcelona.

‘There’s a comprehensive circle moment in that,’ Hayes tells Mail Activity, reflecting on that discussion with Buck nine many years in the past.

‘As Denise (Reddy, her assistant manager) suggests, this is not our 1st rodeo. We have to target on the processes that have place us in the ideal placement achievable. We are here to contend.’

Barcelona conquer Hayes’ Chelsea 4- in the 2021 final and knocked them out in the semi-finals very last year. But the Catalans arrive to London bruised just after Chelsea inflicted a very first dwelling defeat on them in 5 decades in the 1st leg.

Hayes will depart for the US nationwide team at the end of the season and Saturday will be her ultimate match at Stamford Bridge.

Her 1st, in 2016, was also in this competition. A group of just below 4,000 watched as Chelsea ended up overwhelmed 3- by Wolfsburg. It is likely these days will be sold out.

‘It reveals you how long it can take on and off the pitch to near that hole,’ says Hayes. ‘There was a gulf among us and Wolfsburg on the pitch. Off the pitch, 4,000 felt a excellent range.

‘Maybe it’s taken us a minor little bit way too lengthy to get to a provide-out, but there is a course of action and it’s taken us some learnings.

‘On the pitch, you have to be there more than enough for it to truly feel like your dwelling. It could possibly on some degree have develop into much more of our home this 12 months than Kingsmeadow, specially in the Champions League.

‘Getting that emotion ideal, those rituals correct, those people practices correct, that can take a minimal time. So heading out there in a bought-out stadium is a fruits of decades of perform, a collaborative assortment of folks who have place bums on seats and a workforce that has grown to get pleasure from and expertise Stamford Bridge as their house.’

Last week’s 1- victory around Barcelona arrived soon after a hard number of months. Chelsea experienced missing the League Cup last to Arsenal and been knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United, and Hayes faced criticism for opinions about Gunners manager Jonas Eidevall and her weird decision to go through out a poem in a push meeting.

But Chelsea have manufactured a pattern of responding to setbacks. Couple of, even though, expected them to conquer Barca very last week. Potentially they are at their most dangerous when persons doubt them?

‘That’s a good issue and I don’t believe I know the reply,’ states Hayes. ‘I feel we go into each recreation to win. When we’ve had setbacks for the duration of my time below, we’ve bounced back again pretty speedily and I consider it is that additional than it is becoming considered underdogs. Of training course we’re the underdogs, since they’re the champions of Europe. But I consider we are really resilient.’

The Champions League is the only trophy Hayes has not gained at Chelsea, but she is eager to deflect any interest away from herself.

‘What I have figured out about competing is that you have to contain your emotion, you have to control that,’ Hayes added.

‘It’s not that you never expertise it. We just require to adhere to our endeavor and get ready as we usually do. These players are effectively ready and they are up for it.’