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      Chelsea boss Hayes promises Blues bounceback from heavy Champions League final loss to Barcelona

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      EMMA HAYES paid a touching tribute to Chelsea fans and vowed her beaten Blues will bounce back from Champions League heartbreak.And the Kingsmeadow boss described her team’s loss to Barcelona as another step in their journey after revealing her players’ post-match chat with club owner Roman Abramovich. 
      Emma Hayes says Chelsea will work hard on the training pitch after losing their first Champions League final clashCredit: Getty
      Barcelona Women won their first Women’s Champions League trophy after losing 4-1 to Lyon in the 2019 finalCredit: AFP
      Chelsea succumbed to a 4-0 defeat to Spain’s title winners in their first final in Europe’s elite club contest.
      And Hayes believes the performance of her side – who face Everton in the Women’s FA Cup – did not reflect the physical edge  of the WSL.
      Hayes said: “I think the physicality in our league that we have, we didn’t show that. So we’re disappointed. 
      “The realities are, if you don’t dominate enough of the first and second balls in any football match,  you don’t deserve to win it, and I don’t think we did that.
      “I think that’s what our dressing is most upset about. 
      “We’re a classy team and we behave I think as you should do when you’ve been beaten by a better team and that’s one that acknowledges what we need to do to improve. 
      “Our owner came in to see us. All the girls were very quick to tell him we’ll be back here and we’ll work hard on the training pitch to make sure we do that. 
      “If I know this group well enough I know they mean these words. 
      “And this is just another step in our journey, because – we talk about the disappointment – but we’re the second best team in Europe.”
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      Chelsea will face Everton in the Women’s FA Cup fifth round in their final game of the seasonCredit: PA
      Hayes’ players told Blues owner Roman Abramovich they plan to reach another Champions League finalCredit: AP

      Barcelona made history by being crowned as Spain’s first Women’s Champions League winners two years on from a 4-1 finals drubbing they endured against Lyon. 
      And the club’s victory entailed some standout displays including impressive wing play by Caroline Graham Hansen and Lieke Martens. 
      We wanted to be European champions and now we can say that we areLluis Cortes
      The result was the highlight of an outstanding season for the Lluis Cortes’s Catalan side who retained their LaLiga Women’s Crown
      And the Blaugranes did so after winning all 26 games they have played in Spain’s top tier with a match against ninth-placed Athletic up next.
      Lieke Martens and her Barca team-mates have won the LaLiga Women’s title as well as the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty

      Asisat Oshoala and her Barca team-mates will play Athletic in Spain’s top tier nextCredit: Getty
      Barca boss Cortes said: “It’s incredible, in Budapest last time (when we lost 4-1 to Lyon) we were like Chelsea were. 
      “There has been a lot of work since that day. That day we promised ourselves we would work a lot to be European champions. 
      “Behind us, there are many, many people and everyone has worked really hard for this goal. 
      “We wanted to be European champions and now we can say that we are.”
      Lluis Cortes says Barca have been working hard to achieve their first major trophy win in Europe.Credit: Getty
      Emma Hayes responds to Chelsea’s devastating 4-0 loss to Barcelona More

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      Chelsea 0-4 Barcelona LIVE RESULT: Barca win Women’s Champions League after routing Blues in first half

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      CHELSEA were beaten 4-0 by Barcelona after a first half nightmare in Gothenburg.The Catalans hit the bar after 30 seconds before going ahead with a freak own goal in the resulting melee afterwards.
      And the advantage was doubled after a controversial penalty 12 minutes before third and fourth goals inside 35 minutes as the Chelsea defence crumbled.
      HOPEFUL HAYES
      Emma Hayes was hopeful for the future after her Chelsea’s side 4-0 loss to Barcelona.
      She was confident her team will learn from the experience and do better the next time round.
      Hayes said: “I think it’s something we will learn from because this is the next step.
      The Blues boss tipped her hat to Barca and said they were worthy winners of the tie.
      Hayes added: “They’re a wonderful team and deserving winners and I will be gracious in defeat.”
      She also took pride in being the second best team in Europe.
      Hayes quipped: “And we’re the second best team in Europe, I’ll take that.”
      GIVE US A KISS
      Asistat Oshoala shows her love for the Champions League trophy by planting a big kiss on it.
      She didn’t start today but has been influential for the Catalan side in the competition.
      The striker scored four times this season, just two behind Kirby and Hermoso.

      LOSADA LAUGHS
      Barca captain Vicky Losada is all smiles as she lifts the trophy for her club.
      They thoroughly deserve their win tonight.

      LET’S STAY TOGETHER
      Emma Haye’s consoles her side after their loss with a speech at the end of the game.
      They’ll have to put today’s nightmare behind them for the season ahead.

      RUNNERS UP
      The Blues go up took collect their runners-up medals.
      They came so close this season, the disappointment is too much to bear for Fran Kirby who refuses to put on the medal.
      NEW RECORD
      Melanie Leupolz scored the fastest own goal in the Women’s Champions League this season.
      34 – Barcelona’s opener from Melanie Leupolz’ own goal is the fastest goal scored in the Women’s UEFA Champions League this season, with Chelsea conceding after just 34 seconds. Stunned. #UWCLfinal— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 16, 2021

      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      Barca become the first Spanish team to win the Champions League

      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      Chelsea look utterly distraught at the final whistle. The players are consoling each other as Barca celebrate.
      But the Blues can still win the treble if they lift the FA Cup.
      FT: CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      Barcelona have been crowned Champions of Europe!!
      They were just too strong for Chelsea on the night!
      The Spanish giants won the game in the first half and put the game out of the Blues reach.
      Lluis Cortes side have avenged their 2019 final loss against Lyon where they had lost 4-0 themselves.
      For Emma Hayes’ side it’s back to the drawing board and eyes on the prize again next season.
      PEEEPPPPPPPP!!!!! BARCA HAVE WON THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL!!!!
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      90. Barca just scored another through Asistat Oshoala but her strike was ruled offside.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      90. The Barca bench have already started celebrating, the Blues looked distraught.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      89. One minute left of normal time, Lluis Cortes’ side can’t wait for the final whistle.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      85. Barca have had to show their defensive strength in the second half to keep the Blues at bay.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      83. Chelsea are in desperate search of a goal as the game draws closer to its end.
      Barca have one hand on the trophy.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      80. Barca have a corner with ten minutes left of the game.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      77. Barca give away a throw-in, they’re looking a-bit tired now.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      75. Despite the score-line the Blues have had 12 shots on target compared to Barca’s nine.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      73. SUBSTITION
      Chelsea make a double sub as the minutes tick on. Ji So-yun and Sam Kerr are off as Erin Cuthbert and Beth England come on.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      69. Kerr, Kirby and Harder link up in the Barca penalty area but fail to make it count.
      It doesn’t seem to be their night.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      69. Carter puts in a strong tackle to stop Caldentey on the left flank.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      67. Harder gets her head on a Chelsea free kick in a dangerous position but Panos saves it comfortably.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      64. Hermoso attacks for the first time in the second half for Barca but puts it wide.
      Her and Kirby are still level in the race for the Golden Boot.
      CHELSEA 0-4 BARCELONA
      63. Charles whips it into the box, Kerr and Kirby were both waiting to pounce but Barca clear.
      Load more entries… More

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      Chelsea 0 Barcelona 4: Blues’ Champions League dream crumbles as Catalans smash FOUR in blistering first-half display

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      CAROLINE GRAHAM HANSEN helped brilliant Barcelona tear Chelsea to shreds consigning the Blues to European heartbreak in a four-goal blitz.A Hansen tap-in was among the efforts that saw Emma Hayes’ aces trounced 4-0 with Spain’s football queens winning their first Champions League trophy.
      Barcelona romped past Chelsea with a stunning first-half displayCredit: Getty
      The Catalans celebrated their first-ever Women’s Champions League titleCredit: Getty
      And it was the biggest winning margin for a side in the history of the contest.
      The Gamla Ullevi Stadium, the home of Sweden women’s national side, played host to the duel between the top dogs of the game in England and Spain.
      And it was fitting that the venue, just a stone’s throw from where Pele propelled Brazil to a famous 1958 World Cup quarter-final win, served as the backdrop for the four-goal thriller.
      For the first time in seven years the final for the elite prize of women’s European club football did not feature the tournament’s record winners, Lyon.
      Instead, all eyes were on two juggernauts seeking to become the new dominant club football force in Europe.
      And it was Barca who came out on top brushing their opponents aside with a devastating attacking display.
      Coming into this game, Lluis Cortes’ players had won ALL 26 matches they have played in Spain’s top-flight, scoring a mammoth 128 goals.
      And within a minute the team that dispatched Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain took the fight to the WSL champs.
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      What a start from Barcelona! 😲A rocket of a shot from Lieke Martens 💥Rattles the bar!Then the clearance hits Leupolz and loops over and into the back of the net 😖#UWCLfinal Live on Youtube & BT Sport 2 HD 💻/📺 pic.twitter.com/qchG8a5mJ5— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 16, 2021

      It took just 33 seconds for the LaLiga giants to get on the scoresheet stunning their rivals in the process.
      The Catalan team hit the crossbar with a ferocious drive off the edge of the box which found its way into the back of the net after rebounding off Melanie Leupolz.
      The Blues – shocked by that opener – attempted to work their way back into the game and saw a ninth-minute Pernille Harder shot saved before Magdalena Eriksson went close with a header.
      And Hayes’ aces had little time to regroup before their rivals doubled their lead.
      It was danger woman Graham Hansen who swept past Jess Carter to cut back a pass for Jenni Hermoso.
      And Spain’s all-time leading top scorer was brought down by Carter with Alexia Putellas converting from the spot in the 14th minute.
      Barcelona scored four goals in 36 minutes on Sunday nightCredit: AP
      The Blues were left heartbroken by the four-goal blitzCredit: PA
      The WSL winners watched on as Barcelona lifted the trophyCredit: AFP
      A Spanish side won the title for the first time after years of French dominanceCredit: Getty
      And there was little respite for the Blues with Spain’s top-flight champions tearing their defence open moments later.
      This time it was Lieke Martens jinking down the left to tee up Hermoso, who set up Aitana Bonmati to score Barca’s third.
      And the Catalan giants completed a 4-0 first-half demolition.
      Martens made another dangerous run into the box before shrugging off Niamh Charles to set up a Hansen tap in moments after the half-hour mark.
      The second spell saw a re-energised Chelsea attempt to battle their way into the game with Barcelona content to sit back and hit their rivals on the counter.
      Fran Kirby saw her 51st-minute shot blocked before a Niamh Charles’ cross narrowly missed the head of the leaping Sam Kerr.
      And Pernille Harder saw her 68th-minute effort – off the back of a Guro Reiten pass – find its way into the palms of keeper Sandra Panos.
      The Spaniards had a couple of late half-chances before wrapping up a memorable win.
      Emma Hayes’ side enjoyed a fantastic run to the finalCredit: Getty
      Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich attended the showdown in SwedenCredit: AP
      What. A. Start! 🔥 Excellent through ball from Hermoso to find Bonmati 👏 who finds the back of the net! Barcelona are on fire in the first half 👊#UWCLfinal Live on Youtube & BT Sport 2 HD 💻/📺 pic.twitter.com/iw7cxRQbud— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 16, 2021

      The result capped off an unlucky week of cup final losses for Chelsea with the Blues’ Premier League side falling 1-0 to Leicester in the FA Cup.
      But having reached their first final in fine fashion Emma Hayes will be proud of her sides’ achievements.
      And the WSL juggernauts are still on target for the treble with an end of season fifth-round Women’s FA Cup clash with Everton to come this month.
      Penalty! 😯Hermoso is clipped in the box as she goes to shoot 👀Alexia steps up and puts it in the bottom corner for Barcelona ⚽#UWCLfinal Live on Youtube & BT Sport 2 HD 💻/📺 pic.twitter.com/fXb8vOPFMh— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 16, 2021

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      Leicester celebrate with the trophy after they win the FA Cup More

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      Chelsea vs Barcelona: FREE live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Women’s Champions League final 2021

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      CHELSEA can do the Super League and Champions League double this season if they beat Barcelona in the biggest game in European football.Emma Hayes’ side have been superb this season and after crushing Bayern Munich 4-1 in the second leg of their semi-final, take to the pitch at Gamla Ullevi in Sweden.
      Both Chelsea and Barcelona can win the Women’s Champions League for the first time
      But they face formidable opponents in Barcelona, who finished their domestic Spanish season with a 100 PER CENT record, picking up 78 points from 26 games.
      However, neither of these two clubs has ever lifted the trophy.
      Here is all you need to know about the showpiece final.
      When is Chelsea vs Barcelona and what time does the Women’s Champions League final kick off?

      Chelsea face Barcelona on Sunday, May 16.
      The Women’s Champions League final kicks off at 8pm UK time.
      There will be no fans at the Gamla Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg.

      What TV channel is the final on and can I live stream it for free?
      The match is being broadcast on BT Sport 2 in the UK.
      Coverage begins at 7.15pm from the broadcaster.
      You can live stream the match on BT Sport’s website and on the BT Sport app for mobile and smart TV.
      Can I get a BT Sport subscription for FREE?

      EE customers can get BT Sport INCLUDED to their plan at no extra cost if they are on a plan with Smart Benefits – simply log in to EE and choose BT Sport app.
      And then get it on the big screen by texting SPORT to 150 to get a FREE three-month trial of large screen so you can cast all the action on your TV.
      At the end of the three months you will automatically roll onto the £15 per month subscription unless cancelled.

      What is the team news?
      Chelsea have no suspensions but right back Maren Mjelde is injured for the Blues.
      Barcelona will be without defender Andrea Pereira who is suspended, while Andrea Falcon is injured. More

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      Chelsea ace Harder says playing in Champions League final alongside partner Eriksson is a ‘dream’

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      PERNILLE HARDER says vying for Champions League glory alongside her partner Magda Eriksson is a dream come true. The inspirational Chelsea couple hope to win their first European trophy by helping the Blues topple Barcelona in Sweden. 
      Pernille Harder would love to see Magda Eriksson lift the Champions League trophy if Chelsea beat BarcelonaCredit: Getty
      Blues skipper Eriksson hopes to lead Chelsea to their first European trophy winCredit: PA
      The Denmark superstar and Blues captain Eriksson –  who are popular role models in the LGBTQ community – became a couple whilst playing for  Swedish outfit Linkoping in 2014.
      And Harder will be aiming to triumph in a Blues vest having twice suffered defeat in the 2018 and 2020 finals with former club Wolfsburg. 
      Harder, 28, said: “We talked about it the other day.
      “If we would have thought six years ago when we were at Linkoping that we would eventually play a Champions League final together, this would have been the biggest dream for us.  
      “And now we get to do it and it’s amazing. The biggest thing would be to see Magda lift the trophy. That would be a very proud moment for her and me also.
       “On and off the pitch, no matter what we are competing in, we both have a winning mentality.
      “It’s not the end if we win the Champions League this season, because we want to win the title and the Champions League again. 
      “For me it’s about the memories and feelings that football brings. 
      “The good thing is that we are super honest with each other on the pitch and we always leave football stuff on the pitch when the game is done.” 
      Eriksson, Harder and their Chelsea team-mates won the 2020-21 WSL titleCredit: Prime Media

      All eyes will be on the WSL champs fearsome attacking trio of Fran Kirby, Sam Kerr and Harder who have netted 13 times in the contest so far.
      Against Bayern Munich, in the semi-finals, Harder demonstrated why Chelsea broke the women’s football transfer record to sign her from Wolfsburg for £250,000 in September 2020. 
      The midfielder’s bullet header helped Chelsea demolish Bayern 4-1 in a dramatic second leg battle.
      And the Uefa Women’s Player of the Year says the pressure of being the world’s most expensive women’s signing is something she takes in her stride. 
      Harder added: “Everyone thinks you can do everything on the pitch when you have that price. 
      “It puts some pressure, or some expectations at least. 
      “But handling expectations is something I’ve been working with in the last five or six years.
      “I knew how to handle it and to focus on my game and adapt to the team.” 
      Harder’s semi-final bullet header against Bayern Munich helped Chelsea reach their first Women’s Champions League finalCredit: Getty
      Emma Hayes’ aces will face a Barcelona side who stormed their way to a sixth domestic league title following a 26-game unbeaten run and a tally of 126 goals. 
      The teams will go head-to-head in the Gamla Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, the home of Sweden’s women’s team whose players include Blues skipper Eriksson.
      And Harder is confident Chelsea – who won their fourth WSL title – can defeat the queens of the women’s game in Spain. 
      It will be a tough game for sure, but we are also a great team so I think it will be a good finalPernille Harder
      The Dane ace was part of the Wolfsburg side that knocked Barca out in 2020.
      The Blues star said: “I played against them last year and I think they did really good. They have a lot of great players and are a good possession team. 
      “It will be a tough game for sure, but we are also a great team so I think it will be a good final.”
      Harder reckons the quality and depth of Chelsea’s squad has been one of the biggest advantages for the team who have won a league cup and WSL title this term
      And the Denmark midfielder – who is her country’s joint all-time top scorer with 65 international goals – said she had been monitoring Chelsea’s progress for a long period before joining the side.
      Harder added: “I’ve been following the team for a long time. Obviously, with Magda playing here, I saw the development of the team. 
      “I felt like it was so interesting to see what happens, and I just felt like I wanted to be a part of it, and also be in the English league. 
      Chelsea may have to contend with ex-Arsenal aces Asisat Oshoala and Vicky Losada when they play BarcelonaCredit: EPA
      “That was what mostly was my motivation to come to Chelsea, but obviously I’d also heard a lot about Emma. 
      “Even though sometimes in games we might not have played the best football, we always find a way to win. 
      “That’s because we have so many players who can be the game-changer. 
      “If someone has a bad day, there is someone else who is stepping up. That’s really something, I think, that has made us come so far this season.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Emma Hayes and her players hope to win the quadrupleCredit: PA
      Emma Hayes gets stuck into Chelsea training More

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      Chelsea out to make history and join Arsenal as only English Women’s Champions League winners

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      ARSENAL are still the ONLY English club to have carved its name on to the Women’s Champions League trophy.And my name is written in the history books for scoring the winner in the final against Swedish side Umea in 2007.
      Emma Hayes wants to lead Chelsea to Champions League gloryCredit: Getty
      Alex Scott scored the winner in the 2007 Champions League finalCredit: Getty
      We went in as total underdogs not expected to win the competition that was then known as the Uefa Women’s Cup.
      The clock was ticking in the dying seconds of the game when the ball fell to me from far outside the box.
      With the scores stubbornly locked at 0-0 I knew what I had to do.
      I took a touch, looked up and sent a sweet, long-range strike dipping and curling beyond the Umea goalkeeper.
      There was stunned silence before I realised what had happened as mayhem ensued on the Arsenal bench.
      It was the only goal over the two legs and of course my name made all the headlines.
      But it was the WHOLE team and our hero goalkeeper Emma Byrne who propelled the club to European glory.
      It was never about one player,   which the game never should be.
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      Years later when  I bitterly watched the Germans lift the European Championship trophy in 2013, Hope Powell gave me some pearls of wisdom.
      After England were spanked in the group stages the Lionesses boss told me: “Remember this feeling because you’ll never want to experience it again.”
      Those words of wisdom should be etched in every Chelsea player’s mind today as they go toe-to-toe with Barcelona in their first Champions League final.
      They’ve tasted defeat on the European stage after they crashed out in the semi-finals to Paris Saint-Germain in 2019.
      Every one of those Blues aces deserves to be at the Gamla Ullevi stadium in Sweden tonight.
      But I don’t want them to be the ones with their heads hanging in shame while Barca lift the trophy.
      Boss Emma Hayes will not rest on her laurels and she’s got one last hurdle to make history.
      When Chelsea made Pernille Harder the most expensive player in the history of women’s football in 2020, it was a real statement of intent.
      The final between Chelsea and Barcelona will take place in Gothenburg’s Gamla Ullevi stadiumCredit: EPA

      They had just won the WSL for a third time and the Continental Cup for the first time.
      Hayes had every domestic trophy in her cabinet – and her sights were set on that elusive European stage.
      Cue Harder, who put the Blues 4-3 up on aggregate against Bayern in the dying moments of the Champions League semi-final second leg, before Fran Kirby secured victory in stoppage-time.
      Blues may have broken the bank for the Denmark star but that winning strike was priceless.
      You could tell by the emotion on Hayes’ face.
      But keeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who joined in January 2019, has also been crucial in the quest for a European trophy.
      Harder, Sam Kerr and Kirby will get all the plaudits but Berger has been sensational.
      Every single one of those Chelsea players has had key moments to get them on the brink of toasting Champions League glory tonight.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Chelsea release 1960s inspired home kit for 2021-22 season More

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      Casey Stoney shocked the WSL by quitting Man Utd but she is a top boss and has a HUGE future ahead

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      CASEY STONEY’S decision to quit Manchester United at the end of the season came as a shock to me.She has done an incredible job during her three seasons with the club, leading them to promotion into the WSL from the Championship and then consecutive fourth-place finishes.
      Stoney announced her shock departure earlier this weekCredit: Getty
      Scott and Stoney were team-mates at international level but often rivals at club levelCredit: Getty
      But she deemed it a “personal failure” when the Red Devils missed out by a point on a spot in Europe for the first time in the club’s history this term.
      Stoney, 39, has done a remarkable job considering Man Utd only reformed their women’s side in 2018 after a 13-year hiatus.
      She had just ten days to create a whole squad and recruit her backroom staff when she took over.
      The former England and Arsenal icon resigned from the top job following frustration over a lack of resources and the budget for the women’s side.
      Time and time again we saw her fighting for more in the battle for women’s football to be treated fairly.
      Stoney was also left gutted when her side’s first ever game at Old Trafford was not broadcast on television or even the club’s own MUTV channel.
      She said: “We’ve missed a massive opportunity. We’re so short-sighted in the women’s game.”
      I said this before but I feel like in the women’s game you’re always expected to feel grateful for everything.
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      Stoney and Scott lined up alongside one another for EnglandCredit: AP:Associated Press
      Stoney is expected to embark on a new managerial challenge in the USCredit: Reuters
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      I’ve felt it at times, that you should just be grateful because everyone’s going out of their way to go above and beyond for you.
      Everyone is hailing the women’s top flight for how far it has come, which it has.
      But there are still leaps and bounds to be made and often Stoney was a lone voice in the fight for change.
      She called out the cancellation of the Women’s FA Cup while the men played on amid the coronavirus crisis.
      And she also spoke out about the closure of girls’ academies while the boys continued to train.
      I’m proud that she stood up for the darker side of women’s football that still needs to be worked on.
      Stoney has now been linked with USA women’s team San Diego.
      She bids farewell to the United dugout as her side take on Leicester City in the FA Cup fifth round tomorrow in her final game in charge.
      And I know my old team-mate has got a HUGE future ahead.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      WSL champs Chelsea sign PSV Eindhoven star Aniek Nouwen More

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      Hayes says motherhood changed her as a coach as Chelsea prepare for battle with Barcelona

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      EMMA HAYES reckons Chelsea will be the underdogs in their first-ever Champions League final in a season she sees as her toughest.And becoming a mum has changed Hayes’ outlook on coaching with her son Harry celebrating his third birthday a day after the Blues’ duel with Barcelona. 
      Emma Hayes is looking forward to celebrating her son’s third birthday after Chelsea’s clash with BarcelonaCredit: Sportimage
      Chelsea hope to win their first major trophy in Europe after clinching their fourth WSL titleCredit: Getty
      Hayes, 44, was speaking ahead of her WSL champs historic clash with one of the most feared women’s football clubs in Europe.
      Their Barca opponents netted 128 goals whilst winning 26 games on their way to a sixth domestic title win. 
      But Hayes welcomes the pressure of taking on Spain’s top flight giants when the teams go head-to-head at the Gama Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden.
      Hayes said: “For once we are the underdogs – in the bookies’ eyes I might add.
      “But I also think we are approaching our best form. I think you can see that even in our performance against Reading. 
      “I think the fact they are overwhelming favourites by the bookies suggests that form over a period of time has earned that right for them.
      “They have been building towards their own Champions League success.
      “But I really believe there’s another level in us.
      “I’m so looking forward to the game and watching us find that level again and seeing how we can compete for the honour of being champions of Europe.”
      Hayes’ Chelsea side are targeting a quadruple trophy this year having already won the Conti Cup and WSL titleCredit: Reuters

      Victory for the Blues would see them secure the treble and their first major trophy win in Europe at the end of a season at times overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic. 
      It would also see them become only the second English club to win the coveted prize following Arsenal Ladies memorable triumph in 2007 against Swedish side Umea.  
      Hayes said: “You have got players who haven’t been able to see their friends and family. 
      “All of a sudden they’re having to spend an entire year with the same people and nobody else.
       “I think it’s probably been the toughest in my tenure for those reasons and Covid for sure is unprecedented and something I’ve never had to deal with. 
      “When you’re in my position you have to make the decision of whether you are willing to manage such challenges in order to fulfil your greatest ambitions, knowing it’s going to cause daily pain. 
      “It has been challenging and it’s a thankless job coaching because you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. 
      “While I care about every one of my players, I also have to stick to the task and that’s winning games of football and trophies.”
      Vicky Losada and her Barcelona team-mates have won the 26 games they have played in Spain’s top-flight this termCredit: Getty
      Chelsea’s seismic clash with Barcelona – whose squad includes former Arsenal players Asisat Oshoala and Vicky Losada – will take place the night before the birthday of Hayes’s young son Harry. 
      And the Blues boss, who has led Chelsea to nine trophy wins – including four WSL titles – says motherhood has made her sporting successes even more meaningful.  
      Celebrating my son’s birthday is as important to me as walking my team out in the finalEmma Hayes
      Hayes said: “I know people say my son Harry changed me as a coach. Karen Carney always says it and I wouldn’t disagree with that. 
      “I think becoming a parent changes everyone. I feel that with every game that is played or a title we contend for, I take it in more than I’ve ever done. 
      “I don’t think about the game next week as I’m very much in the present. I don’t look at calendars.
      “I wouldn’t be in this job if it wasn’t for my family. My family are the ones who allow me to go to work every day because they help with child care. 
      Every parent knows how hard it is to juggle work and juggle your kids. 
      “My mum walked into the house on Monday and said ‘I’m just letting you know, this is the plan for Harry on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.’
      “I’m sitting there thinking what am I going to do?
      “I don’t want to ask’ and she took it right off my hands. 
      Hayes being a mother has boosted her feelings towards Chelsea’s successesCredit: Getty
      “My family’s support is what has allowed me to do my job.
      “This and remaining present is something I’ve learnt from ageing and understanding that this won’t be forever.  And I will enjoy every minute of it.
      “Flying home (from our match against Barcelona) on what will be the morning of my son’s third birthday will be a fitting day. 
      “Celebrating his birthday is as important to me as walking my team out in the final.”
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      Victory against Barcelona would see Chelsea become the second women’s team from England to win the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty
      Emma Hayes gets stuck into Chelsea training More