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      Bristol City star Jemma Purfield hopes ‘underdog’ Robins can stun Chelsea in league cup showdown

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      JEMMA PURFIELD made history at 16 when she became the youngest person to play in the WSL for Doncaster Rovers Belles in 2013.
      And now the Bristol City ace wants to make her mark again by helping the Robins win their first League Cup against Chelsea.

      Jemma Purfield wants Bristol City to ‘rise to the occasion’ against Chelsea in the Conti Cup finalCredit: Rex Features

      It is a contest that will see the Twerton Park side – second from bottom in the top tier – take on a Blues outfit who have lost just once in the league this term.
      And Purfield, 24, thinks Chelsea’s surprise loss to the Seagulls proves an upset is not impossible. 
      Purfield told SunSport: “Brighton showed that anything can happen if you’ve got the right game plan, you are all on the same page and the work rate and communications are there. 
      “It’s been a good lesson to us to let us know that whatever happens it’s going to be an occasion 

      “And we’re going to rise to the occasion, hopefully, and make it an exciting game for the viewers and hopefully go on to win the trophy.” 
      Purfield, who moved to the Robins in July 2020 after spending the previous season at Liverpool, is looking forward to locking horns with her old Doncaster team-mate Millie Bright. 
      The Chelsea vice-captain was on the pitch on the day the Yorkshire-born full-back who started made her Women’s Super League debut. 
      Purfield added: “I went to train with Doncaster when I was 15. And they said, ‘as soon as you turn 16, do you want to sign a contract and play for us?’.

      Purfield hopes Bristol can make history by winning their first league cup trophyCredit: Rex Features

      “It was a great experience for me as the team had a lot of big characters. 
      “Back then I was playing with people like Millie Bright – who I will play against on Sunday – and Sue Smith who is a legend of the game for England.
      “Although women’s senior football wasn’t full-time professional at the time it was still a big step up.” 
      Purfield, who played university football in the USA from 2015 to 2018, has been taking inspiration from her favourite cup final upsets ahead of Bristol’s clash with Chelsea.
      And the Robins ace regards Everton’s dramatic Women’s FA Cup win against Arsenal in 2010 as one of the best matches she has ever seen.
      In that encounter the Gunners were stunned by a last minute extra-time winner netted by Natasha Dowie. 
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      Purfield and her team-mates will take on Man City after their clash with ChelseaCredit: Represented by ZUMA Press, Inc.
      Purfield said: “I went to the Everton and Arsenal cup final and it ended up a 3-2 win for Everton.
      “I remember Natasha Dowie scoring a couple of goals in that and I thought she was a brilliant player. 
      “I think with cup finals in general anything can happen. That’s what we are living for on Sunday. We’re the underdogs.”.
      If given the choice between a Conti trophy win and Bristol staying in the top flight, Purfield reckons it would be a tough decision to make with league survival being vital.

      Purfield is taking inspiration from Natasha Dowie’s performance during Everton’s 2010 Women’s FA Cup win against ArsenalCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      The Bristol City star added: “Staying in league is obviously vital as that’s the week-in, week-out stuff that we get to do. 
      “Cup finals are once in a lifetime or you might get to play a few if you’re lucky.  
      “They don’t come around often so that’s a tough one. 
      “But we definitely do not want to be relegated and we’ll fight for everything.”
       Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Gemma Evans hopeful of Conti Cup upset as Bristol City aim to take Chelsea’s crown

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      GEMMA Evans hopes Bristol City cause an upset by beating Chelsea when the two sides meet in the Conti Cup final.
      The WSL star thinks the Robins have enough depth and fight to surprise the league leaders.

      Evans thinks Bristol City are capable of causing a Conti Cup final upset against ChelseaCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Sunday’s game will be the first time Bristol City have played in the competition’s final in their 23-year history.
      And Wales centre-back Evans says her team vying for the trophy at Watford’s Vicarage Road ground is a dream come true.
      Evans, 24, said: “I think as a player you dream of winning medals and trophies.
      “We’ve had a great cup run, we’ve scored goals, we’ve kept cleans sheets and we’ve changed players around and they’ve performed, so it shows we have depth in our squad.

      “It’s what you dream of as a player, to get to a cup final and hopefully we can upset the mix.”
      After their WSL win over Reading, Evans reckons confidence at Bristol is sky high going into the clash.
      Evans added: “Monday has given us loads of confidence going into the game.
      “We obviously know Chelsea is a very big test and we will be the underdogs, but we take that in our stride and look forward to it.”

      Interim Robins gaffer Matt Beard, 43, echoed Evans’ sentiments on Bristol’s underdog status.
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      Evans says Bristol City’s win against Reading has given them confidence ahead of the league cup finalCredit: PA:Press Association
      Beard told City’s website: “We know the challenge of Chelsea is huge with all the international players they have.
      “At times it’s like playing against the world’s best eleven.
      “But it’s a cup final, anything can happen on the day and it’s a challenge we are looking forward to.”
      The Robins are Chelsea’s unlikely opponents after beating Leicester City 1-0 in the semi-finals three weeks after Beard’s appointment as temporary head coach.
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      The former West Ham boss is standing in for Robins permanent manager Tanya Oxtoby who is due to give birth this month.
      Prior to going on maternity leave Oxtoby, 38, led Bristol on an impressive run in the league cup group stages with convincing wins against London Bees, Crystal Palace and Lewes.
      And the Australia-born coach steered her team to a gritty 2-1 quarter-final win against Aston Villa.

      Beard’s side are currently fighting for their WSL survival, with just a point between them and bottom-placed West Ham.
      Meanwhile, Chelsea on the other hand are in pole position in the top-flight title as they sit top of the tree.
      The Blues are going into the game off the back of an emphatic Champions League last 16 win over Atletico Madrid, so Evans and Co will have to be on their best form to upstage the holders.

      The Robins’ Conti trophy clash with Chelsea will be the first time they have played in a league cup finalCredit: PA:Press Association

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      FA apologise for telling players of Olympic axing just 90 mins before game as Ward and Kirk criticise governing body

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      FOOTBALL chiefs apologised after Birmingham ace Hannah Hampton was left in tears after being told she was not in Great Britain’s Olympic football squad shortly before a league game.
      And Carla Ward and Willie Kirk slammed Team GB officials for telling a number of Blues and Everton players of their omission before their WSL clash.

      Hannah Hampton was tearful after being told of her exclusion from Team GB’s women’s football squadCredit: PA:Press Association

      Hampton, 20, was informed she had been excluded from Team GB’s 35-player shortlist an hour and 30 minutes before her club took on the Toffees. 
      And Birmingham City boss Ward said the timing of the news had distressed her number one goalkeeper with her team losing the match 4-0 on Thursday evening. 
      Ward said: “Hannah made three errors for three of the goals and an hour and a half before kick-off the FA decided to give her a call and let her know she wasn’t in the Olympic squad. 
      “The girls are going out to warm-up, she’s in tears and we are wondering whether to even play her. 

      “The timing was absolutely ridiculous. We had a kid, a 20-year-old kid, in floods of tears, and you can see that it’s clearly affected her out there.”
      Everton gaffer Kirk echoed Ward’s views on the “poor” manner in which the details were conveyed by the FA. 
      And the Toffees boss revealed two of his aces found out they made Team GB’s shortlist while two others were told they had not been selected. 
      Kirk said: “The communication went out to the players before it went out to the clubs and I think that’s poor for a start.

      “I think it’s important if you’re sharing good news or bad news that the clubs get a heads-up so the clubs can try and support that if it’s bad news and certainly if it’s good news as well. 
      “A player finding out information two hours before kick-off is wrong in my opinion. 
      “It’s very, very poor and it has affected our players. I think the players that were affected dealt with it professionally.

      Carla Ward says the timing of the FA’s communication of Hampton was “ridiculous”Credit: PA:Press Association

      Willie Kirk criticised the FA’s decision to tell players of their Olympic squad exclusion before contacting clubsCredit: PA:Press Association

      The FA which oversees GB women’s football squad acknowledged the “upset” caused by the timing of its communication.
      In a statement, the football authority said: “We apologise to the players and clubs concerned, and will also do so personally.
      “The timing of the correspondence was an error but we take full responsibility for the upset this has caused.”
       ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Fiorentina 0 Man City 5 (agg 0-8): Ellen White and Sam Mewis score two each as visitors cruise into quarter-finals

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      GARETH TAYLOR praised Manchester City for clinically dispatching Fiorentina to cruise into the Champions League last eight.
      Their opponents looked helpless as they were beaten 5-0 on the night, with Ellen White and Sam Mewis netting braces and Caroline Weir adding a penalty.

      Manchester City are hoping to reach the finals of this term’s Champions League tournamentCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The Serie A side put up a fight, but they could not cope with the Manchester giants’ ruthlessness and lost 8-0 on aggregate over the two legs.
      On his players’ performance, Taylor said: “The words I used afterwards with the girls was very professional.
      “We played with humility, played with maximum respect to Fiorentina who played with high energy and maximum pressure.
      “I think the way we challenged the balls, the way we were professional. The way we managed the game from the first to last minute was excellent.”

      Despite going into the game with a four-goal cushion, City started ferociously and went ahead through Ellen White who linked up well with Lauren Hemp in the first 10 minutes.
      The visitors were awarded a penalty in the 18th minute when Esme Morgan’s headed cross was handled in the box
      And Caroline Weir made it 2-0 with her cool finish from the spot.
      White doubled her tally after being set-up again by Hemp to make it 3-0.

      Man City boss Gareth Taylor praised his team’s work rate after they beat Fiorentina 5-0 to reach the Champions League quarter-finalsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Not to be outdone, Sam Mewis went on a dazzling solo run before smashing the ball past Katja Schroffenegger to extend City’s lead just before the hour mark.
      But she wasn’t done yet and latched onto a Chloe Kelly pass 12 minutes before full-time to complete Fiorentina’s humiliation.
      The way City disposed of the Italian side has made them serious contenders for the coveted European trophy this season.
      And Taylor’s side will find out who their next opponents in Europe will be in the Champions League quarters draw on March 12.
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      And Weir, who gave the Serie A Women’s outfit a headache, for believes her team can go all the way.
      The Scotland playmaker said: “The last two seasons I’ve played in the Champions League we’ve been knocked out fairly early by Atletico Madrid.
      “So yeah I’m desperate to go far in this competition and I think we’ve got the squad to go and do it.”
       ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Chelsea 1 Atletico Madrid 1 (agg: 3-1) Blues book Champions League last eight spot after Atletico miss penalty

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      CHELSEA sealed their Champions League quarter-final place after Atletico Madrid missed a THIRD penalty over the two-legged tie.
      A Maren Mjelde spot-kick helped the Blues snatch a 1-1 draw and a 3-1 aggregate win – with England striker Toni Duggan smashing her penalty onto the crossbar.

      Chelsea are through to the last eight of the Women’s Champions League after beating Atletico Madrid 3-1 on aggregateCredit: Rex Features

      Maren Mjelde was on target from the spot for Chelsea in their second leg clash with AtleticoCredit: Rex Features

      But the Blues’ march to the competition’s next stage was overshadowed by a clash of heads that forced Beth England off in the first half.
      And Blues boss Emma Hayes reckons her side may be feeling the effects of hard-fought victories against West Ham in the WSL and Atletico in Europe. 
      Hayes said: “I think my team were a bit leggy. I think the domestic league in England is so tough, so when you’re playing West Ham away it takes something out of the players. 
      “Plus, we played with ten players last Wednesday and completed some physical stats that for some players were season-highs, so it was going to take its toll. 

      “I’ve been in this competition enough to tell you that PSG away, Bayern Munich away, Lyon away – in my time as manager – they’ve all been really challenging games.
      “I think we saw a truer reflection of Atletico today, I thought they played a good game. 
      “I’m really pleased to come through this knowing that we weren’t at our best.”
      Atletico, beaten 2-0 in the first leg, went on the attack in the opening stages with Silvia Meseguer forcing Mjelde to charge down her sixth-minute strike. 

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      Atletico ace Toni Duggan saw her penalty strike hit the crossbarCredit: Rex Features

      And the visitors hit back moments later with Pernille Harder rifling a shot wide of Hedvig Lindahl’s post.
      The WSL champs seemed content to allow their LaLiga Women’s opponents to dominate possession. 
      And the Spanish club had a chance to take the lead shortly before the half-hour mark with Deyna Castellanos’ shot dipping over Chelsea’s bar. 
      Ann-Katrin Berger was forced to pull off a diving save with Toni Duggan unleashing a late first half shot destined for her bottom right corner. 
      The second period saw a couple of dramatic moments with Atletico yelling for – but failing to get – a spot-kick following Niamh Charles’ challenge on Ludmila.
      And the Blues starlet later received a yellow card for a handball with referee Stephanie Frappert pointing to the spot in the 73rd minute. 
      But Atletico were unable to capitalise with Duggan’s strike bouncing off the bar and out of danger. 
      And moments later a pen for the Blues minutes saw Mjelde score her second goal of the round 16 encounter.
        ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      Emma Hayes and her players will find out who they play next in the Champions League on March 12Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      It was a somewhat controversial moment with the ball appearing to have struck Sonia Garcia Majarin’s side but perceived to have been a handball by ref Frappert. 
      A late goal for Emelyne Laurent saw Atletico grab a consolation. 
      Chelsea will find out who their next opponents will be in the Champions League quarter-final draw on Friday 12 March.

      Emma Hayes gets stuck into Chelsea training More

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      Lionesses interim boss Hege Riise confirmed as Team GB’s women’s football team head coach

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      HEGE RIISE will lead Team GB’s women’s football squad when they compete at the delayed Tokyo Olympics later this year. 
      Riise’s appointment comes two months after she became the Lionesses temporary manager following Phil Neville’s departure for Inter Miami. 

      Hege Riise will coach Great Britain’s women’s football team at the Tokyo OlympicsCredit: PA:Press Association

      Riise, 51, led England’s women’s team to a 6-0 defeat of Northern Ireland in a game that saw Jill Scott become the side’s second most-capped player.
      The clash in February was the Lionesses’ first international match in almost a year and their first win under their temporary boss who won a gold medal with Norway’s women’s team at the 2000 Olympics. 
      It is thought Riise’s success at England’s training camp led to football chiefs’ decision to appoint her along with Rhian Wilkinson as her GB assistant. 
      Riise said: “I know first-hand as a former player just how huge the Olympics are as a tournament and I am enormously proud to have this opportunity to lead the GB squad into the Games. 

      “We will go there to give everything we have to be successful and I hope we can also use the power of the Games to help women’s football continue to grow in popularity. I thank The FA for their trust in me. 
      Baroness Sue Campbell, the FA’s director of women’s football, said: “We could not have been more impressed with the impact that Hege and Rhian have had in such a short space of time with England  Women, particularly during our recent international camp at St. George’s Park. 
      “I am in no doubt that their  Olympic experience and management expertise will provide the squad with the best possible opportunity  to succeed at the Tokyo Games.” 

      A Great Britain women’s football side will be competing in the Olympics for the first time since London 2012Credit: Alan Walter – The Times

      Team GB will be one of 12 international football sides taking part in the tournament in Tokyo.

      Matches are due to take place between 21 July and 6 August. 
      And it will be the first time Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be represented at the Olympics since the London 2012 games. 
      A final squad of 18 is expected to include players from across the home nations with the team qualifying for the tournament through England reaching the 2019 World Cup semis.
      And Team GB will learn who they will face on 21 April when the draw for the women’s tournaments are held in Tokyo.
      So far nine other countries have been confirmed as taking part in the contest.

      Riise and Team GB will find out in April who they will face at the Tokyo OlympicsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      They are Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, United States, and Zambia.
      The remaining spots will go to the victors of play-offs being held next month between Cameroon vs Chile and Korea Republic vs China.
      Before then Riise will oversee England’s friendly clash Canada, who are led by former Lionesses assistant Bev Priestman.
      The match is due to take place on April 13.

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      Ex-Chelsea star Claire Rafferty reckons it’s ‘best time’ for Blues to lift Champions League trophy

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      CHELSEA legend Claire Rafferty thinks that this is the best time ever for her former side to win the Champions League.
      Rafferty, 32, believes this is the best squad the Blues have assembled over the years.

      Rafferty believes this is the Blues best chance to win the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      That along with the fact that they’ve been in great form recently puts them in pole position, according to Rafferty.
      Their main European rivals, last year’s winners Lyon, and Wolfsburg have been in stuttering from in contrast to the Blues.
      When asked if Chelsea can achieve Champions League glory, she told SunSport: “I think now’s the best time ever, this is the best squad that Chelsea have ever had.
      “If you look at the competition, it’s probably the best time to play the likes of Lyon and Wolfsburg based on the form that Chelsea have been in been and also the momentum that they’ve picked up.

      “There’s a few small cracks forming in these top teams, that’s just my opinion.”
      Chelsea have never won the Women’s Champions League.
      Arsenal are the only English side to have won the tournament, defeating Umea 1-0 over two legs in April 2007.
      Rafferty continued: “I think it’s all about the mental side of the game, and the attention to detail, and that tactical investment from the squad.

      The ex defender played over a 100 games for the club and picked up three FA Cup trophiesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      “And those are the reasons why, for the first time ever, I can say I believe that this team can go on and win the Champions League.”
      The West Londoners face Atletico Madrid for a second round of 16 tie on Wednesday.
      They go into the match as favourites after an emphatic 2-0 victory over the Spanish giants last week with just ten players.
      Emma Hayes side managed to reach the semi-finals in 2018 and 2019, but haven’t been able get past that hurdle.
      Rafferty, who is now commercial director at the club, and non-executive director at Lewes FC, had a glittering career while at Chelsea, making over a 100 appearances and winning several trophies, including three FA Cups.
      BT Sport has live coverage of Chelsea Women v Atlético Madrid Women in their round of 16 second leg fixture in the UEFA Women’s Champions League from 12.15pm on Wednesday 10th March on BT Sport 2.

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      Women good enough to be in football and not as a ‘tick box’ says Prem ref Massey-Ellis

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      SIAN MASSEY-ELLIS has brushed off suggestions that women are ‘out of their depth in the world of football’. 
      And the Premier League assistant ref opened up on fears of her career on the pitch ending early after giving birth to her first child. 

      Sian Massey-Ellis says the perception’ that women don’t understand the offside rule is always thereCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Massey-Ellis was speaking to the Prem’s website about negative stereotypes she encountered over the course of her 11-year stint as an assistant referee.
      And her reflections come months after a Women in Football survey found that 66 per cent of women working in the sport experienced sexism, but only 12 per cent of incidents were reported. 
      Massey-Ellis, 35, said: “The challenge of the perception that we don’t know what we’re doing – it’s always been there. 
      “It’s always been, ‘Women don’t know the offside rule. Women don’t know what football’s about so they shouldn’t be involved’.

      “That’s the stereotype I would want to challenge -that we are good enough to be there and if we’re there, we’re not there as a tick-box. 
      “For me, I’ve come through exactly the same pathway and exactly the same tests and challenges as male referees.” 
      Massey-Ellis has been working in the top tier of men’s football since December 2010. 
      And the Coventry-born PE teacher made football history when she became the first English woman to officiate in a men’s match in Europe in October 2019.

      Massey-Ellis took charge of a Europa League clash between PSV Eindhoven and Austrian club Linzer ASK alongside referee Chris Kavanagh, fellow assistant Dan Cook and fourth official Peter Bankes.
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      Massey-Ellis says women are not in football just to tick a boxCredit: Paul Marriott – The Sun

      And the former WSL ref, whose husband Robert also works as a match official, defied her doctor’s orders to return to action after giving birth to daughter Harriet in 2016. 
      Massey-Ellis added: “Coming back from having a baby was really difficult. 
      “The doctors told me I wouldn’t be able to return to refereeing, that I wouldn’t be able to do the fitness work again.
      “It was probably the biggest moment in my life where I actually thought, ‘Oh my goodness, I don’t know if I’ve lost my career’.
      “They (the FA and The Professional Game Match Officials) gave me the opportunity to come back step by step. 
      “I did go back through the leagues again and that was what I needed, that support.”
      Massey-Ellis, who refereed a Women’s Premier League Cup final game between Leeds and Everton in 2010, is encouraging more women and girls to get into match officiating.
      And the school tutor says this is a goal she wants to pursue when she eventually retires.

      Massey-Ellis wants to see more women take up refereeing in the gameCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Massey-Ellis added: “I want to be able to support other referees coming through. 
      “I always say that once I’ve finished my career I want to be making sure we’ve got the next generation of referees and sportswomen coming through.
      “It’s really important we create an atmosphere where they feel safe, an environment where they feel safe.
      “When I said, ‘Can I be a referee?’, that shouldn’t be a question any other female has to ask any more.”
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