Emma Hayes urges Chelsea to dominate Lyon at Stamford Bridge.

Emma Hayes, the Chelsea manager, calls on her team to assert themselves when they host the holders, Lyon, in the Women’s Champions League quarter-final second leg on Thursday. Chelsea enters the Stamford Bridge clash with a narrow 1-0 advantage from the first leg. Hayes is confident of her team’s mentality, experience in big games, and the need to showcase their talents on the biggest stage. Hayes added, “We have to have the right mentality to begin with and we have to be brave. We will seek the opportunity that’s in front of us, and I know the entire dressing room is very much looking forward to it.”

Chelsea’s defender, Magdalena Eriksson, emphasized the importance of not dwelling on their Sunday’s loss to Manchester City, which was the Blues’ first defeat in the Women’s Super League since September. With the seventh game in March on the horizon, Eriksson said, “The response has been great from Sunday’s defeat; we’ve looked inwards, we’ve parked it, and moved on. Tomorrow you’re going to see a really hungry Chelsea.” Hayes insisted that Chelsea’s 4-0 loss to Barcelona in the 2021 final would fuel their motivation against Lyon. “My challenge for the team tomorrow is to demonstrate everything you’ve worked so hard on to put this club in this position.”