Emma Hayes: Chelsea manager insists legacy will not be defined by UEFA Women's Champions League success

Emma Hayes insists winning the UEFA Women's Champions League is not the be all and end all, as she seeks European glory before departing Chelsea.

The Blues boss will step down at the end of the campaign to take charge of the United States women's national team.

A European Cup is the only trophy missing from her collection after a glittering 12 years at the helm.

But she believes adding another medal to her cabinet will not make or break how successful her stint with the club has been.

"Of course, if I was able to win the Champions League in my time here I’m sure it would be another unbelievable achievement,” she said.

"But for my era to be defined by one competition is probably not what matters most to me. What matters most, beyond the winning over the years, is that I will leave the shirt in a better place.

"That’s probably the thing I’m most invested in, to make sure that when I leave, the team is in a fabulous place and certainly in a better place than when I took over and where I can come back as a fan and enjoy them hopefully in many more Champions Leagues.”

Hayes has enjoyed almost unprecedented success since taking the reins in 2012, winning six Women's Super League titles, alongside five FA Cups and two League Cups.

However, European glory has eluded her to this point, with The Blues coming closest to the crown in 2020-21 when they reached the final, only to be beaten 4-0 by Barcelona.

The same opposition then defeated them 2-1 on aggregate in the semis last year.

They have a chance of avenging that defeat this season though, as the pair could meet at the same stage this time around.

Chelsea have already reached the quarter-finals, where they hold a commanding 3-0 lead over Ajax after the first leg in the Netherlands earlier this month.

Sjoeke Nusken bagged a brace, while Lauren James was also on target as Hayes saw her side record an emphatic victory.

The reverse fixture takes place at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, March 27, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Despite their healthy advantage, Hayes is warning her players against taking their eye off the ball and thinking the tie is won.

"The fear of losing or the fear of not being in that semi-final is, for us, as big a drive as it is the desire to win it," she added.

"In fact, it’s more. There is no-one in our dressing room that will take tomorrow’s game lightly or think for one minute just because we’re winning 3-0 that the game is over.

"That is a mistake. It all starts in your head, and when a team has nothing to lose, they play with freedom.

"They are often the most dangerous opponents so, for sure, we don’t take tomorrow lightly.”

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