‘Getting to the building on time was my biggest challenge today’: Chelsea boss Emma Hayes says preparing her team for Women’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Lyon is ‘easy part’ compared to raising kids
- Chelsea manager Emma Hayes’s 11-month-old son Harry is ill at the moment
- Her side need to overturn a 2-1 deficit against Lyon at Kingsmeadow on Sunday
- Erin Cuthbert’s away goal gave hope of reaching a first Champions League final
- Hayes has faith in her players to make it through against the French champions
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says preparing her team for this Sunday’s Women’s Champions League semi-final with Lyon is the ‘easy part’ compared to raising kids.
Her 11-month-old son Harry is ill at the moment, causing something of an emotional distraction as Hayes figures out how Chelsea can overturn their 2-1 deficit in the second leg at Kingsmeadow.
‘Getting to the building on time was my biggest challenge today,’ said Hayes. ‘My son is not very well, he’s got a viral infection so I was a little bit teary before I got up here because I had to go home and see him.
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says preparing her team for Lyon clash is the ‘easy part’
‘My challenge was about something else, not football. Football is the easy part, raising a child is well hard.
‘But he’s got a viral infection, thank goodness he hasn’t got meningitis.’
Hayes, 42, gave birth to Harry last May but sadly lost his twin during the course of her pregnancy.
Erin Cuthbert’s away goal gave Chelsea hope of reaching a first Champions League final
After falling two goals behind in last Sunday’s first leg in France, Erin Cuthbert’s away goal gave Chelsea hope of reaching a first Champions League final.
But Lyon, who have won the last three Champions League titles and were recently crowned French champions for the 13th consecutive year, will still provide a formidable challenge.
However, Hayes has absolute faith in her players to make it through in front of what will be a sell-out crowd.
Hayes has faith in her players to make it through against the French champions on Sunday
‘We’re not delusional, we know Lyon will come at us with everything they’ve got,’ she said.
‘They have star power, lots of money, lots of titles and they will do everything they can. But we will also throw everything back in their direction.
‘I saw Lyon’s weaknesses before [the first leg]. The difference in the first leg was that the players saw them. They’re humans, they’re fallible. They can be outworked, they can be outrun.
‘We will make it difficult for them and we will use our collective wisdom to make it an incredibly difficult afternoon for Lyon.’