Chelsea Women will play the biggest game in their history on Sunday, as Champions’ League holders Lyon visit Kingsmeadow in the second leg of a semi-final that could yet go either way.

While the French outfit won the first leg 2-1, Erin Cuthbert’s fantastic long-range strike after the break meant the Blues are still very much in the tie; a 1-0 win in the second leg would be enough to send them through to their first-ever final in the competition.

But manager Emma Hayes made sure not to play down just how difficult a task getting any sort of result against the French champions would be.

She continued: “So many teams when they play against Lyon, the game is over in 15 minutes, so the challenge for my team is to show resilience and determination but importantly the tactical application too, because we are playing against the top team in the world and if you don’t play with your head, then the game will be very, very difficult.”

Lyon have been European Champions five of the last eight seasons, so when two poor goals to concede gave the holders a 2-0 lead at the break in the first leg last Sunday, it was looking an uphill task for the Blues to even stay in the tie.

At the final whistle, Hayes revealed what she told her players in the dressing room at the break.

“I said this is who we are, we get up, get back, go again, be capable, be brave, leave with no regret. I don’t want any regret and I also know what our team is capable of, and the rest of the world saw that in this game.”

The Blues definitely gave the hosts their fair share of problems throughout the 90 minutes, and Cuthbert’s sweet left-foot volley from a Bethany England knockdown meant that the sides will return to Kingsmeadow with the tie very much still alive.