As she prepares to be managed at Stamford Bridge for a final time by Emma Hayes, Niamh Charles has assessed her own development under the soon-to-depart manager, and welcomed the growing rivalry with Barcelona.
The 24-year-old has grown to become as close to an ever-present as you will find in the Chelsea Women side and while Millie Bright has been out of the team due to long-term injury, she has been one of the players Hayes has turned to in order to fill in as captain.
In the media conference ahead of the second leg of our Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, Charles sat alongside her manager, an indication she may well wear the armband again tomorrow having grown into one of the leaders in the team.
Asked about the importance of Hayes to her career since she moved to London from Liverpool in 2020, she had this to say:
‘It's nice that I've had the outside point of view and now the inside point of view, firstly seeing it from afar and the culture Emma built when you were playing against Chelsea, and what you came to expect when they turned up. Then now coming into it and seeing how she's built that to what it is now.
‘It's a testament to her and I'm glad she's getting what she's getting now. Personally, when I came in I wouldn't have envisaged how it's gone. It's been up and down for sure. But I sit here now and I am a much better player and person. I'm much more well-equipped to deal with things. A large part of that is down to Emma.
‘She's been amazing for me personally and for the club.’
Saturday evening’s match will be the fifth game between these two clubs in the Champions League, all within four seasons. Charles, along with Jess Carter, is the only Chelsea player to contest every minute of the four meetings so far, which have been played out at the semi-final or final stage. That has intensified the interest from the watching public.
‘It's great that it's becoming such a spectacle, in terms of growing the game,’ said the Blues defender. ‘That's exactly what we want, all the eyes, and it's only going to help a lot. Can we retain those fans and build on that for next year?
‘We are all really excited for the game, with the amount of tickets sold and being at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League. I can't wait to get there.’