While answering questions from the media via Zoom at Cobham, the Chelsea boss spoke about the first leg, squad preparations and options, as well as International Women’s Day.

Although the Blues go into the return leg with a two-goal advantage, Hayes highlighted the importance in remaining fully focused on the task at hand.

‘It took a lot out of us, 80 minutes with 10 players, but this is a group that’s well prepared for these moments and winning at the weekend helps the confidence even further.

‘We know we’re only halfway there and our level of concentration and focus has got to be even higher than they were in the home leg because the job isn’t done. That will be my message to the team, just be awake and be ready.

‘When you’re winning a tie like this and the pressure is not on the opponent, that’s when teams are most dangerous.

‘Atletico would have learnt something about us in that game and those learnings they will try to capitalise on so it’s important that we get everything right.

‘You have to approach games in the same manner every time because you’re never too good to lose.’

The Chelsea manager takes a lot of learnings from last Wednesday’s first leg following the setback of going down to 10 players early on at Kingsmeadow.

‘I learnt that Ann Berger is very good at penalties. I learnt that the team can adapt to really difficult situations and I learnt that we can defend in a low block very well.

‘I also learnt that Niamh Charles can play at this level at right-back and that the versatility amongst them means we can do even more tactically, they are the big things I learnt about last week.

‘If you don’t have that set back, you don’t get to learn. If it’s all going comfortably often you won’t see where your weaknesses are or you won’t see what your plan Bs and Cs are from that game.

‘We’re still in the tie, we haven’t won anything but we’ve done it with more learnings than perhaps if there were 11 players on the pitch.’

Hayes spoke about squad rotation, injury news and Norway international Maren Mjelde, praising her qualities and versatility.

‘Magda won’t quite make it this week but I’ll know a little bit more tomorrow but at the moment just Magda [is out].

I’ve said all along we’re squad and we play a season of 40-plus games and we don’t have a fixed starting 11, we have a group of players that are available for selection at any given week and everybody in the culture accepts that.

‘It’s fair to say we’re in a really good place and everybody is really happy with what the team is achieving so far. People think we don’t have enough centre-backs but Maren Mjelde is the starting centre-back for Norway and has spent a large part of her career there.

‘We’ve got two clean sheets and I don’t think we’ve conceded a shot on target in two games so we don’t have an issue Maren doing that job.

‘In the time she’s been here, she’s played many positions and she’s equally comfortable playing centre-back and her and Millie forged a good pairing in the last two games.

‘Her versatility is not a disservice to her, it’s a strength. Her leadership, her calm, quiet leadership, her tactical application and her determination – I think she is often one of the most underrated players in the world.’

Today marks International Women’s Day, Hayes shared what the day means to her…

‘I didn’t grow up with International Women’s Day being an important day for me, it’s obviously something that has become more prominent in the last few years.

‘My consciousness around it is the understanding of how important it is to reflect on some of the wonderful work done from women throughout history and not just our sport. That the recognition of those achievements may not have been given the attention it deserves.

‘I hope we are talking about a day one day where we are not having to have separate gendered or race conversations and as human beings we can live in a fair and equal society and one that women’s international day is every day.’

The game takes place in Monza in Italy on Wednesday and kicks off at 12:30pm UK time. It can be watched live on BT Sport.