Heading into the break: Chelsea Women get Champions League draw

The Blues have to get through a team that has made it to the semifinals for the past three seasons, and an emerging team that gave Barcelona a run for its money in three out of its four meetings in all competitions. Vllaznia is making its first appearance in the Champions League after 11 seasons of falling short in the qualifying stages. Just nine years ago, Vllaznia lost 13-0 to Slovenian side ŽNK Pomurje, and now Nikolin Leka and the Reds and Blues could be in over their heads in their first outing in one of the toughest competitions in the world.

Although Hayes and the Blues have time to breathe at this point in time, Chelsea now has to handle both league ambitions, and European goals with midweek fixtures now coming into the fold. Pernille Harder’s nagging injury has to be addressed before matches against opposition as quality as PSG commences.

At the perfect moment in time, the Blues looked to have flipped the switch with a phenomenal second-half outing against Manchester City, and a match that was defined by character against West Ham. It may have been an unlucky draw from the Blues’ perspective, but when it comes down to it, this group should prepare CFC for a deep run after playing two of Europe’s best before the stakes get even larger.