Key events
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Lyon are through to semi-finals
Benfica kept themselves in the tie after only losing 2-1 to Lyon but the French club also won the second leg 4-1 thanks to two goals from Delphine Cascarino and another two from Kadidiatou Diani â Lyon won the quarter-final 6-2 over two legs. They will play the winner of Paris Saint-Germain v Hacken which will conclude tomorrow.
Have you been reading our free weekly womenâs football newsletter, Moving the Goalposts? This week features an interview with Barcelonaâs Carolina Graham Hansen which you can read here:
Ajax manager Suzanne Bakker said: âWe know three goals is quite a big difference but as I said last week, the ball is round and everything is still possible. We want to show that we are quick to learn and that this is an extra experience for us. Weâve learned about defending inside the box, we will show that we have learned our lesson.
âItâs very nice to have Spitse [back from suspension]. She has a lot of experience in her backpack. She can help the younger players so they can focus on fewer things with her there.â
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes will leave at the end of the current season but says the Champions League trophy will not define her time at the club.
âOf course if I was able to win the Champions League in my time here it would be another unbelievable achievement,â she said. âBut Iâve said it time and time again, for my era to be defined by one competition is probably not what matters most to me,â added the 47-year-old Hayes, who will take over the United States womenâs side at the end of the season.
âWhat matters most beyond the winning over the years is that I will leave the shirt in a better place and thatâs probably the thing I am most invested in.â
Another quarter-final kicked off earlier today between Lyon and Benfica. Their first leg ended 2-1 in Lyonâs favour, the second leg currently stands at 2-1 to the French club and so Lyon will go through if things stay as they are.
I will bring you the big story now as former England captain Steph Houghton is going to retire at the end of the season.
She said: âThere is no easy way to say it, but I am retiring from football at the end of the current WSL season. Taking the decision to retire is such a difficult thing to do. Whilst age comes to every player, it makes it no easier having to say the words out loud. Football has been my life, my passion and I have loved the career I have had.
âI am excited for whatever comes next but, in the meantime, I remain focused on giving everything I have left for Manchester City over the next two months.â Read the full story:
The team news is in. Mayra Ramirez starts for Chelsea after recovering from injury with Lauren James starting from the bench.
Ajax, meanwhile, bring captain Sherida Spitse back into the line-up.
Preamble
Hello and welcome back to the Womenâs Champions League. Tonight we travel to Stamford Bridge for the second leg of Chelsea quarter-final against Ajax.
The Blues performed well last week in winning the first leg 3-0 away from home. It will be quite the feat if Ajax can beat Chelsea are home to go through to the semi-finals. Waiting for them in the final four match will be the winner of Barcelona v Brann, which is taking place tomorrow.
The team news will be out shortly so stay tuned for updates. What we do know is that Nathalie Bjorn will not be available for Chelsea but Mayra Ramirez is back in contention. For Ajax their talismanic captain Sherida Spitse can play after being suspended for the first leg.
I will bring you the team news in the next post and then there is a big womenâs football story to update you on.
