Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says that the club treat every day as a cup final and that they will be raring to go when they face London rivals Arsenal in the 2022/2023 FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup final on Sunday.
The Blues have contested the last three FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup finals, winning two and losing one. This weekend, they come up against the competition’s most successful club with Arsenal having lifted the trophy on five occasions.
When speaking in a feature interview on The FA Player, Hayes said that Chelsea treat every day like a cup final and while Arsenal will be tough opponents, they will be ready for the challenge.
“We are used to being in finals, our whole culture is that every day is a final,” Hayes said. “We have to get all of our tactical prep right at the back end of the week then get ready to rock and roll on Sunday.
“We are confident no matter of the opponent, however, the teams that you should always fear are those that are trying to take something from you.
“As far as I am concerned, games between us and Arsenal are very much neck and neck, not much in them. The fact that it is a cup final and we have played them in cup finals a few times before, it is just all the little differences that separate the game, it’ll be as tough as always.”
More than 20,000 fans will pack out Selhurst Park this weekend, a record for a FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup final. Hayes is looking forward to sampling an incredible atmosphere in SE25.
She said “It’s brilliant to have a record number there, I think we are all coming to expect that for women’s games. Nobody wants to play in front of an empty audience, so the fact that it will be full is great.
“Crystal Palace have an unbelievable atmosphere in the Premier League and I look forward to experiencing that on Sunday.”
The 2022/2023 FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea kicks-off at 3pm on Sunday afternoon.
