Ajax v Chelsea LIVE: Women’s Champions League team news, line-ups and more tonight

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says she “didn’t think it was right to use the term inappropriate” when describing player-to-player relationships within the same squad, adding that her comments this week had been “blown up in an unnecessary way”.

On Thursday, Hayes said player-to-player relationships within the same dressing room can lead to challenges to managers. Hayes made the comments while responding to questions surrounding the topic of coach-to-player relationships, which has come into focus this week after Leicester manager Willie Kirk was suspended by the club amid allegations of a relationship with a player in the Leicester team.

During her answer, Hayes said: “Player-coach relationships – they’re inappropriate, player-to-player relationships are inappropriate.”

The Chelsea squad contains players who are in relationships with each other, including Jess Carter. The England and Chelsea defender is in a relationship with goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger.

Chelsea forward Erin Cuthbert still finds herself dreaming of a first Champions League trophy despite boss Emma Hayes’ firm reality-rooted approach to the competition.

The Blues, who face Ajax at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena on Tuesday night in the first of their two-leg last-eight encounter, remain on course to become just the second English side to complete a quadruple – with Arsenal Women having done so in 2007 – when Hayes was a member of the Gunners’ coaching staff.

The European club title is the one accolade that has so far eluded Hayes, who after winning 15 trophies in charge of Chelsea will depart at the end of the season to take up her new role as head coach of the United States women’s national team.

Sherida Spitse isn’t in the lineup for Ajax tonight but the club captain said ahead of the game:

“Ajax also want to play football and that we are not scared. We are playing with – maybe you can say – with a little bit of attitude, because that is Ajax.”

Emma Hayes pointed out Spitse’s talents as an example of the threat Ajax pose.

“I know Spitse doesn’t play tomorrow but I’m a big fan of hers, I think she’s a marvellous football player. I think they are a club that have serious ambitions in Europe, they’ve demonstrated that so far. Because we’ve played them before we know how good they are so we certainly won’t be going into it with our eyes shut.”

Ajax got to this stage by finishing second in Group C, behind PSG only on head to head results.

They won three, drew one and lost two, which was enough to finish ahead of Bayern and Roma.

Chelsea were unbeaten with four wins from six, topping Group D ahead of Hacken, Paris FC and Real Madrid.

Ajax, meanwhile, have been the tournament surprise package, emerging from a group that also included Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Roma to become only the second Dutch team to make the quarter-finals in competition history.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Ajax – Van Eijk, Leuchter, Noordam, Grant, Keijzer, T Hoekstra, Yohannes, Van Gool, De Klonia, De Sanders, Kardinaal

Chelsea – Hampton, Perisset, Carter, Buchanan, Charles, Cuthbert, Leupolz, Nusken, Reiten, Kaneryd, James

Amsterdam is the next stop on the Emma Hayes’ farewell tour when Chelsea Women take on Ajax Women in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday evening (5.45pm, TNT Sports 1).

The Blues have won every major domestic honour under Hayes’ tenure, but are still to win a European title, losing out to Barcelona in the 2021 final.

Ajax have proved to be no pushers in this campaign, coming home as runners-up on goal difference to Paris Saint-Germain in Group C.

Hayes and her team are odds-on, but it may not be straightforward for the Blues to take control of the tie. Here are our predictions and tips ahead of the match.

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Hello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the Women’s Champions League quarter-final first leg between Ajax and Chelsea. Emma Hayes’ side were unbeaten in the group stage but face a potential banana skin in Ajax who became just the second Dutch team to make the quarter-finals in the competition’s history.

Stay tuned right here for all the build-up, team news and match action from Amsterdam.