Chelsea boss Emma Hayes says her side will need to be "perfect" against Barcelona this weekend if they are to progress to the final of the UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL).

The Blues have a slender advantage heading into the second leg of their semi-final clash with the Catalan giants, with captain Erin Cuthbert having scored the only goal of the game in the first leg at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Should Chelsea avoid defeat against Jonatan Giraldez's side on Saturday afternoon, they will meet either Lyon or Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in next month's final in Bilbao, where they will bid to win the club's first-ever UWCL trophy.

But, while the Blues are well-positioned to earn a place in the last two, Hayes is under no illusions about the scale of the challenge facing her side at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon. "They're the best team in the world. I've said it a million times. They know how to be in this position," the Chelsea boss said in her pre-match press conference on Friday.

"No matter what they throw at us... Barcelona can hurt you in so many different ways so as a team you have to be so, so mindful you don't switch off for a second. This is a game that's played in the head first and foremost and we know that we absolutely have to be perfect to progress."

She added: "You're only as good as your next game. That's always been my motto. It doesn't change and it won't for this one." This season will be Hayes' last opportunity to become a European champion with Chelsea ahead of her move to become head coach of the US Women's national team at the end of the campaign.

However, the Blues boss insists she does not want the focus of this weekend's game to be about her. "I think our players play for our badge, I think our players play for their family, I think our players play for each other," she said.

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"I'm part of that - I'm in a team. It's not me, it's us, it's we, and these players play at this football club to play every game for Chelsea, not just for tomorrow."

She continued: "This is a game we want to be in and we're looking forward to it. Our team has huge experience being in these positions and we attack the game exactly the same way we do every other week. It's just another game for us.

"We are at the halfway stage of a game that is a minimum of 180 minutes long so we've made the adjustments at half-time and we're ready for the second half."

Hayes also confirmed she expects defenders Nathalie Bjorn, Millie Bright and Maren Mjelde to feature in the matchday squad, which will be a huge boost for the west Londoners in what is undeniably their most important game of the season.

The Blues are set to be bolstered by the support of a raucous home crowd, with 35,000 tickets having been sold for the showdown in SW6. It is a testament to the progress made at the club since Hayes arrived 12 years ago but the Chelsea boss is hopeful that level of backing continues next season.

"The litmus test of all of that is the first game at Stamford Bridge next season, making sure our marketing, commercial and communications teams have the right strategy to turn 35,000 tomorrow into 35,000 for the beginning of next season," she said.

"I'm only here to challenge the club and grow the game. Of course I'm delighted that our girls deserve that opportunity but for me this is one more step in the right direction in terms of growing the women's game."

The second leg will be played on Saturday, April 27 at Stamford Bridge which you can watch live on DAZN.

You can watch the second leg of Paris Saint-Germain vs Lyon in the other semi-final on DAZN, here.