Emma Hayes Chelsea Women WSL title 2022-23

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'This has definitely been the hardest year' - Chelsea boss Emma Hayes 'relieved' after Blues win fourth straight WSL title

Emma Hayes admits the 2022-23 season has been the "hardest" of her time at Chelsea, despite the Blues winning a fourth successive title.

Hayes "relieved" to win title
Title race went to final day
Chelsea pipped Manchester United

WHAT HAPPENED? Hayes and her Chelsea side have been chasing United all season, but managed to push into a position that meant a victory over Reading would confirm them as champions. A Sam Kerr brace and a goal from Guro Reiten gave the Blues a 3-0 win and their fourth successive title win at United's expense, and relegated Reading in the process.

WHAT THEY SAID: Hayes said: “The fear of losing drives me more than the will to win. This has definitely been the hardest year. I’m relieved that it’s over, for lots of reasons. I’m a bit sad because winning the league and relegating a friend doesn’t feel good in my soul, with who I am.

“When you’re always chasing, the whole year, because you lose the first game and then games are cancelled, it almost felt like the pressure wasn’t on us, because we were never in the front position for long.

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“We’ve had different experiences of being first and being second and, to be honest with you, we like being in both of them. This year we knew we had to dig out results sometimes.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Chelsea also won the FA Cup, meaning they have now done the double in each of the last three seasons, in what is a sensational achievement. They were eliminated from the Champions League at the semi-final stage by Barcelona.