New Chelsea signing Buchanan reveals the game that made her 'admire' and continue to watch Hayes' team

• Buchanan left Lyon after five years
• Won Champions League five times in France
• 'Admired' Chelsea after 2019 meeting

WHAT HAPPENED? The Canadian clashed with her new club in the 2018-19 Women's Champions League semi-finals, while playing for eight-time winners Lyon. The French giants won 3-2 on aggregate, but Buchanan certainly appreciated the Blues' efforts.

WHAT THEY SAID: "They were very impressive and one of the tougher teams we had faced all season," she told reporters on Friday. "I really admired the way they played so, from then on, I continued watching them. They had Lyon on the back-foot from kick-off. They weren’t scared of Lyon like a lot of teams are. They just pressed them and gave them the best game."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Buchanan was one of six signings made by the 2020-21 Champions League runners-up this summer, bolstering their defence while also adding huge winning experience to a side that harbours big ambitions of being European champions.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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DID YOU KNOW? Buchanan has 11 siblings! Some of them played football like her, as did her father and, later on, her mother. "Taking us to soccer everyday she was like, ‘Ah, let me get in there too’."

WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA AND BUCHANAN? The Blues lost their opening game of the season to Liverpool but face another big club on Sunday that had a disappointing weekend, with Manchester City visiting them after a 4-3 defeat to Aston Villa.