EXCLUSIVEChelsea defender Niamh Charles 収容する／認めるs she has 'grown hugely' from bruising past 敗北・負かすs by Barcelona... as she 始める，決めるs her sights on finally getting the better of the Catalan 巨大（な）s to reach the 支持する／優勝者s League final

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Niamh Charles is still just 24 years old, but there was a sense that the Chelsea defender （機の）カム of age in last week’s 1-0 victory over Barcelona.

The Catalans managed just one 発射 on 的 as Charles and her team-mates 制限するd the 統治するing European 支持する／優勝者s to half chances.

Charles was part of the Chelsea team that was beaten 4-0 by Barca in the 2021 final. The defender, then 21, had a 特に 堅い evening - as did many of her team-mates.

In last season’s 半分-final against Barca, she showed 広大な 改良 - but there was still a gap.

The prospect of going up against Caroline Graham Hansen and Mariona Caldentey would put 恐れる into most defenders, but Charles appeared unfazed in Spain last week. She looked 確信して and put in a 業績／成果 that 論証するd just how much she has grown in the last three years.

Niamh Charles (pictured) （機の）カム of age in Chelsea's 1-0 勝利，勝つ against Barcelona last week

Charles (left) was part of the Chelsea team that was thrashed 4-0 by Barcelona 支援する in 2021

‘My technical and 戦術の game I would say has 改善するd from hours on the training pitch,’ Charles says. ‘But I think I’ve grown hugely, I wouldn’t just say as a player but as a person. I’ve probably 円熟したd, got to know myself better.

‘How I を取り引きする things, how I 準備する for games. I guess part of that is time. I wish it would have been a bit quicker or just happened 夜通し but at the same time you can’t 製造（する） that.

‘As a player and a person I’ve become a lot more 井戸／弁護士席 equipped to を取り引きする 確かな things. I’m probably a bit more 一貫した.’

While Charles and her team-mates can take a 広大な／多数の／重要な 量 of belief into Saturday’s second 脚, the defender knows Barca will throw everything at them at Stamford 橋（渡しをする）.

‘We’re very aware that it’s half-time, we know they’re coming to raise their level,’ Charles says.

‘We’re all aware of how good the wingers are and how good they are across the team.

‘If there’s any bit of 証拠不十分, they’re going to punish you. Although it was a good start, it’s definitely just half-time.

‘We know that we’re not just going to be able to sit 支援する, we’re really going to have to match that and everything they bring and hopefully we can come out on 最高の，を越す.’

Ever since Emma Hayes 発表するd she would be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season, there has been talk about the 経営者／支配人 存在 given a fairytale ending.

Ahead of the first 脚, Erin Cuthbert said that Hayes’ 遺産／遺物 would not be defined by a 支持する／優勝者s League and that the 動機づけ to 勝利，勝つ トロフィーs was there 関わりなく her 差し迫った 出発.

Charles, (権利) 耐えるd a difficult night as Barcelona 支配するd the 支持する／優勝者s League final three years ago

But Charles (pictured と一緒に Millie 有望な) believes she has 'grown hugely' after past losses to Barcelona, and that showed in last week's 勝利，勝つ in Spain

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes (pictured) is 始める，決める to leave at the end of the season, but Charles has 主張するd this has not given the players extra 動機づけ, and they are just 焦点（を合わせる）d on winning

Charles, who has 株d captaincy 義務s with Cuthbert this season, echoes those thoughts.

‘Although it is her last season, it does not cross my mind ーに関して／ーの点でs of 追加するing 動機づけ to games,’ Charles says.

‘関わりなく who is leaving, we’re here at this football club and the 期待 is to 勝利，勝つ.

‘It’s 増強するd what the culture at this club is to me. It is a lovely narrative and she has done so much for this club and it’s nice to get that, but as players we don’t 焦点（を合わせる） on it.’