Exeter boss Rob Baxter says the absence of several of his top players through injury has been a contributor to their poor Premiership season.

British and Irish Lions players such as Sam Simmonds, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jonny Hill have played just a handful of league games this season.

"We had lots of challenges in the first half of the season," Baxter said.

"We had an incredible injury list, we had players away for all kinds of reasons.

"It was interesting looking through some stats yesterday and we've had a lot of players that haven't played double-figure games for us, and influential players," he told BBC Radio Devon.

England and Lions hooker Cowan-Dickie has played just four Premiership games, Hill six and Simmonds nine, while Scotland lock Jonny Gray has made just six league appearances, England winger Jack Nowell nine and centre Henry Slade 12.

Simmonds, Cowan-Dickie and Hill all missed the first three weeks of the season after going on the Lions tour to South Africa last summer, and all are currently out with injuries.

Back-up players such as Jacques Vermeulen and Will Witty have also missed significant periods with injury.

Exeter have finished first or second in the top flight in every season since 2016, but know they must beat Bristol and champions Harlequins in their final two games - and hope Northampton and Gloucester slip up - if they are to have any chance of a return to Twickenham for a seventh successive season.

"There's quite a big tale to the season around those kind of things, but at the same time we were in some games that we lost by just a few points through the course of the season, and we only need a handful of those to go in and it's a different tale," added Baxter.

"We are where we are, that's our making and now we've just got to make the best of it."

Scotland centre Huw Jones will rejoin Glasgow for the start of next season after agreeing a multi-year contract with the Warriors.

Jones, who has 13 tries in 32 games for his country, said: "I'm really looking forward to going back to Glasgow.

"I'm excited to return and show how I've developed as a player, and to pull on the Glasgow Warriors jersey again."

He added: "I lived there for five years and I made a lot of friends and memories, and I'm looking forward to making more both on and off the field in the seasons ahead.

"There's a great core group of players at Glasgow that want to take the club forward and I'm really keen to be a part of that.

"I've gained a lot of valuable experience playing for Harlequins."

The versatile back initially arrived at Scotstoun in the summer of 2017 and is one appearance short of a half-century in Glasgow colours.

His first try for the club came in December 2017 against Edinburgh in the 1872 Cup first leg at Murrayfield and he crossed four times in 13 appearances during the 2020-21 campaign under the guidance of head coach Wilson.

Jones has scored seven tries in his 27 appearances for the London-based Premiership side and Wilson is delighted the Edinburgh-born back is returning.

"We're really excited to bring Huw back to the club," he said.

"Huw has shown for both Glasgow, and more recently for Harlequins, he is a real attacking presence at both 13 and 15."

Iconic sports rivalries are built to stand the test of time.

No matter the players. No matter the coaches. No matter the standings. No matter who won the last game -- or the last 10.

It's a seed planted between two teams that can't be uprooted. The bad blood is merely transfused, one generation to the next.

The Battle of Alberta -- featuring the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames -- is that kind of rivalry. Like a fine wine, it has only gotten better with age. And the latest vintage (Game 1, 9:30 ET, ESPN) could be a classic.

On opposite ends of a 300-kilometer -- or 186-mile -- stretch of Alberta's provincial highway sit dueling hockey markets rife with passionate fans. They've been waiting more than 30 years to see the long-simmering enmity between these teams peak in a postseason series.

The time, at last, is here.

Calgary knocked off the Dallas Stars in a first-round series. Edmonton jettisoned the Los Angeles Kings. The reward in victory: a second-round clash against each franchise's biggest adversary.

If you're new to the Battle of Alberta -- or you just need a refresher -- here's a history lesson on how one of hockey's rancorous rivalries was written.

What is the Battle of Alberta?

It all started in 1980.

Edmonton had just joined the NHL when it merged with the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1979. Shortly after, the NHL's Atlanta Flames relocated to Calgary. One professional team in each of the province's most populous hubs. Their hatred came naturally.

The early 1980s began a general feeling-out process. And it didn't take long for Calgary and Edmonton to establish themselves among the NHL's elite. The Oilers had Wayne Gretzky coming into his own, which included swiftly shattering every milestone known to hockey. By 1983, Edmonton was constructing a dynastic team boasting not just Gretzky but future Hockey Hall of Famers Glenn Anderson, Paul Coffey, Mark Messier, Grant Fuhr and Jari Kurri. The legendary Glen Sather was behind their bench.

It's no wonder then that the heat got turned up with Calgary, a team uninterested in playing second fiddle to anyone -- least of all Edmonton.

That bitterness fueled both teams to greatness. From 1983 to '90, the Flames and Oilers were darlings of the Campbell Conference, with eight conference titles between them (six for Edmonton, two for Calgary). And during that stretch, an Alberta-based club won six out of the eight Stanley Cup championships (one by Calgary in 1989, the other five by Edmonton in a feat of dominance unmatched in the time since).

The 1989 season was the Flames' real time to shine. Hall of Famers Lanny McDonald, Al MacInnis, Joe Mullen, Doug Gilmour and Joe Nieuwendyk went on the run of their lives.

Since that first 1980-81 campaign, Edmonton and Calgary have played each other 256 times in the regular season. Calgary holds the overall advantage, with 128 wins to Edmonton's 110 (18 meetings ended in a tie).

So how did two excellent, championship-caliber teams come to despise each other so deeply?

Playoffs, baby. Playoffs.

How did the feud really get going?

Let's start with how the NHL postseason was structured.

Back in the 1980s, the top four teams in each division made playoffs. Winners of the divisional rounds went on to the conference finals.

Edmonton and Calgary were both in the Smythe Division. Their most likely progression was consistently through each other at some point. From 1983 to '91, the Oilers and Flames met in five postseason series. Edmonton won four (1983, 1984, 1988 and 1991) and went on to win two of its five Cups afterward.

Calgary topped the Oilers in 1986, via a Game 7 that would take the simmering animosity to new heights. The pivotal matchup was tied 2-2 in the third period when Oilers rookie defenseman Steve Smith -- on his 23rd birthday, no less -- banked a pass off Fuhr's leg and scored an own goal. It stood as the game winner for Calgary.

The real bad energy picked up further in 1991. Edmonton led the best-of-seven series 3-2 going into Game 6, where Theo Fleury stole a pass from Messier and beat Fuhr on a breakaway to seal a 3-2 overtime win for Calgary and force Game 7. That would be the Esa Tikkanen Show, where he completed a hat trick for the Oilers in overtime that put a dagger into Calgary's chances.

And that was the last time Edmonton would see Calgary in a postseason series. Until now.

What happened next?

After Gretzky was traded to Los Angeles in 1988, the Oilers were -- understandably -- not quite the same (for reasons other than just Gretzky's departure, but that was kind of a big deal). And after Calgary's run to the Cup in 1989, the Flames retooled -- and cooled.

It would take almost a decade for either side to rebound. Calgary eventually reached another Cup Final in 2004, falling in Game 7 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flames continued to make regular playoff appearances until 2009, and then went six years without one. Meanwhile, Edmonton faced the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2006 Cup Final, and fell in Game 7, too. The Oilers wouldn't be seen in the playoffs again until 2016-17.

During those years, the Oilers and Flames continued to wail on each other (even if they were no longer dominant by league standards). Calgary swept their regular season series in 2009-10 and 2014-15; Edmonton did the same in 2016-17.

Amid all of that were some star-studded lineup additions making their own mark on the rivalry:

• Jordan Eberle came on board for Edmonton and scored his first NHL goal against Calgary on Oct. 10, 2010, toe-dragging through the Flames' defense and backhanding the puck past Miikka Kiprusoff as he flew (Bobby Orr-style) into the boards. Mythical.

• Connor McDavid has scored brilliant goals against basically everyone, but the ones he has potted against Calgary -- recording a hat trick against the Flames in their 2017-18 season-opening tilt for example -- have a little more cache than others.

But it was Calgary's young phenom who really brought the Flames-Oilers rivalry into a new era.

Because in case you haven't heard, Matthew Tkachuk has a bit of an edge.

What's the latest?

It was Jan. 11, 2020. Calgary and Edmonton battling on a Saturday night. The feisty Tkachuk has his eye on Oilers tough guy Zack Kassian, landing two hits early that Kassian said afterward felt "predatory" (one did knock his helmet off). Kassian responded by grabbing Tkachuk and tossing a punch, hoping to get him engaged in a fight.

Tkachuk didn't go for it, Kassian received a double-minor penalty for roughing and a game misconduct, and Calgary scored the winning goal on that ensuing power play.

Wild.

Tkachuk was dubbed "Turtlechuk" by Oilers fans after that. Kassian got a two-game suspension for his actions. Boom. Rivalry re-explodes.

Fast-forward to Jan. 29. Kassian finally got his fight with Tkachuk in the first period, and even thanked him for it afterward.

But that wouldn't be the week's biggest headline out of Edmonton-Calgary. Not by a long shot.

On Feb. 1, a late-game scramble in front of Flames' goalie Cam Talbot led him to punch Oilers' forward Sam Gagner in the face. That started a full-blown line brawl. Talbot was tangled up with several players, but spied Edmonton netminder Mike Smith headed toward center ice. Talbot met him there, and they threw down in an impressive goalie fight for the ages:

Ironically, Talbot had played for Edmonton the season before, when Smith was playing for Calgary. The tension was real.

And it still is today. The last time Calgary met Edmonton was on March 26, and the Flames blew open a 4-4 tie to win 9-5.

That night didn't matter much in the grand scheme of either team's season. Now every shift, of every period, in every game of this series will carry more weight than ever before.

What's on the line this time?

Well, one of Edmonton or Calgary are going to the Western Conference finals. That's a big deal under regular circumstances. The fact this bid will come against each side's most hated rival? Glorious.

The mayors of Edmonton and Calgary have a side wager going, too, honouring their counterparts of the past.

Back in 1991, those cities' mayors -- Jan Reimer and Al Duerr -- said the person whose team lost would ride an ice resurfacing machine onto rival ice wearing the sweater from the other team in a properly humiliating process.

And so it was for Calgary's Duerr, who had to pay the piper dressed in an Oilers sweater as he told the crowd, "I look terrible in these colors!"

The current mayor of Calgary, Jyoti Gondek, issued a similar challenge to Edmonton's Amarjeet Sohi. The losing side's councillor will attend the first council meeting after the series in their rival team's jersey, and the mayor will do so wearing full face paint to commemorate the opposing team's win.

It doesn't matter who you're cheering for; I think we all want to see that.

As the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs reach the second round, it's time to check in on the race for the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP.

Keep in mind that the Conn Smythe is based on a player's performance during the entire postseason, not just the championship round.

Here's a look at the field at the start of Round 2:

Manchester City are confident of further strengthening their squad this summer despite already landing striker Erling Haaland, sources have told ESPN.

City have agreed to exercise the €60 million release clause in Haaland's contract at Borussia Dortmund and the 21-year-old is set to officially move to the Etihad Stadium on July 1.

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But sources close to the club insist the Haaland's arrival is unlikely to be the last of the transfer window with conversations ongoing about the possibility of adding a midfielder and a full-back to the squad ahead of next season.

Veteran midfielder Fernandinho has already announced his intention to return to Brazil at the end of the campaign while left-back Benjamin Mendy remains suspended by the club while he awaits trial for on rape charges.

There is also interest in Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has predominantly played at left back under Guardiola. Sources have also told ESPN that City are expecting Gabriel Jesus to ask for permission to leave the club amid interest from Arsenal and Juventus and that, if it happened, Guardiola would not stand in his way.

Haaland's arrival will compensate for the potential loss of Gabriel Jesus -- who has a contract until 2023 and his valued at more than €60m -- while Argentina forward Julian Alvarez, signed from River Plate in January, will be assessed during the summer before a decision is made about whether he will stay with the first team next season.

City, meanwhile, are expecting Ilkay Gundogan to stay this summer despite the midfielder being linked with a move away. Sources close to the club insist the midfielder has not expressed a desire to leave and the expectation is that the 31-year-old will stay until at least the end of his deal in 2023.

Raheem Sterling is also set to be out of contract at the end of next season unless fresh terms can be agreed to keep him at the Etihad.

Sources have told ESPN that City and Sterling will hold more talks over his future in the summer. The 27-year-old England forward is keen to ensure he is central to the club's plans before committing to a long-term deal. He has been linked with moves to Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur but sources have told ESPN he would be open to exploring options to play abroad if he leaves City.

The Premier League are set to approve the Todd Boehly-led consortium's takeover of Chelsea -- but a key stumbling block remains as talks between Roman Abramovich and the U.K. government continue, sources have told ESPN.

Although the league has described the process as "ongoing," sources suggest the bid spearheaded by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Boehly is expected to pass the league's Owners and Directors' Test (OADT) in the coming days.

- Olley: Should Chelsea move on from Romelu Lukaku?

Significantly, however, a key stumbling block remains as the OADT does not consider where the sale money goes, focusing solely instead on the buyer's robustness to manage the club they are buying.

That means a separate agreement must be found between Abramovich and the government over what happens to the £2.5 billion asking price. Sources have told ESPN that as of Wednesday morning, nothing has been finalised.

After being sanctioned by the U.K. government for alleged ties to Russia President Vladimir Putin, Abramovich is not allowed to personally benefit from the proceeds of any sale.

The European Union has adopted the same position with Portugal last week blocking the sale of a €10 million house amid concerns Abramovich was the owner.

Sources close to Abramovich suggest a compromise has been reached in Chelsea's case but the government is yet to be satisfied that a legal resolution has been found.

The Boehly consortium has committed a total of £4.25bn to buy Chelsea, with that figure including guarantees of future investment. But the issue of what happens to the £2.5bn being paid to acquire the club still remains.

Abramovich has stated that he is not seeking repayment of a £1.6bn loan and is happy for the £2.5bn to go to the victims of the war in Ukraine.

However, as talks have continued, it has been suggested that Abramovich is in fact asking for the £2.5bn to be paid to charity via Camberley International, a company the government believes is an affiliate of a trust fund managed in Cyprus and owned by Abramovich's children.

Therefore, the government is demanding the money is held in an escrow account -- effectively held independently until the destination for the funds is determined -- which would allow Boehly to complete the purchase of Chelsea, freeing the club of the ongoing dispute.

Conversations could then continue between Abramovich and the government, with Chelsea removed from all sanctions and beginning a new era under the Boehly consortium.

However, the government licence granted to keep Chelsea operating expires on May 31, and a compromise has to be found before then.

The unions for the United States men's and women's national soccer teams have ratified new collective bargaining agreements with U.S. Soccer that include an equal split of World Cup bonuses, the federation and the two unions announced on Wednesday.

The two CBAs will go into effect on June 1 and will last until the end of 2028. The U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association (USNSTPA), which represented the men's players, had been operating without a CBA since the end of 2018. The deal for the U.S. Women's National Team Players Association (USWNTPA) expired at the end of 2021, though it had been extended.

The agreements are a promise kept by U.S. Soccer Federation president Cindy Parlow Cone, who had vowed that new CBAs would need to address the equal pay issue of World Cup bonuses. The CBAs also put into effect the much-celebrated financial settlement between the USWNT and the federation, which was announced in February after years of legal jostling.

- Murray: USWNT-U.S. Soccer pay dispute settlement: What the decision means

"I've been saying it for a long time. I wanted to lead on this. I wanted U.S. Soccer to lead on this," Cone told ESPN via a video call. "But we couldn't do it alone. We needed both the men's players and the men's [union] and the women's players and the women's [union] to come together in one room to negotiate a contract.

"And I'll be honest, there were days that I didn't think we were going to get it across the line. But we are here, and I'm just so incredibly proud of what we have accomplished and what it is going to mean, not only for the game here in the U.S. but globally."

The deals change the dynamic between the two teams. Before, they were competing for attention and resources from the USSF. Now, they're working together to benefit both unions.

"I'm really excited to start this partnership almost fresh, a clean slate. We're working together," said Nashville SC defender Walker Zimmerman, a member of the USNSTPA's leadership team. "We have accomplished so much together with this revolutionary CBA, and certainly we're [going to] be cheering like crazy, because that's exactly what this CBA is. It's equal. We will be their biggest fans. I'm sure they will be our biggest fans, as well."

As women's national team forward Midge Purce, a member of the union's CBA committee, added, "I think what this CBA does is it finally creates that 'One Nation. One Team.' And I think that it's really brought us together under that ideology that we've been chasing after for a really long time."

The respective unions will receive 90% of the FIFA bonuses paid at the 2022 and 2023 World Cups and 80% of the bonuses at the 2026 and 2027 editions. All of the funds paid out from those bonus pools will be split evenly among the two national teams. FIFA has announced that the entire bonus pool for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be $400 million, while the bonuses for the women's tournament in Australia in 2023 will be $60 million. In the previous World Cup cycle, the last-place men's team won more prize money than the first-place women's team.

"There are tough conversations, but at the end of the day, it is the right thing to do," Zimmerman said. "It's something that [the U.S. women's team players] deserve. It's something that they have fought for so hard, and, to be honest, sometimes it does feel like we had just kind of come alongside of them and had been a little late.

"It's not easy to look back and think about this whole journey and where it started for them and how we entered. And that's why it's even more important for us to feel like we are getting involved. It's never too late to get involved."

The new CBAs achieve equality in other areas, as well. The men's and women's teams will have identical performance-based bonuses for games and competitions. The women's team will no longer have guaranteed salaries for some players and will have the same pay-to-play payment structure as the men's team has always had.

Both unions also will participate in revenue sharing, including 10% of commercial revenue between $55 million and $75 million and 15% of any commercial revenue above $75 million. Both teams also will receive an equal cut of ticket revenue, with the teams receiving $5.06 of each ticket sold through the end of 2026 and $5.75 of each ticket during the final two years of the deal.

For matches the USSF controls -- namely friendlies -- players will receive $18,000 for a win, $12,000 for a draw and $8,000 for a loss if the opponent is ranked in the top 25 of FIFA's rankings. For all other opponents, the amounts are $13,000 for a win, $10,000 for a draw and $8,000 for a defeat. For World Cup matches, each player will receive a $10,000 game bonus, plus an additional $14,000 for a win or $10,000 for a tie.

A source with knowledge of the men's deal told ESPN that the men's players will receive a bonus of $2.5 million related to qualification for the 2022 World Cup that won't be shared with the women's team. This is essentially retroactive pay due to the fact that the men were operating under their old, expired CBA for more than three years.

There also are aspects of the women's deal that are unique as compared to the men's contract, including continued injury protection, child care and parental leave. But for the women, the new CBA marks a big change, as it moves away from guaranteed salaries and toward a pay-for-play model, which has long been a staple of the men's deal.

"The ability to do that has come a lot from the strength that the NWSL has gained in the past few years," Purce said. "We have a strong enough league here at home where we can depend on those salaries a little bit more and leave a little more risk up to the national team. And I think that's really helped free up that risk."

In February, a settlement in the women's team's equal pay lawsuit was announced, with the USSF agreeing to pay $22 million to the players, with an additional $2 million put into a fund that could be applied to players' endeavors after their playing careers. That deal was contingent on a new CBA being agreed with the women, which would include a solution on World Cup bonuses. With that goal now achieved, the settlement can be finalized.

Emma Hayes, the coaching mind behind the Chelsea women's dynasty, sat down for her postmatch news conference on Sunday, enjoying the feeling of a win like few others. The first question asked what was going through her head. "I'm very f---ing happy," she said, a phrase she would repeat twice more. You could understand why: Chelsea had just clinched the Women's FA Cup with a thrilling extra-time victory over Manchester City, and that win came just a week after they twice came from behind to beat Manchester United, which saw them secure the Women's Super League title for the third straight season.

The questions kept coming, her news conference equal parts joyous and emotional. She described the side as the best she had ever coached, and that she'd never had more fun than watching the team grind to Sunday's win.

It was also revealing and unfiltered, as it's an interesting time to take stock at Chelsea. The men's side are in limbo, waiting for the club's sale to a consortium led by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly. Meanwhile, the women's team has achieved astounding success, but they will need to maintain their investment to stay ahead of an increasingly competitive field in the WSL, all while keeping the core squad together.

Amid all Hayes' answers came the crux of it all: What comes next?

What impact will the new owners have on Chelsea women?

As the final whistle sounded on Sunday, Hayes pounded the Chelsea badge on her suit jacket. It was a subconscious message of thanks to the club's hierarchy, director Marina Granovskaia and chairman Bruce Buck.

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"It's a huge win for Marina and Bruce," Hayes said. "I want to put that on record for the work they've done, not just for me but the team over a period of time. They've epitomised everything Chelsea is about."

The pair, under the investment of former owner Roman Abramovich, have seen Chelsea assemble a WSL-winning squad like no other. The side were still in their infancy in 2014 when midfielder Ji So-Yun joined, with her arrival ushering in several more stars. The club consistently spent money to bolster the team: in 2015, Chelsea paid a then-British-record transfer fee for Fran Kirby, who went on to become the club's all-time top scorer and a crucial constant in their success. More recently, they spent even more: they hold the world-record transfer fee for a women's player (Pernille Harder, £250,000), as well as reportedly holding the record for the highest transfer fee paid between WSL clubs (Lauren James from Man United, approximately £200,000).

The investment has been smart and effective, resulting in squad depth no other WSL side can yet match. Coupled with Hayes' coaching methods and forward-thinking training methods, Chelsea have ensured that depth is one of their biggest assets. Yet there were questions whether that would continue after Abramovich put the club up for sale, having been sanctioned by the British government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking in March, days after the Chelsea news broke, Hayes said she had "no doubts" over the importance of the women's side at Chelsea. The limbo caused tangible issues for the men's side, with Thomas Tuchel admitting it impacted the club's ability to keep hold of defenders Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger -- both are leaving at the end of their contracts in June.

Boehly met the men's and women's players separately at their Cobham training base on Friday and introduced himself. The players were excited to meet the club's new owner, but the attention was on the present challenge of winning last weekend's FA Cup finals.

Who will leave Kingsmeadow?

When City boss Gareth Taylor described losing players on a free transfer as "surgery," he was not being dramatic. With transfers and contracts more short-term and more volatile in the women's game, Chelsea's ability to retain is one of their biggest assets. This summer is a prime example.

City face the prospect of losing stars Lucy Bronze and Caroline Weir, whose contracts are set to expire. Midfielder Georgia Stanway, meanwhile, has joined Bayern Munich. Even Arsenal, the other title-chasing team in London, must focus on re-signing club-record scorer Vivianne Miedema after she was linked with a move to Barcelona.

Chelsea are not in the same boat.

Ji stands to be Chelsea's biggest loss this summer as she departs the club after eight years, returning to her native South Korea. Defender Jonna Andersson and midfielder Drew Spence have also been confirmed to leave. Their departures will be felt, but it will be manageable.

"We lost [captain] Magda Eriksson for three months, Pernille Harder for large chunks, the girls at the Asia Cup for large chunks, Melanie Leupolz (pregnancy), Maren Mjelde," Hayes said in the build-up to the WSL title decider earlier this month, listing her team's notable absences over the course of the season. "My question is how many top teams would have coped with that and still be there?

"We're in a healthy place. I think we had an ageing squad -- we've had to try and address that balance and to compete while you're transitioning, that's really tough. As a coach, it's why I'm pleased we're in the position to compete because that's the hardest thing to do, trust me, when you're transitioning, squads age."

Is Hayes staying? Is she still hungry for success?

Hayes fielded a question on Sunday regarding her motivation and her drive, and what could possibly keep her going. The answer was counterintuitive: Ask a coach about their job and they'll point you to their successes, yet just minutes after lifting the FA Cup, Hayes was talking about losing.

"I can't bear the thought of it, I don't want to think about it," she said. "The minute I feel any of [the other teams] coming close I just want to get better."

Chelsea have rarely lost over the past few seasons. Instead, their form has been inevitable and confident. Hayes answered questions regarding her future with a similar energy. "I feel like [the media] ask me this question every time we win," she said. "It's not like I'm coming in here, disrespecting the question, but I think it needs to be about the three players that are departing, rather than my future."

It is, in truth, a non-story. Hayes is staying, not yet ready to leave west London no matter how many times she is linked with a job in the men's game or with a national side.

"Everyone knows I've got a contract at Chelsea, so what's the speculation about?" Hayes asked. "Is there a job that you guys are telling me I'm going for that I don't know about?

"As far as I'm concerned I don't have to kill any speculation. I'm under contract at Chelsea and there's nothing to talk about."

What is left to win?

What Hayes has built at Chelsea is a dynasty, there can be no doubt about that, but they remain an unfinished project. They have won seven of the past nine domestic trophies on offer, and at a time when City and Arsenal have been nipping at their heels, but they cannot yet be considered the dominant team of their generation. That title belonged to Lyon and now to Barcelona, a side that just completed a perfect 30-win season in Spain and will defend their Champions League crown on Saturday. Barca head into that against Lyon -- a side seeking to return to former glories -- as clear favourites.

Barca won that first European title last season against Chelsea in a crushing 4-0 win, a game in which Hayes' side were barely competitive. Arsenal, in 2007, remain the only English side to have won a European title, although the competition was in a different format then. Chelsea intended to prove they could finish the job this season, but Hayes' side finished third in Group A -- behind Wolfsburg and Juventus -- which sent them crashing out. Their final match saw the squad battling a COVID-19 outbreak and several players struggling with fatigue. A campaign that promised much ebbed away from them.

The task ahead, then, seems clear. To take this club to the next level, and establish a continent-wide dominance, they need to win the Champions League. That would send a message to the rest of Europe: they are here to stay and to evolve, with the same squad, no matter their owners, and with Hayes at the helm.

"We have a group of people that will not be on the losing team," Hayes said. "They'll find a way."