It's hard to imagine a team so dominant domestically has struggled so agonisingly on the European stage. Chelsea have won five Women's Super League titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups under manager Emma Hayes, but the Champions League is the one title that has always evaded them.
In 2021, they were 90 minutes away from finally being crowned Champions of Europe but Spanish giants Barcelona ran riot in a 4-0 win at the Gamla Ullevi in Gothenburg, Sweden. Chelsea weren't ready and they were cruelly punished for their inexperience at the top level.
Prior to the final two years ago, they'd reached the semi-finals on two occasions in 2018 and 2019, but were knocked out by Wolfsburg and Lyon in both of those seasons. This term, as they continue to chase down domestic success, they're potentially faced with their greatest opportunity to win the Champions League having knocked out eight-time winners Lyon at the quarter-final stage.
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Standing in their way is Barcelona, who they take on this Saturday in the first leg of the semi-finals at Stamford Bridge. Defender Niamh Charles, who signed for the Blues in 2020 after her contract expired with Liverpool, was part of the team beaten by the Spanish club two years ago and the 23-year-old hopes they can use the heartbreak from the 2021 final to fuel their charge for the trophy this time around.
"Obviously at the time it was really disappointing," Charles exclusively told football.london. "But, the better team won on the day. Personally, and as a squad, I think we took a lot from it in terms of the experience.
"We've been there now and we've experienced it. (At the time), it was a huge opportunity missed, but we used it to better us going forward and we've had more experiences in big games. Domestically and in Europe as well.
"You can't buy (the experiences), it does take time to acquire. As a squad, we've been together longer, gotten to know each other more on the pitch and off the pitch, so we're more cohesive. We've also added some great players (since then) as well and the biggest thing is probably just experience and knowing what it takes at this level."
The know-how and spirit to grind out a result was most evident in the quarter-final second leg against Lyon only a matter of weeks ago. After beating the French champions 1-0 in the first leg, it was their opponents who appeared to be heading through as they led 2-1 on aggregate in the dying stages of additional time at Stamford Bridge.
Yet, in the 125th minute, the Blues were awarded a penalty and Maren Mjelde stepped up and fired home from the spot. Penalties were needed to separate the two teams and it was Hayes' side who emerged victorious after Wendie Renard and Lindsey Horan failed to convert for Lyon.
"It was an amazing day for the club and one of the iconic matches in our Champions League history," Charles continued. "It given us a lot of confidence and a good feeling, because you can't really recreate that emotion or feeling anywhere else apart from in football.
"Hopefully we can create more special moments like that and take that energy into the domestic (games) and also deep into the Champions League as well."
For Charles, success on the European stage is something she's dreamed of growing up. Having come through the ranks at childhood club Liverpool, she's by no means unfamiliar with the weight the competition holds.
She added: "When I was growing up watching the Champions League, (Liverpool's) 2005 comeback - you can't recreate those moments anywhere else. I think it's just being able to accomplish something as a team, that you are champions of Europe. It doesn't get much sweeter than that and it's something you dream about growing up."
This summer, however the season may end, will mark three years in Blue for Charles. Despite only being 23 years of age, she's played in multiple cup finals domestically, featured in one European final and has two league titles under her belt.
"It doesn't feel like three years," Charles said. "It's gone so quick and each season I think it's probably been really different with Covid. I think (in 2020) it was a very weird time to move to a new club and move down south. But, from a footballing point of view, we did really well that season.
"There have been times where it's gone really well for me, but there have also been times where it's been challenging. I think in both senses I've been able to learn a lot, not just on the pitch, but off the pitch as well.
"In terms of growing as a person, getting to know myself more, being away from home and becoming more independent. It's been a lot in three years, but I think it's steadily progressed. It's been good!"
Her rise at Chelsea has also seen her receive greater opportunities at international level. She was very much on the periphery of the England set-up after making her senior debut in 2021, but her involvement in recent camps for the Arnold Clark Cup and April internationals suggests she's very much in the thinking of manager Sarina Wiegman.
Her involvement at the World Cup may hinge on how many defensive options the England manager wishes to take to Australia and New Zealand, but she's certainly doing everything she can at club level to force herself into Wiegman's plans. However, Charles isn't thinking too far ahead with full focus on the run-in with Chelsea.
"I think obviously it is a dream to go," she said on her World Cup hopes. "Who knows if that's going to happen. I think my focus right now is Chelsea, of course, and looking to the summer.
"I think I'll best serve myself if I can just focus on what I can control in the here and now and if it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, I'll be okay and I'll be supporting the girls as much as possible.
"I can just do what I can here at Chelsea. I'm really looking forward to the next few weeks."
Chelsea take on Barcelona at Stamford Bridge for the first leg of their semi-final tie at 12:30pm on Saturday before they face off again in the second leg at the Camp Nou next week on Thursday, April 27.
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