Chelsea might have secured their first win within the 2024/25 UEFA Girls’s Champions League towards Actual Madrid however Sonia Bompastor mentioned they should be “smarter” shifting ahead.
The Blues hosted the Spanish facet below the lights at Stamford Bridge, in a sport which may have seen numerous targets however lacked true pleasure.
Sjoeke Nusken, Guro Reiten and Mayra Ramirez all received their names on the scoresheet, with two coming within the first half and a 3rd within the second. Nevertheless, it was some sloppy defending from Chelsea that additionally resulted in two for Madrid from Alba Redondo and Linda Caicedo.
Talking after the sport, head coach Bompastor mentioned she was “blissful” with the consequence, however needs that Chelsea had been capable of “handle the sport” extra.
“It is at all times vital to begin, particularly at house with three factors towards Actual Madrid who had been the very best ranked in our group after us,” she defined. “I want my group may have been capable of handle the sport extra by way of the consequence.
“And once I say handle, it is not about slowing down the sport, it is extra about being smarter. Once you lead the sport with two targets, I believe it is good to maintain that consequence. We conceded two targets the place possibly we must always have finished higher on these two actions. However credit score to Madrid, they had been pushing they usually had been assured within the sport and when making an attempt to attain.
“We should always management the sport extra and I used to be nervous about Madrid getting again into it. That is one thing we have to work on, however I am not too frightened.”
Bompastor is the one girl to win the Champions League as a participant and supervisor and there are lots of people hoping she’s the one to lastly lead Chelsea to success on a European stage.
“It felt actually good,” mentioned Bompastor, reflecting on her first Chelsea sport on this competitors. “This stadium has a lot historical past and I need to be part of that historical past. I am making an attempt to deliver my new imaginative and prescient. It is at all times good to construct up from that legacy [the club have] and having the chance to win the primary Champions League sport with the group, as Chelsea supervisor is at all times vital.”
Bompastor opted for a 4-3-3 formation towards Madrid, bringing in Wieke Kaptein and the aforementioned Ramirez. There was a final minute goalkeeper change as a result of Hannah Hampton being struck down with sickness, in a transfer that noticed her swapped out for Zecira Musovic.
Erin Cuthbert was lacking from the squad after selecting up a knock throughout a coaching session, alongside Catarina Macario who was additionally unwell.
Nevertheless, new recruit Sandy Baltimore is already proving why she’s a significant addition to the squad, displaying versatility in her capability to play in numerous positions. The French star prefers to play as a ahead, however Bompastor opted to place her at left-back for this sport and she or he very a lot impressed.
“I’ve identified Sandy for a very long time,” mentioned the supervisor. “She’s a very good participant who is absolutely dynamic. I believe she brings numerous confidence to the group as a result of when she has the ball, she’s capable of be actually good with it.
“She has numerous qualities – she’s capable of dribble one-on-one and has an excellent first rouch on the ball. Typically she offers the ball away, however she’s capable of recuperate it. She has the correct mentality and she or he’s somebody who needs to play on a regular basis. I believe as a supervisor it is actually good to have a participant like that.”
Chelsea are again in WSL motion on the weekend for the quick journey to Arsenal, earlier than then travelling to the Netherlands for Champions League matchday two towards FC Twente.
