Sonia Bompastor says Chelsea are ready to “embrace the challenge” of facing Manchester City for a fourth time in 12 days with the task of recovering a two-goal deficit from the first leg of their Champions League showdown.
Chelsea are in unfamiliar territory. Bompastor’s 28-game unbeaten run as Blues boss came to an abrupt halt in Manchester last week when Vivianne Miedema came off the bench to score twice in 28 minutes and put Man City in command of the tie.
But the Frenchwoman insists her side’s hopes of another European semi-final – likely to be against reigning champions Barcelona – are still alive, urging her players to end this extraordinary run of fixtures with “no regrets”.
“I don’t want my players to have any regrets. This is what we want to go for,” she said. “The preparation of the game is really important. We have talked about the strategy of the game and it’s really important to have everyone on the same page with that. We feel ready, we need to execute the game plan.
Vivianne Miedema scored twice as Man City beat Chelsea
“We have all the qualities to turn things around. Ninety minutes is a lot of time for us. We need a strong start. Everyone in the club wants to win this competition, I still feel like we have the capacity and quality to turn things around. I told my players last week ‘we’re still alive’, that’s important.
“Last week was not decisive, we need to respond. I focus a lot on my team. Playing Man City three times you can know more, it’s a really rare situation, but even if I know more I still need time to know [everything] about him [Nick Cushing]. I don’t feel any difference preparing this game. We need to believe and be confident. I just want us to attack the game and have no regrets at the end.”
Cushing seeking improvement amid strain of rivalry
While City hold the advantage in the Champions League tie, interim boss Nick Cushing is looking for improvement from Sunday’s WSL loss to Chelsea – although he noted the strain that has been put on his squad by the encounters.
“The plan has to be a little bit better,” he said. “The group did an amazing job over the three games, you can see the games have been even.”
In a blow to City, Bunny Shaw and Aoba Fujino will both miss the match.
Khadija Shaw and Aoba Fujino are out of the tie
“The medical team and the performance team are doing an incredible job working through the team,” said Cushing.
“It’s not been ideal over the last two weeks to lose Bunny Shaw and Aoba Fujino and it wasn’t ideal on Sunday, but you look at the group, they’re still training incredibly hard. I still see the belief.”
Yui Hasegawa and Laia Aleixandri are in the squad despite coming off with injuries at the weekend – although Cushing said Hasegawa’s involvement isn’t guaranteed.
“Having those players back is a testament to them and their commitment but also to the incredible work of the medical team,” said Cushing, before adding, “Yui leaving the ground in crutches and I’m not going to jump the gun and say she’ll be ready.”
Man City’s ultimate revenge mission
Sky Sports’ Laura Hunter:
“If we’re analysing the long game, it’s 2-1 Chelsea. The culmination of this fascinating four-stage fixture bonanza between the Blues and Manchester City will determine who progresses in Europe on Thursday, with Chelsea already conquering their rivals in the League Cup final and WSL by the same 2-1 scoreline.
“Sandwiched between was a stunning 2-0 scalp in which Vivianne Miedema gave City the upper hand in the Champions League. What a rollercoaster ride.
“Presumably now the message changes. Nick Cushing will be reiterating to his squad that prior meetings, three in the past 12 days, matter not.
“City’s WSL hopes had long been over (although they now face an uphill battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League, unless they win it, of course) and while League Cup silverware would have been sweet, the chance to displace Chelsea in Europe – the trophy they crave most – might well be considered sweeter.
“It was Cushing who led City to their previous Champions League semi-finals in 2016/17 and 2017/18 and the prospect of securing a third while besting Chelsea will surely be a major motivator.”
Never write Chelsea off
Sky Sport’s Laura Hunter:
“Chelsea, who have progressed in all five of their previous European quarter-finals, must overturn a deficit to keep that impressive record intact.
“This is not a side who are familiar with losing or particularly used to staging comebacks. Does that make them more or less dangerous?
“Sonia Bompastor favours control and authority and yet the scoreline will necessitate more of a handbrake-off approach. “I know we have the quality to reverse the situation but we will need to be at our best,” she said last week.
“Her 28-game unbeaten start as Blues coach might have been ended by Miedema’s double in the reverse leg but it’s far from the Frenchwoman’s determined mentality to shy away from a challenge. It’ll be interesting to see whether Chelsea set up to chase or stay patient in their pursuit.
“Bompastor’s Lyon side roared back from a first-leg loss to overcome Juventus on their way to Champions League glory in 2021/22 – it can be done.
“The final stage of this four-part epic is perfectly poised.”
