Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor insists unbeaten Blues are still getting better - 'Progressing even more'
Updated 19/11/2024 at 22:39 GMT
Sonia Bompastor believes there is a lot more to come from her Chelsea team, even if their winning start to the season now makes them the team to beat. The Blues have enjoyed a spectacular opening few months to the campaign, picking up 10 straight victories. Ahead of a UEFA Women's Champions League showdown with Celtic, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, Bompastor says they are still improving.
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Sonia Bompastor believes Chelsea's stunning start to the season means they now have a target on their back.
The Blues boss replaced Emma Hayes in the dugout in the summer, and has won each of her 10 games at the helm.
That includes an unbeaten start to life in the UEFA Women's Champions League, which will be put to the test against Celtic, live on TNT Sports and discovery+ on Wednesday.
But Bompastor insists her successful start to life at Stamford Bridge has not come as a shock.
"I'm never surprised," she said. "I make sure we work really hard, as a team, as a club, to succeed and to have a good run and a good dynamic.
"Maybe people sometimes think that's easy, but that's a lot of work. We just make sure we maintain this hard work. We maintain the right mentality.
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"I'm lucky, because also as Chelsea manager, I have a good squad with a lot of talent. I have depth in my squad. This is something really good.
"At the moment, of course we have good results, but we just need to look at the next game and keep our head on our shoulders.
"There is always room for improvement. I think in possession of the ball, in the build-up phase, creation phase, finishing phase, even out of possession, we always try to execute our game plan, but sometimes small details are really important.
"As individuals, the players have the right mentality, they just want to progress every day. As a coach, I want my team to progress from one game to the other one.
"There's a lot of things to work on, but the results just bring confidence to the team, which is really good. That's a good base.
"As a team, it's really important and it takes time to work on the team chemistry.
"Small details are really important, especially when you have a squad where you have players coming from different environments, different countries. You sometimes have the barrier of the language.
"It's not easy, but we are progressing and I am happy with where we are at the moment, even if I see my team progressing even more, being even more consistent and even better."
Chelsea won the reverse fixture against Celtic in Glasgow 2-1, with Maika Hamano and Ashley Lawrence on target as the visitors came from behind.
That means they sit top of Group B in the Champions League, having won each of their three fixtures so far.
They have never previously won the European Cup, with their best finish coming in 2021, when they were runners-up to Barcelona.
The Catalans also knocked the London club out in the semi-finals in each of the last two seasons.
But there appears to be fresh hope at Stamford Bridge this season, with Bompastor fielding questions on whether Chelsea could go through the entire campaign unbeaten.
"I hope so," she said. "We will work and fight for that, but there are a lot of good teams out there and everyone will be fighting to beat us.
"We will make sure we focus on ourselves as well, because I think we have a lot of quality, we have confidence. But keeping the good balance between confidence, good results and also making sure we still work hard.
"Yes, it will be difficult, a tough season, we expect that, but we will bring our mentality to face that."
'All my support' for kerr
Bompastor congratulated Sam Kerr after the Chelsea midfielder announced she is expecting her first child with fiance Kristie Mewis.
Mewis, who plays for West Ham, is carrying the baby.
The pair have received some hateful comments since announcing the news, and the club have condemned the homophobic abuse.
Bompastor said: "I just want to support Sam, fully support her.
"This is just unacceptable, to have these kind of comments, especially in our world in 2024. It's just crazy for me to understand how people can react like this.
"What I can I say? I just want to focus on the positives and give all my support to Sam and Kristie. Tell them we are really proud and really happy for them.
"As a woman, having the opportunity to become a mum is the best news you can have in your life.
"I'm so happy for them. I can't wait to welcome this little baby to our family."
"Maybe after the international break"
Kerr will be absent when Chelsea face Celtic due to injury, as will Lauren James and Mia Fishel.
The trio have all been nursing fitness concerns in recent weeks.
Kerr and Fishel have been on the sidelines for a significant period of time, but Bompastor believes they could return in early 2025.
"Sam is doing really well," she revealed. "She's on the pitch. Not practicing with the team yet, but certainly by the end of the year, she will be able to practice maybe with the team.
"It's difficult for me to give you a good timeline and the right date, but she's in a good place. She's confident.
"When I look at her and her rehab process, she's doing really well and progressing day by day. I think it's really good, but too soon to tell a date.
"Mia is progressing well. We can maybe expect Mia and Sam kind of in the same dates, so we'll see.
"With this kind of injury [ACL], it is always really individual. The players progress day by day, but sometimes it can be smaller steps.
"Lauren is still recovering from a calf injury. She's doing good with the timing we expected.
"Lauren is still recovering from a calf injury. She's doing good with the timing we expected.
"She's had good feedback from the medical staff and is progressing. Maybe, we'll see her after the international break."
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