Sam Kerr’s Chelsea return seems to be closer than ever as Head Coach Sonia Bompastor has added the Australian to her Champions League squad ahead of a quarter-final tie against Manchester City.
The striker has been out of action since suffering an ACL injury at a warm weather training camp in December 2023, her most recent competitive appearance coming in a 3-1 home UWCL win over Häcken the same month.
Kerr, 31, is widely considered to be among the best players in the women’s game. She scored 95 goals for Chelsea in 122 appearances prior to her injury, lifting five Women’s Super League titles since signing to the Blues from Chicago Red Stars in 2020.
There has been a constant buzz surrounding her return from injury, though Bompastor is doing what she can to protect the Australian from the pressure.
“I just want to make it clear I think it is not really fair to expect from a player who has been injured for now 15 months… to be the hero in the team,” Bompastor said. “I think we have the squad to be able to be successful for the end of the season.”
She does not want Kerr to rush back despite her recent return to grass training: “For Sam, we will see. She is progressing really well in her rehab, but I just want her to feel like the main focus for her will be to work really hard, be the best version of herself.
“If we have positive news and she can bring into the team her experience but also her competencies it will be great. I just want her to focus step by step, but the main thing for me is to make sure she works hard and she just comes back in the squad.”
Kerr’s inclusion in Chelsea’s UWCL squad comes at the expense of USA international Mia Fishel, who tore her ACL in February 2023. Bompastor confirmed last month that the forward, whose goalscoring record rivals her Australian partner’s, was training with the under-18s, though Bompastor evidently feels Kerr is closer to a return.
Bompastor continued: “It was a difficult decision to make because obviously the players will always want to be in the squad, but I spoke to them, I explained why I made that decision.
“The most important thing is now it is clear for everyone.”
Saturday will see the Blues face Manchester City in the League Cup final, a first opportunity for silverware this season and the first of four consecutive matches against City, who on Monday sacked long-time manager Gareth Taylor.
Bomapstor will be without world record signing Naomi Girma and new addition Kiera Walsh for the game but was bullish as she previewed the fixture, dismissing the fact that Chelsea had lost League Cup finals in each of the last three campaigns.
“It is a new season. I think we just need to be going into this game with confidence. We are expecting a really hard and difficult game because Man City has a really good squad, good players, top-class players, but we think we are ready.”
