Bompastor Hopeful Kerr Will Return This Season

Striker Sam Kerr will "hopefully" return earlier nan extremity of nan season, says Chelsea head Sonia Bompastor.

Bompastor said it was "difficult" for her to put an nonstop timeframe connected erstwhile nan 31-year-old Australian will beryllium capable to play pursuing a superior knee injury.

Kerr has not played for much than 12 months aft rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament during training successful January 2024.

The Blues, who were knocked retired of nan Champions League by Barcelona connected Sunday, person conscionable 4 games near of this campaign.

The Women's Super League finishes connected 10 May but they besides person nan FA Cup last against Manchester United connected 18 May.

"She's moving really hard," said Bompastor. "All nan capacity unit are doing everything for her to play this season.

"We'll spot really it goes. We cognize we only person a fewer games near now. Hopefully, yes, but it's difficult for maine to person a clear answer."

In February, Kerr was found not guilty of causing racially aggravated harassment aft calling a Metropolitan Police serviceman "stupid and white".

She returned to individual training successful January and Australia interim coach Tom Sermanni hoped she would beryllium fresh for his side's 2 matches astatine nan commencement of April - but that proved excessively optimistic.

Chelsea swiftly return to action pinch a convention crippled astatine Manchester United connected Wednesday (20:15 BST), wherever they could triumph their sixth consecutive WSL title.

The Blues are nary longer successful nan moving for a quadruple aft their Champions League exit but their sights are still group connected achieving a league, FA Cup and League Cup treble.

Bompastor said nan "best teams request to bounce back" to beryllium successful, pursuing her side's demoralising 8-2 nonaccomplishment connected aggregate to Barcelona.

"I'm still really assured going into this crippled connected Wednesday," she said.

"I deliberation if we person nan opportunity to triumph connected Wednesday it will beryllium a large measurement for nan title. This information is beardown capable and large capable for america to beryllium focused connected Manchester United."

Chelsea are six points clear of second-placed Arsenal and would unafraid their sixth successive crown pinch triumph complete United should nan Gunners driblet points against Aston Villa earlier that evening.

"We had that ambition to make nan quadruple," said Bompastor. "It didn't happen.

"That's now for america to move guardant and attraction connected nan treble and hopefully we'll person that astatine nan extremity of nan season.

"I came to Chelsea to person a batch of ambitions and person my competitiveness into titles. That's what makes maine nan astir happiest person."