'There is still hope for us' - Bompastor confident of second-leg comeback
Sonia Bompastor was dealt her first defeat as Chelsea boss against Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Sonia Bompastor is confident her Chelsea players can overturn their two-goal deficit in their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Chelsea next week.
Bompastor watched on as Vivianne Miedema's brace secured the Citizens a 2-0 win in the first leg of their last eight tie on Tuesday, inflicting her first loss in charge of the Blues.
It also saw Chelsea's 31-game unbeaten run across all competitions come to an end, with City exacting revenge from their League Cup final defeat four days earlier.
Though Bompastor's side ended the contest with a marginally higher expected goals (xG) total of 1.08 to City's 0.94, they created very little at the Joie Stadium.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd squandered the Blues' best opportunity, striking the crossbar in the 80th minute with the encounter still finely in the balance.
The second leg takes place at Stamford Bridge next Thursday, and though disappointed by the result, Bompastor is still eyeing a place in the final four with her players.
"We said our ambitions at the beginning of the season, and we won't change that. Our ambitions are still there," Bompastor said.
"That is the first time we have been beaten, so that is not a drama. It is a big competition for us, and we want to go deep in every competition.
"We still have one game to reverse the situation and there is still hope for us."
Full-time at the Joie Stadium.#UWCL pic.twitter.com/Cxv1oTL6eD
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) March 19, 2025
Chelsea's defeat on Wednesday was the second of four consecutive games against City, with the teams playing against each other in the Women's Super League this Sunday.
The Blues hold an eight-point advantage over second-placed Arsenal in the top-flight, though preparations will now take on a new feel for Bompastor and her squad.
"We have the quality in the squad. We have the depth to play them four times and manage that situation," Bompastor said when asked about the difficulty of playing City four times in a row.
"I am still confident even if it's tough tonight.
"Everyone is disappointed, but my job is to make sure from tomorrow, going into the next game, in every training session, we work as hard as we can."