Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor says that the club are excited to get going in this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League.
The Blues kick-off their latest European campaign with a group stage fixture against Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
When speaking in the pre-match press conference, Chelsea boss Bompastor said that the UEFA Women’s Champions League is a special competition and that the club are excited to get going.
“It’s a really special competition for the players first of all but also for me,” Bompastor said. “As a player and now as a manager, I think this competition means a lot for every player and member of staff.
“We are really excited to get started in this competition, especially because the first game is at home at Stamford Bridge.”
Bompastor will take charge of Chelsea in European competition for the first time against Real Madrid and she is expecting an ultra-competitive game.
She said “I’m excited and super-happy to lead Chelsea and having the opportunity with my players to start [the competition] at Stamford Bridge. For me and the new members of staff, it’s the first time that we will face Real Madrid.
“I know that they are one of the most competitive teams in the Spanish league. I know how many talented players they have in the squad and I know about their philosophy to have possession of the ball, so it’s a really exciting game. We are ready for that and I also know that we will have a good game. For the fans in the stadium and watching on TV, it’ll be a great game.”
Real Madrid failed to win a match in last season’s group stage and finished bottom of their group. The Whites will be fired up to bounce back from last season’s disappointment but Bompastor says that Chelsea will be well-prepared for every opponent in Europe.
She said “The Champions League is so competitive, you can’t underestimate any team. Real Madrid have made some changes in their squad, they have added new players and I think they are different from last season. We expect every team that plays against us to be at their best level.
“We know that it will be a hard game, especially because they will want to win but we are also really prepared for that and we have a lot of qualities in the team and in the squad. We are ready to face every scenario.”
Chelsea’s UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage fixture against Real Madrid kicks-off at 8pm on Tuesday evening. Tickets remain on-sale and can be purchased by clicking here.
