Chelsea manager Bompastor confident in Kerr's return to form

Dec 13 : Chelsea forward Sam Kerr is struggling to regain her best form, but manager Sonia Bompastor said she is unbothered, expressing confidence the Australian striker will return to peak performance.

Kerr, 32, who returned to action in September after a long spell on the sidelines following an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in January 2024, had a scoreless outing in Chelsea's 6-0 win over Roma in the Women's Champions League.

"It's better for her confidence and the team's confidence if she is able to score, but I know enough football to know it will take time for her to recover her best level," Bompastor said.

"From her performance you could see she is getting closer to her best level: her movement and contribution in the team is better than when she just came back. She is working hard."

Kerr has won five league titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups since making her Chelsea debut in 2020, and Bompastor said the striker will soon bounce back to lead the team to success.

"She has the right mentality and she is making all the effort to get to a point where she will contribute again by scoring goals and helping the team to perform," Bompastor said.

"I'm not worried. It takes time, and I'm hoping for her and her confidence that will happen soon."

Chelsea, second in the Women's Super League standings with 21 points, will face Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday before playing Wolfsburg in the Champions League on Thursday.