There was an unrecognisable look to Chelsea on Saturday. Normally this is the part of the season where they stand up and deliver, but defeat to Arsenal really rocked the boat – and it showed in their head coach.
Sonia Bompastor’s admission that the Women’s Super League title is ‘probably gone’ grabbed all the headlines in the league. The serial winner, with the mentality monster squad, handing in the towel with nine games to go.
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Fast forward a few days later, sat in a room in Chelsea’s training ground, the mood seems to have switched slightly.
The title is not ‘probably gone’ anymore. It’s Man City vs Chelsea on Sunday. League leaders vs reigning champions. Her team beat that in-form City team recently in the League Cup semi-finals. There’s one last chance for Chelsea.
“The game on Sunday is a must-win game for us,” Bompastor tells Sky Sports. “It will define our season for sure, in the league.
“I’ve told my players that I’m convinced we have a lot of quality in the squad, we have enough quality to beat every team in this league – starting from Sunday.
“It’s a big game, although one but we have already proved we are able to beat that team, every when they were in a really good dynamic. We expect the same, but it takes a lot of things to be able to achieve that.”
So what has changed in the Chelsea camp? While Bompastor was keen to move forwards from last weekend’s defeat at Stamford Bridge, a history lesson took place.
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Go back two years ago, Man City led Chelsea by six points at the top of the WSL table with as little as two or three games to go in the season.
Like Bompastor did on Sunday, Emma Hayes conceded the title to City, but the title momentum swung back in Chelsea’s favour, and they lifted the title on the final day.
“Some of my players have mentioned that to me, but I knew it anyway,” says Bompastor. “I was not there at that time, but I follow the women’s game a lot and was following the league.”
Should Chelsea win on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium, then the gap to City would be six points with eight games to go, with the league leaders then having to go to a resurgent Arsenal to get a result.
Of course it’s not over. At least not yet.
“In football, anything is possible,” says the Chelsea coach. “Our job right now is to make sure as competitors is to make sure we will never give up.
“We want to keep that mentality, we are professionals. We need to make sure we don’t give up and work as hard as possible to get where we want to be at the end of the season and have no regrets.”
And Chelsea don’t just have history on their side, but plenty of medals in their pockets too. City’s task ahead of them is to get over the line for the first time, knowing there’s an end-of-season animal behind them, ready to pounce at any slip-up.
And despite a very healthy lead at the top of the table, and no Champions League football to distract them, Bompastor’s message to Man City is very simple: “It’s always difficult to win.
“I remember what everyone was saying last season, things like: it’s so easy for Chelsea to win the treble. But I don’t think anything has changed from last season.
“We are doing the same things, working hard, coming into the pitch everyday and bringing the intensity in training sessions, keeping the right mentality.
“We were in that position last year, City is now in this position. But I don’t think you change no matter what position you are, you keep your main principles and daily habits.
“In this club, the DNA is strong enough not to deviate from that.”
Follow Man City vs Chelsea on Sky Sports’ digital platforms on Sunday afternoon, kick-off 2.30pm, including free match highlights after the game, along with the rest of the WSL action.
