‘You have to show a reaction’ – Chelsea boss Bompastor hoping for strong performance at Manchester City | OneFootball

Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor says that she is hoping for a strong performance from her side at Manchester City this weekend, four days on from their UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final, first leg defeat.

The Blues were defeated 2-0 at Manchester City on Wednesday evening. A quick turnaround sees Chelsea return to the North West for a Barclays Women’s Super League fixture on Sunday.

When speaking in the pre-match press conference, Bompastor said that the midweek loss was difficult but the focus now shifts to the future.

“It’s always tough to lose games but even if it’s rare, that’s part of the job,” Bompastor said. “If you have the best preparation, some days, even if you put it all on the pitch, it doesn’t work the way you want.

“One day after the game, it is tough because you have your emotions. It is always difficult to lose games but I am a positive person and I need to bring this positive energy to my team, to my squad.

“It’s okay for players and staff to have a tough day after a loss. Our job now is to make sure that we are looking to the future because we can’t control the past. We’ve had a good reflection as a team and we are all ready now for the game on Sunday.”

Chelsea must overturn their 2-0 deficit in the second leg of their UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final tie at Stamford Bridge on Thursday. Bompastor says that she is not thinking about player availability for that game and she intends to select a strong team this weekend as her side aim to bounce back to winning ways.

She said “It’s an important game for both teams. We want to stay top of the league and win the trophy. Every game is important, so the one on Sunday will be three points. After losing the game [on Wednesday], you have to show a reaction from that and this is what we need to do.”

Chelsea go into the game with an eight-point advantage at the top of the Barclays Women’s Super League table. The pressure is arguably on Manchester City but Bompastor insists that getting three points is every bit as important for her side.

She said “I think when you look at the facts, yes, for sure, we are in a better position in terms of the table but it’s an important game for us. We want to go into this game with a lot of confidence and win the game. I haven’t picked my team yet but I will pick the strongest team that I can to make sure we have a good chance to win on Sunday.”

Chelsea’s Barclays Women’s Super League fixture at Manchester City kicks-off at 2.30pm on Sunday afternoon.