Chelsea's manager Sonia Bompastor has faced a challenging season after her impressive debut year. Despite growing fan frustration following a 5-1 defeat to Manchester City, the French coach remains secure in her position after signing a contract extension until 2030. The former Lyon boss, who replaced club legend Emma Hayes, has acknowledged the season hasn't met expectations while maintaining her ambition to win all four competitions.

Bompastor repeatedly highlighted squad depth issues as the primary reason for the downturn. Of five summer signings, only Ellie Carpenter and Alyssa Thompson became regular starters. Key injuries compounded problems, with Lauren James not fully fit until mid-season, Sam Kerr returning from a two-year ACL absence, and Mayra Ramirez not featuring at all. The departure of respected former head of women's football Paul Green after 13 years added further instability.

The club is already planning for next