Lucy Bronze recalls, “Sonia and I had a chat about this.” “What do you think is missing at Chelsea?” she asked me. “Nothing, they’ve got everything,” I exclaimed. “I know, I thought that as well,” Sonia retorted.
There aren’t many better suited to evaluate Chelsea’s hopes for the Champions League than Bronze, the five-time winner who worked with Lyon and knows Chelsea’s manager Sonia Bompastor and her assistant Camille Abily.

In comparison to many of the clubs I’ve played for, this club has access to greater resources, Bronze claims. “How does it compare to Lyon and Barcelona?’ is a question I regularly am asked. Although the players and quality at both of those teams were outstanding, and I had a great time there, they did not always have the resources to support the team at Chelsea’s disposal.

Bronze, correct, as Chelsea get ready for their first Champions League group match, a spectacular matchup against Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night? Can Bompastor make the difference for Chelsea to become the first English team to taste European glory since Arsenal did in 2007?

The defender Nathalie Björn, who joined Chelsea in January, responds, “Yeah, I would say so.” “I think it’s amazing that you can win the Champions League as a coach and a player. She really knows what it takes both from an individual perspective but also from the team perspective. She seems like she could really fill the void we’ve been experiencing.

The components are present, with Chelsea’s team digging deeper than ever. Although it is not appreciably larger, practically every player has a great deal of experience. Emma Hayes contributed to some of that planning, willing to forgo achievement in order to leave the team in a strong position. More playing time for players like Aggie Beever-Jones, Maika Hamano, Hannah Hampton, and Lauren James was more important than winning awards.

Chelsea has also welcomed back Millie Bright, Mayra Ramírez, and Catarina Macario, who were injured at separate points throughout the previous season. Sam Kerr and Mia Fishel are recovering from anterior cruciate ligament injuries at separate phases of their journeys, but they should provide firepower as the season goes on.

She thinks Bompastor can win because of her winning style and laser focus. She is aware of the ideal appearance, feel, and style of play for a winning team in the Champions League. She now has enormous influence both within her own community and throughout Europe.

Björn notes, “She’s very clear about how she wants to play football.” She is deeply committed to it. She is a sincere coach who sets expectations for you, but she also wants you to have courage when playing the ball. It’s a difficult balance to strike, but I believe she does a good job of it. She places expectations on you but also allows you to make errors and grow from them.

Paul Green, the general manager, who is familiar with Chelsea and the way the team and the club as a whole operate, is another source of stability. There is also a lot of room for reform in Europe. After Jonatan Giráldez left to join Washington Spirit, Barcelona, the European champions, have appointed their longtime assistant Pere Romeu as their new manager. Joe Montemurro replaced Bompastor at the eight-time Champions League winners Lyon. Fabrice Abriel has taken the reins at Paris Saint-Germain, with Jocelyn Prêcheur going to London City Lionesses. Although unlikely, disruption is still possible.

The WSL’s governing body’s decision to postpone Chelsea’s match against Manchester United last Sunday has caused a stir. A lot of attention has been paid to the home advantage it provides Bompastor’s team over Arsenal, who played last Sunday, as they take on Chelsea in the league on Saturday and play in the Champions League on Wednesday. However, Bompastor claims that Chelsea is also having problems, even with the additional rest.

“We had a really strong team dynamic, and not being able to play every weekend affects how we prepare for our match against Real Madrid on Tuesday… We haven’t competed in ten days, which is quite different. Hence, the choice is not good when you consider the circumstances. Furthermore, I believe it is detrimental to all English teams participating in the Champions League.

Chelsea’s lack of success in that competition may be due to the WSL’s scheduling policy, which differs from other leagues’ practices in not scheduling games around European ties.