‘Main focus’: Sam Kerr takes massive step to sporting return
Matildas captain Sam Kerr is on the cusp of a return to action after being named in Chelsea’s Champions League squad.
Kerr hasn’t played since December 2023 after rupturing her ACL in training at the start of 2024, and having a knee reconstruction in January last year.
Despite the Matilda striker’s name appearing on Chelsea’s list for the league’s knockout stages, coach Sonia Bompastor tempered expectations for her long-awaited return.
Chelsea’s next Champions League fixture is against Manchester City on March 20 and Bompastor has already confirmed Kerr won’t play.
But, while she said it was “difficult to predict” when the Australian ace will make her comeback, she is seemingly nearing consideration for Chelsea’s Champions League quarter-final clashes over the next fortnight.
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“For Sam, we will see,” Bompastor said in London.
“She is progressing really well in her rehab but I just want her to feel like the main focus for her will be to work really hard, be the best version of herself.
“If we have positive news and she can bring in to the team her experience but also her competencies, it will be great.
“I just want her to focus step by step but the main thing for me is to make sure she works hard and she just comes back in the squad.
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“I just want to make it clear I think it is not really fair to expect from a player who has been injured for now 15 months… to be the hero in the team.”
Chelsea, which is yet to lose in all competitions this season, meets Manchester City four times in the next two weeks, including Saturday’s Women’s League Cup final.
The run of matches means squad rotation is a high priority – further opening the door for Kerr’s return soon.
“We will look at the four games. We will take them one by one but also anticipate and look at all of the block,” Bompastor said.
“In terms of management, this is why it is important to have depth in the squad.
“We know it is not possible for all the players to play four 90 minutes, so this is where we need to be prepared to rotate the squad and we know how we want to do that in the different games in the different competitions.”
Last month, Kerr was found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment after calling a Metropolitan Police officer “stupid and white”.
After the high-profile trial, Football Australia said it remained supportive of Kerr while refusing to comment on her prospects of keeping the national captaincy.
The Matildas’ next games are friendlies against South Korea on April 4 in Sydney and April 7 in Newcastle.
– with AAP
