17 hours ago
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Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has tracked back on her comments saying the WSL title is "probably over" by insisting her side will "never give up".
The Blues, who have won six successive WSL titles and went unbeaten domestically in Bompastor's debut season, trail leaders Manchester City by nine points.
Chelsea travel to City on Sunday (14:30 GMT), knowing anything other than a victory will all but end their title hopes.
Bompastor admitted doubts after their 2-0 loss by Arsenal last Saturday, while City held their nerve to bag a late winner against London City Lionesses.
It is not the first time a Chelsea manager has publicly conceded the title was lost before the end of the season when predecessor Emma Hayes infamously did just that after a 4-3 loss at Liverpool in May 2024.
That result meant with three games to go, Chelsea had a six-point deficit to chase, but they usurped Manchester City on goal difference on the final day.
Asked if this was mind games by Bompastor, she said: "No, our mentality is to fight until the end, no matter what happens. We will never give up.
"There are nine games left in the WSL. The only thing is that we are not in control of it. Manchester City are leading the table and are in control.
"We just need to make sure we focus on how we want to perform and to give ourselves a better chance to win. Every game is a must-win game for Chelsea. We will never give up."
Last season, Chelsea dropped just six points in the WSL all season, drawing three but winning the other 19 of their 22 matches.
They won the Women's FA Cup and Women's League Cup to complete an historic, unbeaten treble for Bompastor's side.
It helped them on their way to a 34-game unbeaten league run until a shock 1-0 defeat by struggling Everton in December.
That came after successive league draws with Liverpool and Arsenal, before a second defeat of the season came at Stamford Bridge last weekend.
But Bompastor says the unusual nature of their success last season has helped give them perspective in this "frustrating" period.
"That's why I think we're not really down. Of course, we are disappointed and frustrated not to be getting better results but even last season when we were winning a lot of games, we were not really high," said Bompastor.
"I said it last season when people thought it was easy for us to win games – it wasn't. We were humble and knew we had to work hard to have that season.
"Right now, it is also important to not get too low. We are really confident with the quality in the squad and I have seen reactions in training this week."
Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women's Football Weekly podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feed
