Huge step for Catarina Macario: USWNT star handed first Chelsea start of the season in Champions League clash with Celtic

Macario missed the U.S. women's national team's triumphant Olympic campaign in the summer due to a knee problem, one which came just a few months after she put a two-year injury absence to an end. The 25-year-old was initially included on Emma Hayes' roster, but had to withdraw from the tournament before it began.

New Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor, who coached the USWNT star at Lyon, has been patient with Macario through the first few weeks of this season, in order to ensure she can get back to full fitness and not endure any setbacks. That finally resulted in the forward being named to the Blues' XI for the first time on Wednesday, ahead of their Champions League group stage clash with Celtic.

Despite seeing just 87 minutes of action across four appearances in all competitions, Macario has already got on the scoresheet for Chelsea this season. That goal came in the Blues' second match of the new campaign, when the U.S. star made a great impact off the bench in a 7-0 thrashing of newly-promoted Women's Super League side Crystal Palace.

Macario will hope this is a positive step towards more game time before 2024 comes to a close. The Blues have a big fixture next up, as they welcome Manchester United to London on Sunday, and the forward would surely love to be involved there, too.