'Really talented' - Potential impact of USWNT star Catarina Macario excites Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor as forward continues injury comeback

Macario has had a torrid time with injuries as of late. In March, she returned from two years out but was then sidelined again in the summer, missing the USWNT's incredible Olympic gold medal triumph due to a knee problem.

As a result, her involvement for Chelsea has been limited in the early weeks of their new season. Macario was an unused sub in the Blues' Women's Super League opener against Aston Villa but she was able to make her mark off the bench in a recent victory over Crystal Palace, scoring the final goal of a 7-0 thrashing.

Speaking about Macario's fitness on Monday, Chelsea boss Bompastor said: "Catarina is doing well. She's coming back from injury. She's not maybe, at the moment, at 100 per cent but she's in the process to come back at her best level. When she's at her best level, she's really talented and I know how much she can have an impact on our team."

It's not just because of her goal last time out that Bompastor knows about Macario's quality. The pair worked together at Lyon, where the U.S. forward had a remarkable 2021-22 campaign to help the French giants win an eighth Champions League title.

Both Macario and Bompastor will be out for more European glory this season as Chelsea pursue a first title in the UWCL. They begin their campaign in the 2024-25 edition of the competition on Tuesday, at home to Real Madrid in the group stages.