Where is Catarina Macario? Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor explains USWNT star's absence for Twente Champions League clash

The Blues take on Twente in the Netherlands in their second group stage match this week, after beating Real Madrid 3-2 in their first outing in Europe last Tuesday. However, they will be without Macario as they bid to beat the Dutch side.

Macario has had rotten luck with injuries in recent times. After she suffered an ACL injury in June 2022 that ruled her out for almost two years, only returning back in March, the forward had to miss the Olympics this summer due to knee irritation. That meant she missed out on a gold medal too, as the USWNT beat Brazil in the final to triumph.

In light of those issues, Bompastor explained in her pre-match press conference that Macario's absence from Wednesday's game was about getting her back to full fitness in a steady manner. "We are building some minutes and building her fitness," the Chelsea boss said. "That's part of the plan and part of her own process. We work a lot individually with every player and we try to give them what they need to be fit and back to the best level, or their best version. We just felt it was the good decision to have her stay in London, working individually with some staff, and she will be ready for the game on Sunday."

The game on Sunday that Bompastor refers to is Chelsea hosting London rivals Tottenham. The Blues are currently second in the Women's Super League table, one point behind Manchester City but with a game in hand, after their match with Manchester United was controversially postponed.

Macario's full focus will be on being ready for that WSL game, then, but Chelsea's is on Thursday's clash with Twente and securing their second win in the Champions League group stage.