'It's hard' - Sam Kerr's Chelsea team-mate Guro Reiten sheds light reaction to bitter blow of Australian superstar's ACL injury in training

Kerr has become the latest in an increasingly long line of high-profile footballers to be sidelined with a serious knee injury. The Australia international hurt her ACL at a warm-weather training camp in Morocco and has since undergone surgery. Team-mate Reiten says the players knew immediately that Kerr's injury was serious and admitted that losing the attacker is a real blow for the Blues.

She told BBC's Football Focus: "Yeah. Yeah we did [know it was serious]. It happened during training and we found out a couple of hours later. Sam's a very good friend. It's hard, because I know how much she wanted to play this season with the Olympics and everything. It's going to be a tough road but we're going to be there for her. Sam puts on a brave face. We are going to miss her so much, not just on the pitch but off the pitch. So we just have to try and be there for her and check in with her."

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has said Kerr picked up the issue in a "simple and innocuous" action during training. The injury means Kerr won't feature again this season and must instead focus on a long recovery. Kerr has scored 99 goals in 144 games for the Blues and her loss is a real blow to Chelsea in what is Hayes' final season in charge before taking over as USWNT boss.

It remains to be seen if and when Kerr will be seen in a Chelsea shirt again. She faces an extended period out of the game and is into the final few months of her current Blues deal. Hayes has said there's no need to 'panic' about Kerr's expiring contract and made it clear "Sam loves Chelsea and Chelsea loves Sam" when quizzed about the forward's future.