‘She’s in’: Superstar Kerr to end 609-day absence with huge milestone within her reach

Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor has tried to play down expectations for Matildas superstar Sam Kerr who is set to end her 20-month injury absence and play in Chelsea’s Women’s Super League season-opener.

Kerr is only one goal away from scoring her 100th for the club and Bompastor confirmed the 31-year-old, who suffered an ACL injury in January 2024, would be “involved in the game”.

Chelsea opens the season against Manchester City, who are without another Matildas star, Mary Fowler, who suffered an ACL injury of her own.

But all eyes will be on Kerr.

“Sam Kerr is in the squad. She will be involved in the game,” Bombastor said.

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“We don’t know yet if she will start or not, but she’s in the squad,” said the Frenchwoman, also reporting: “She’s in a good place. She’s been training well. She’s physically in a good position, also mentally.”

Kerr hasn’t played a match since a Champions League clash at Swedish club Hacken just before Christmas in 2023, where she scored her 99th goal for Chelsea.

She then went down during a training camp, suffering the shocking injury.

There were setbacks in her recovery, during which Kerr was also at the centre of a high profile court case in which was cleared of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.

Things have changed for Kerr and she’ll run out alongside Matildas teammate Ellie Carpenter who joined Chelsea from Bompastor’s old club Lyonnes.

“It’s nice because she is one of the players everyone wants to see on the pitch,” Bompastor said of Kerr as she tried to downplay expectations.

“To be fair to her, she’s been away from the pitch for a long time so I think we still need to be patient,” she said.

“That’s normal for her not to be at her best level yet. Hopefully soon, but that’s already a good step for her and for us for her to be in the squad.

“She played some minutes in pre-season games but we cannot expect Sam, having not played for 15 or 16 months, to be immediately ready and at her best level.

“We need to be patient, even if you and I want to have Sam back because she’s a wonderful player and we love watching her on the pitch.”

Kerr’s return also is positive news for the Matildas ahead of the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia next March.