Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze acknowledged her team was “miles off it” during their 2-0 loss to Manchester City in the Women’s Champions League quarter-final first leg but expressed belief that they could turn the situation around. Substitute Vivianne Miedema made a significant impact, scoring twice to put City in a strong position, marking Sonia Bompastor’s first defeat since taking over as Chelsea manager, just four days after winning the League Cup.
The Blues now face a challenging task in the second leg to achieve their long-awaited first Champions League title, but Bronze remains optimistic ahead of their rematch at Stamford Bridge on March 27. “I don’t think we were good enough,” she stated. “Our press lacked effort and our passing was sloppy. City were better organized, and we fell short of our game plan.”
Despite trailing by two goals, Bronze is confident in her team’s ability to recover. “We can score goals and we have offensive talent across the squad,” she noted.
Bompastor, who took responsibility for the performance, shared her disappointment but echoed Bronze’s optimism about upcoming matches against City in the Women’s Super League on Sunday and the return leg in the Champions League. “It’s a frustrating night, and while it’s okay to feel disappointed, we need to analyze our performance moving forward,” she said.
Reflecting on her role as manager, Bompastor stressed the importance of maintaining a positive mindset. “We have lost only one game this season, and while it is significant, we have the quality and depth in our squad to bounce back,” she asserted.
Miedema echoed this sentiment, celebrating her team’s resolve after a tough loss in the League Cup final against Chelsea just days prior. “Today was special, and we aim to replicate this performance in our upcoming matches,” she stated. With 17 attempts on goal during the match, City demonstrated their attacking prowess and intention to maintain momentum as they look to build confidence for future challenges.
