Chelsea Defeats Real Madrid 3-2 in Champions League

Chelsea began their Women’s Champions League campaign with a 3-2 victory over Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge, marking a successful start for new head coach Sonia Bompastor. The Blues took an early lead through Sjoeke Nüsken's header and doubled it with Guro Reiten's penalty after being fouled. Despite a spirited response from Madrid, who pulled back to 3-2 late in the game with a goal from Linda Caicedo, Chelsea held on for the win. Bompastor's side displayed strong attacking play but showed some defensive vulnerabilities, raising concerns about their game management. The victory continues Chelsea's unbeaten streak at home in group play, while Bompastor aims for European success after the club previously fell short under former manager Emma Hayes. The match was characterized by a late goalkeeper switch for Chelsea, with Hannah Hampton unavailable due to illness, but Zecira Musovic stepped in without incident.