Chelsea have suffered a triple injury setback ahead of their crucial UEFA Women’s Champions League playoff against Real Sociedad.
Head Coach Sonia Bompastor has confirmed that the team will be without three key players for their UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) playoff against Real Sociedad.
Club captain and midfield maestro Erin Cuthbert will be absent, as will summer signing Manaka Matsukubo, and striker Mayra Ramirez.
Bompastor must now lean heavily on her squad depth as she tries to navigate the unfamiliar terrain of UWCL playoffs.
Bompastor Confirms Cuthbert, Matsukubo and Ramirez Absences
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s first leg, Bompastor confirmed that Erin Cuthbert, Manaka Matsukubo and Mayra Ramirez will all miss the match.
Bompastor also said she does not expect any of the three players to return in time for the second leg, although she could not provide a specific recovery timeframe.
"We have a squad with almost everyone pretty available from pre-season.
"The ones who are not available are Erin Cuthbert, who had an injury in the last international break and she's recovering from that.
"We also have Manaka, who won't be available for this game, and Mayra as well, who won't be available for the game.
"I don't think we could expect to see them for the second leg.
"I think it'll be a little bit longer, but it's difficult to put a timeframe on it.
"They are working really well and progressing as we want them to progress, but yeah, no timeframe.
"Except from these three, everyone else is available."
The absence of these key stars means that the Blues will miss significant experience and tactical flexibility for the games.
Bompastor and her backroom staff must now adjust their game plan accordingly to utilise the available players.
How Chelsea Could Replace Cuthbert and Ramirez
The loss of Scotland international Erin Cuthbert leaves Chelsea without their primary leader and tempo-setter in the middle of the park.
Also, the absence of Mayra Ramirez leaves them without a focal point up top, something they did not have for most of the 2025-26 season.
Manaka Matsukubo is a bit of an unknown, seeing as she has yet to feature in a European game to understand how Bompastor plans to use her, but her quality was clear for all to see back in the NWSL.
Bompastor will need to be creative in finding solutions to these problems, particularly in the case of Cuthbert, who has been a mainstay at the club for many years.
Chelsea's Squad Depth Faces Early European Test
Chelsea spent the summer strengthening their squad after missing out on the WSL title to rivals Manchester City.
Their extensive roster depth leaves them well-equipped to deal with selection challenges caused by injuries or suspensions.
To replace Cuthbert, the experienced Katie McCabe can be deployed in midfield, while Keira Walsh and Sjoeke Nusken can also serve as replacements.
Matsukubo was one of two attacking midfield additions for the Blues alongside Giulia Dragoni, and the young Italian can debut for the club in the position.
Wieke Kaptein can also play in attacking midfield, so too Nusken.
Melvine Malard was brought in as a striker and is capable of filling in for the injured Ramirez.
Academy graduate Aggie Beever-Jones is another attacking option available to Bompastor as Chelsea look to overcome the injury setbacks and take a positive result into the second leg.
