Chelsea’s Squad Update Ahead of Champions League Clash Against St. Pölten

Bompastor has confirmed that Hampton will miss the upcoming match due to a minor quadriceps injury and will undergo further tests to assess the situation. Consequently, Hampton has been excluded from Chelsea’s 22-member traveling squad for their game in Austria. The goalkeepers selected for this match are Livia Peng and Becky Spencer, while Lauren James and Naomi Girma return to the lineup after recovering from their injuries. The full squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Livia Peng, Becky Spencer.

Defenders: Sandy Baltimore, Nathalie Bjorn, Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Veerle Buurman, Ellie Carpenter, Niamh Charles, Naomi Girma.

Midfielders: Erin Cuthbert, Oriane Jean-Francois, Maika Hamano, Wieke Kaptein, Sjoeke Nusken, Lexi Potter, Keira Walsh.

Forwards: Lauren James, Sam Kerr, Catarina Macario, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Alyssa Thompson.

Chelsea is eager to secure back-to-back victories in their Champions League campaign after starting with a 1-1 draw against FC Twente, followed by an impressive 4-0 win over Paris FC. The Blues are favored to triumph against St. Pölten but will need to make a substitution in their starting lineup, with Peng stepping in for Hampton. Peng joined Chelsea this summer from Bundesliga club Werder Bremen after representing Switzerland at Euro 2025 and made her debut in the match against Twente. This Champions League appearance marks her only outing so far this season, and she is looking forward to the opportunity to showcase her skills once more on Tuesday night at the NV Arena.

Peng expressed her enthusiasm about joining Chelsea, describing it as a dream come true after signing a four-year contract this summer. In a statement to the club’s media, she said, “It feels so good to be here. When I was 10, I dreamed of playing for Chelsea. Now, my childhood dream has come true, and it’s so exciting. I’m really happy to join the Chelsea family and get started. It’s such a big club. Chelsea want to win titles, and so do I. We’re a good match. I’m hungry to win here.”

Chelsea completed a domestic treble last season, winning the Women’s Super League, FA Cup, and League Cup without suffering a single defeat. This season, they are determined to add more silverware to their collection. The Blues have made a strong start in the Women’s Champions League, currently sitting second in the Women’s Super League table, just one point behind leaders Manchester City after eight games.

Bompastor commented on her team’s performance, stating, “I think we are still early on in the season, and I’m not worried about where we stand right now in the table. We always want to be the leaders and lead this league, but the most important thing for us is to be leading the race at the end of the season. I trust my squad—the quality I have in the squad to be able to do that. It’s not the result we wanted to have coming into the game, but we are still in control, and I am quite confident.”

Entering this match after a controversial draw with Arsenal, Chelsea has extended their unbeaten run in the WSL to 33 games. Now refocusing on continental competition, the Blues aim to achieve their first European crown in the 2025-26 season. Given St. Pölten’s struggles, having conceded nine goals in their two Champions League matches thus far, anything less than an away victory for Chelsea would be regarded as a significant surprise.