Sonia Bompastor urges Chelsea to be ruthless in battle with Liverpool for Women’s FA Cup final spot
KINGSTON UPON THAMES, ENGLAND – MARCH 30: Sonia Bompastor, Manager of Chelsea, reacts during the Barclays Women’s Super League match between Chelsea FC and West Ham United FC at Kingsmeadow on March 30, 2025 in Kingston upon Thames, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)Getty SONIA BOMPASTOR wants Chelsea to be ruthless in their FA Cup clash with Liverpool and go full throttle for more trophies. This month is a massive one for the WSL leaders with a place in two major finals at stake. AlamyBompastor hopes to guide the Blues to a second cup final duel this season following their League Cup triumph over Man City[/caption] GettyThe last clash between the teams ended as a 3-0 away win for Chelsea in the WSL last November[/caption] GettyAmber Whiteley hopes to guide Liverpool to their first FA Cup final since 1996[/caption] Following their League Cup triumph, on Saturday at Kingsmeadow they hope to claim a spot in this year’s FA Cup decider. On April 20th they will be in Spain for the first-leg of a mammoth Champions League last four battle with Barcelona. A Wembley duel with Manchester City or holders Man United on May 18 awaits the victors of the duel between Bompastor’s side and their visitors. And they also hope to avoid any more dropped points in the top-flight as they attempt to claim an eighth Women’s Super League title. One that will, should they succeed, be their first since Bompastor took charge last summer. Before then Amber Whiteley’s Reds take on the Blues in a lunchtime duel with their opponents hoping to reach their first FA Cup final since 2023. Chelsea boss Bompastor, whose side won this year’s League Cup said: “It’s up to us to make sure we have this ruthless mentality as a team. “Probably the best version of ourselves is the game we had against Man City, in the second leg in the Champions League quarter-final. “But then also the first 30 minutes we played against West Ham. “We are still in three competitions and we have the opportunity to play against the best teams in Europe, in big games. “And that’s an opportunity for us to just show our best version and our levels and make sure we keep our standards high.” While Liverpool clinched a shock win against Arsenal to reach the FA Cup semis, they will be going into today’s game as underdogs. The Reds have lost 16 of their last 19 games against Chelsea across all competitions. And they were knocked out of the fourth round of the contest by the Blues back in 2022-23. Despite the odds being in her side’s favour, Bompastor is unlikely to underestimate her foes. Particularly with Chelsea having dropped points in the league against West Ham before the international break. She added: “In terms of a ruthless mentality, it will be really important for us to show up. “We need to be more consistent during the game from the beginning until the end. “If you analyse the West Ham game, we started strong, we had the opportunity to win the game by three, four goals difference. “We need to be aggressive. This is a semi-final and we will be facing a team who will be hugely motivated.” Saturday’s match follows an international break in which two of Chelsea’s England stars – Keira Walsh and Aggie Beever-Jones – bagged their first senior international goals. Bompastor said: “All the English people should be proud to have these players in Chelsea and in England. “They are world-class players and they are making a big impact on the women’s game.” Whiteley’s Reds hope to become the first Liverpool side to reach an FA Cup final in almost three decades. The last time the team battled in a decider for the trophy was in 1996. That year they were beaten on penalties by a Croydon side captained by Hope Powell. Liverpool’s last FA Cup final outing ended as a loss on penalties with a Croydon side captained by Hope Powell lifting the trophy 29 years agoPA In her column for Liverpool’s website, Whiteley wrote: “The prize doesn’t come much bigger than the opportunity to play in an FA Cup final at Wembley. “We’ll put absolutely everything into it.We have the opportunity to do something really special in this competition. “We have to go into the game prepared and with the confidence and belief that we can go all the way.”
SONIA BOMPASTOR wants Chelsea to be ruthless in their FA Cup clash with Liverpool and go full throttle for more trophies.
This month is a massive one for the WSL leaders with a place in two major finals at stake.
Following their League Cup triumph, on Saturday at Kingsmeadow they hope to claim a spot in this year’s FA Cup decider.
On April 20th they will be in Spain for the first-leg of a mammoth Champions League last four battle with Barcelona.
A Wembley duel with Manchester City or holders Man United on May 18 awaits the victors of the duel between Bompastor’s side and their visitors.
And they also hope to avoid any more dropped points in the top-flight as they attempt to claim an eighth Women’s Super League title.
One that will, should they succeed, be their first since Bompastor took charge last summer.
Before then Amber Whiteley’s Reds take on the Blues in a lunchtime duel with their opponents hoping to reach their first FA Cup final since 2023.
Chelsea boss Bompastor, whose side won this year’s League Cup said: “It’s up to us to make sure we have this ruthless mentality as a team.
“Probably the best version of ourselves is the game we had against Man City, in the second leg in the Champions League quarter-final.
“But then also the first 30 minutes we played against West Ham.
“We are still in three competitions and we have the opportunity to play against the best teams in Europe, in big games.
“And that’s an opportunity for us to just show our best version and our levels and make sure we keep our standards high.”
While Liverpool clinched a shock win against Arsenal to reach the FA Cup semis, they will be going into today’s game as underdogs.
The Reds have lost 16 of their last 19 games against Chelsea across all competitions.
And they were knocked out of the fourth round of the contest by the Blues back in 2022-23.
Despite the odds being in her side’s favour, Bompastor is unlikely to underestimate her foes.
Particularly with Chelsea having dropped points in the league against West Ham before the international break.
She added: “In terms of a ruthless mentality, it will be really important for us to show up.
“We need to be more consistent during the game from the beginning until the end.
“If you analyse the West Ham game, we started strong, we had the opportunity to win the game by three, four goals difference.
“We need to be aggressive. This is a semi-final and we will be facing a team who will be hugely motivated.”
Saturday’s match follows an international break in which two of Chelsea’s England stars – Keira Walsh and Aggie Beever-Jones – bagged their first senior international goals.
Bompastor said: “All the English people should be proud to have these players in Chelsea and in England.
“They are world-class players and they are making a big impact on the women’s game.”
Whiteley’s Reds hope to become the first Liverpool side to reach an FA Cup final in almost three decades.
The last time the team battled in a decider for the trophy was in 1996.
That year they were beaten on penalties by a Croydon side captained by Hope Powell.
In her column for Liverpool’s website, Whiteley wrote: “The prize doesn’t come much bigger than the opportunity to play in an FA Cup final at Wembley.
“We’ll put absolutely everything into it.We have the opportunity to do something really special in this competition.
“We have to go into the game prepared and with the confidence and belief that we can go all the way.”
