Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton could make her comeback before the WSL winter break after Sonia Bompastor delivered an encouraging update on the England international’s recovery from injury. The 25-year-old has missed Chelsea’s last five matches across all competitions since sustaining an issue during the 1-1 draw at Arsenal on November 8.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to Brighton, Bompastor confirmed Hampton remains unavailable for the Broadfield Stadium clash but indicated the goalkeeper could feature in one of Chelsea’s final two fixtures before Christmas. The Blues face Everton at Kingsmeadow on December 20 before concluding their pre-break schedule with a Champions League trip to Celtic on December 23.

Assessing Hampton’s Return Timeline

Bompastor revealed Chelsea’s medical team continues evaluating Hampton’s condition daily, with the goalkeeper making steady progress through rehabilitation. The manager explained that while Hampton won’t be rushed back prematurely, the club remains cautiously optimistic about seeing her return before entering the winter break in January.

Hampton’s absence has forced Bompastor to rely on backup options including Livia Peng, who has deputized admirably but lacks Hampton’s international experience and commanding presence. The former Aston Villa goalkeeper established herself as Chelsea’s first-choice after joining in 2023, earning her England debut earlier this year and keeping 13 clean sheets during last season’s domestic treble triumph.

Bronze Defying Age Expectations

Bompastor also addressed questions about Lucy Bronze’s workload, dismissing concerns over the 34-year-old defender’s ability to cope with Chelsea’s congested fixture schedule. The manager praised Bronze’s tactical intelligence and positional versatility, noting she adapts her game depending on whether she operates at right-back or centre-back.

Bronze’s experience will prove invaluable against Brighton on Sunday as Chelsea look to maintain pressure on WSL leaders Manchester City, who currently sit six points clear after the Blues’ shock 1-0 home defeat to Everton last weekend ended their record-breaking 34-game unbeaten league run.

Also read: Hannah Hampton: How England’s Goalkeeper Defied Doctors and Poor Eyesight to Win Treble and EURO Glory

Chelsea Women look to bounce back from Sunday’s shock defeat to Everton when they host struggling Roma in Wednesday’s Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues sit sixth in the league phase standings with eight points and need victory to keep alive hopes of finishing in the automatic qualification places for the quarter-finals.

Kick-off: 20:00 GMT, Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Venue: Stamford Bridge
TV: Disney+ (UK)

Form Guide

Chelsea suffered their first defeat of the season on Sunday, losing 1-0 at home to Everton in the WSL to end a 10-match unbeaten run across all competitions. That result followed a 1-1 draw with Barcelona at Stamford Bridge on November 20, where Erin Carpenter’s early opener was cancelled out before halftime in a frustrating evening for Sonia Bompastor’s side.

The Blues previously recorded impressive victories over Paris FC (4-0) and St. Pölten (6-0) in the Champions League, showcasing their attacking prowess. They drew 1-1 with Twente in their opening fixture but remain one of three teams yet to lose in this season’s competition.

Roma sit third from bottom with just one point from four matches, having suffered heavy defeats against Real Madrid (6-2) and Barcelona (4-0) before losing to Vålerenga. Their only point came in a 1-1 draw with OH Leuven on matchday four. In Serie A, they lead the standings by four points after drawing 1-1 with Juventus on Saturday.

Team News

Chelsea will be without Hannah Hampton, Kadiesha Buchanan and Mayra Ramirez through injury. Erin Cuthbert remains a doubt after missing Sunday’s Everton defeat due to concussion protocol following a head knock sustained during Scotland’s friendly against China last week.

Wieke Kaptein and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd are among those expected to return to the starting lineup after being rested for the Everton match. Sonia Bompastor will demand a response from her players following their first loss of the campaign.

Roma have no major injury concerns heading into their trip to West London and will hope to become the first team to beat Chelsea in the Champions League since Barcelona knocked them out in last season’s semi-finals.

Predicted Lineups

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Musovic; Bright, Bjorn, Carpenter, Lawrence; Nusken, Kaptein; Rytting Kaneryd, James, Reiten; Ramirez

Roma (4-3-3): Ceasar; Thogersen, Linari, Minami, Hanshaw; Giugliano, Kumagai, Greggi; Dragoni, Haavi, Viens

Also read: Tottenham Women vs Aston Villa Women: Predicted Lineups + Match Preview

Hannah Hampton was told professional sport wasn’t meant for someone like her. Born with strabismus, an eye condition where eyes don’t align properly and look in different directions, doctors repeatedly warned the Birmingham-born goalkeeper that an elite football career would be impossible.

The condition doesn’t just affect appearance. Hampton also lacks depth perception, meaning she finds it significantly harder to judge distances than people with normal vision. For a goalkeeper, a position that demands split-second judgment of ball trajectory and speed, this should have been an insurmountable barrier. Medical professionals were clear: professional athletics weren’t realistic for someone with her visual impairment.

Hannah Hampton Had Three Surgeries Before Age Three

The 25-year-old underwent three corrective surgeries at Birmingham Children’s Hospital before reaching her third birthday, but none were wholly successful. She still struggles with depth perception today, and the impact of her condition extends far beyond the football pitch.

As she candidly explained to former England goalkeeper Ben Foster during an interview, “I basically have no depth perception, so I can’t judge any distances. How does that work as a keeper? I really don’t know. It just does.”

Her condition’s impact is most noticeable in everyday tasks that others take for granted. “When pouring a glass of water, I’ll miss the glass if I’m not holding it,” Hampton admits. Simple activities like reaching for objects, navigating stairs, or gauging how far away something is require constant conscious effort and adjustment.

Throughout her youth football career, she suffered “many, many nose bleeds” and “a lot of broken fingers” because she constantly positioned her hands in the wrong place when attempting to catch balls. What came naturally to other goalkeepers required Hampton to develop compensatory techniques and an almost superhuman level of focus.

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The repeated injuries would have discouraged most young athletes. Combined with the doctors’ warnings and the visible evidence that her condition was causing genuine problems, Hampton had every reason to pursue a different path. But she refused to listen to the doubters.

Hannah Hampton Refused To Give Up On Her Dream

Despite the medical skepticism and the physical toll, Hampton refused to give up on her dream. “I’ve always gone through life trying to prove people wrong,” she said. “I was told from a young age that I couldn’t play football, that it wouldn’t be a profession I could pursue. But here I am.”

Her journey to the top was far from straightforward. Recognizing she needed elite coaching to maximize her potential despite her limitations, Hampton made the bold decision as a teenager to move to Spain. She spent five years developing at Villarreal’s prestigious academy, learning her craft in one of Europe’s most technically demanding football cultures.

The Spanish experience proved invaluable. Away from the skepticism she’d faced in England and surrounded by coaches focused on what she could do rather than what she couldn’t, Hampton developed the technical skills and mental resilience that would define her career.

She returned to England and progressed through the ranks at Stoke City and Birmingham City, consistently proving doubters wrong at each level. Her performances eventually caught the attention of Chelsea, who signed her in 2023. It was the breakthrough she’d worked so hard for a chance to prove herself at the very highest level of women’s football.

Treble Glory at Chelsea

Hampton’s 2024/25 season with Chelsea was nothing short of spectacular. The Blues won the domestic treble, claiming the WSL title, FA Cup and League Cup while finishing the league campaign unbeaten. Hampton’s contribution was immense. She shared the Golden Glove award after keeping 13 clean sheets, demonstrating that her supposed visual impairment was no barrier to elite shot-stopping.

Her performances drew praise from teammates, opponents and pundits alike. Here was a goalkeeper with a measurable physical disadvantage not just competing at the highest level, but excelling. She’d turned her weakness into motivation, developing an exceptional work ethic and mental toughness that set her apart.

Euro 2025: Becoming England’s Hero

After Mary Earps’ retirement in May 2025, Hampton became England’s undisputed number one goalkeeper. The weight of expectation was enormous . Earps had been a national hero, the face of women’s football in England. Hampton had to step into those impossibly large gloves and make the position her own.

Her defining moment came in the Euro 2025 quarter-final against Sweden. The match went to a penalty shootout after a grueling 120 minutes. Late in extra time, Hampton suffered a nosebleed, a problem that had plagued her since childhood due to her repeated surgeries and the facial trauma from misjudging ball distances. With an absorbent stuffed in her nostril and blood on her kit, she faced Sweden’s penalty takers.

She saved two. England advanced.

But Hampton wasn’t finished. The final against Spain on July 27, 2025, again went to penalties. With the pressure at its absolute peak and the nation watching, Hampton stepped up once more. She saved penalties from Barcelona stars Mariona Caldentey and Aitana Bonmati, two of the world’s best players. England had won the Euros.

UEFA named Hampton Player of the Match in the final. Manager Sarina Wiegman told reporters it was “like a fairy tale” – the goalkeeper told she’d never make it had just delivered England’s greatest triumph.

Now an ambassador for Birmingham Children’s Hospital where she underwent those early surgeries, Hampton uses her platform to inspire others facing similar challenges. Her message is simple but powerful:

“It was always my passion to do sport and it was my dream. You’ve got to follow your dreams and, sat here right now, I can say that I’ve done that.”

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