Chelsea Women will begin the defence of their Women's Super League title when they play host to Aston Villa Women on Friday.
The contest represents Sonia Bompastor's first game as Chelsea boss, while it is also Robert de Pauw's opening game as Villa manager.
Match preview
© Imago
Chelsea are to kick off the post-Emma Hayes era after the long-time Blues manager left her position at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Hayes led Chelsea to a fifth consecutive WSL title in her final season in charge, with her side edging out Manchester City on goal difference to finish top of the standings after 22 matches.
The current USA Women's head coach won a total of 16 trophies during her 12-year stay in West London, leaving Bompastor with big shoes to fill.
Bompastor is unlikely to be too intimidated by Hayes's impressive record after she won seven trophies in her time as Lyon boss, including the 2021-22 Women's Champions League.
The 44-year-old has already made her own stamp on the side, having recruited Lucy Bronze, Sandi Baltimore, Oriane Jean-Francois, Alejandra Bernabe, Julia Bartel and Maelys Mpome.
Some of those new additions are likely to be involved in Friday's opener, where Chelsea will attempt to maintain their 100% record in WSL meetings with Villa (W8).
Like the hosts, Villa will enter the new campaign with a new manager in charge after De Pauw left his position as Bayer Leverkusen boss to take over the reins from Carla Ward.
Having coached in the Netherlands and Germany, De Pauw will be aiming to enjoy success in his first experience as a WSL manager.
The Dutchman takes over a Villa side which finished in seventh place last season after winning seven, drawing three and losing 12 of their 22 league matches.
Villa's 24-point tally represented a considerable drop-off from the 37 points that they accumulated to finish in fifth spot in the 2022-23 season.
The Villans will hope to kick off the new campaign with a better set of results than they managed in the closing stages of last term where they mustered one win in their final six matches (D2, L3).
They did at least perform reasonably well on their travels last season, collecting 18 points from their 11 WSL matches to finish with the fifth-best away record.
- W
- W
- W
- D
- W
Team News
© Imago
The hosts are expected to be without the services of Sam Kerr, Catarina Macario, Mia Fishel, Aniek Nouwen, Erin Cuthbert and Jean-Francois
Midfielder Sophie Ingle is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after she sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Chelsea's recent friendly against Feyenoord.
Bronze, Baltimore and Wieke Kaptein could be handed their Chelsea debuts, with the trio all in contention to start Friday's clash with Villa.
As for the visitors, Sally D'Angelo, Katie Robinson, Miri Taylor, Paula Tomas and Chasity Grant are among the summer additions who are likely to feature in the matchday squad.
Gabi Nunes is expected to feature among the substitutes after she completed a £250,000 move from Levante on transfer deadline day.
Rachel Daly is set to lead the line for De Pauw's side, having scored 30 goals in 44 WSL appearances since joining Villa in 2022.
Chelsea Women possible starting lineup:
Musovic; Bronze, Bright, Buchanan, Charles; Nusken, Kapstein; Kaneryd, James, Baltimore; Ramirez
Aston Villa Women possible starting lineup:
D'Angelo; Maritz, Patten, Corsie, Tomas; Staniforth, Nobbs, Grant; Leon, Dali, Daly
We say: Chelsea Women 2-0 Aston Villa Women
Villa have made an effort to strengthen their side over the summer and their new-look squad could offer Chelsea a tough test, but we still believe that the Blues will have the extra quality required to claim maximum points in Bompastor's first competitive game in charge.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
