Bompastor goes back to Lyon
Sonia Bompastor returns to Lyon on Wednesday with Chelsea Women, and she is not pretending it is a normal away day. "C'est un moment special," she said (5) (9). It is. Lyon opened their Champions League campaign by beating Servette 8–0 (9). Your team walks into Groupama Stadium against the side that just put eight past someone. That is the level.
One thing to keep straight: Lyon beat Servette 8–0, not Chelsea. The warning is theirs, not a result against you.
Bronze: Lyon are the real test
Lucy Bronze knows exactly what awaits. She won it all at Lyon before she came to Chelsea, and she is not downplaying the fixture.
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"To go toe to toe with another team who's one of the best in the world and test ourselves and prove ourselves is going to be exciting," she said (4). Bronze also had words for her former captain: "Renard est la meilleure capitaine avec laquelle j'ai joue" (3). A reunion, a test, and a Chelsea team that wants to know where it stands in Europe.
Lavia gives his own injury update
Romeo Lavia has spoken directly about his fitness after he was substituted late in Belgium's 1–0 defeat to France (6). He gave an update himself, which is more than most clubs get from a midfielder these days. Chelsea fans were waiting on clarity, and Lavia delivered it (6).
Chelsea open to a January midfielder
Chelsea are open to signing a midfielder in January. That is from Nizaar Kinsella, who said: "I can tell you with some degree of certainty that Chelsea are open to signing a midfielder" (8).
The catch is the academy. Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli and Reggie Watson are coming through, and their progress could change whether Chelsea spend at all (8). Two teenagers are holding the door to a transfer open or shut.
Eyes on Camarda, and a clause in Scott's deal
Chelsea are monitoring AC Milan's Francesco Camarda. The 18-year-old striker has barely played this season, and several Premier League clubs are circling (2). Milan are not looking to sell him (2).
Meanwhile Alex Scott's new Bournemouth contract could carry a release clause, which hands Chelsea and Liverpool a potential opening (10). Two names, two future windows.
Alajbegovic is the one that got away
Chelsea had their shot at Kerim Alajbegovic and missed. That is the read now that his numbers have kept climbing since (7).
Players like that do not go quiet. Chelsea will keep hearing his name.
On the lighter side: Cesc Fabregas has a clause in his Como contract that reportedly allows a future move to Chelsea, Arsenal or Barcelona (11).
And in the academy, Lexi Potter has her first England call-up after a strong start to the season with Chelsea Women (12).
What the fans are talking about
The mood on the Chelsea subreddit is split between nostalgia and relief. A John Terry clip on Frank Lampard and a 40th birthday post for Olivier Giroud have the threads full of old stories, while a serious thread credits BlueCo for self-reporting and cooperating on historic rule-breaking, framing it as the reason Chelsea are not facing the sanctions now hanging over Manchester City. Scarce footage of Moises Caicedo at the Laver Cup with Roger Federer and Juan Mata is doing the rounds too.
